Stratton Scores Career-High as UW-L Wins Sixth Straight over UW-Stout

For Immediate Release: Saturday, Jan. 10, 2009

La Crosse, Wis. – The UW-La Crosse men’s basketball team earned its sixth straight victory over UW-Stout with an 83-69 win Saturday afternoon in Mitchell Hall. The Eagles improve to 8-6 overall and 2-3 in the WIAC while the Blue Devils fall to 5-8 overall and 0-5 in the conference.

The game was tied 7-7 before UW-L later took a 23-18 lead with 7:35 remaining in the first half. The Eagles finished the half on a 18-7 run to lead 41-25 at intermission.

UW-Stout cut the lead to 44-28 early in the second half, but UW-L used a 22-7 run to take its biggest lead at 66-35 with 10:57 remaining. The Blue Devils could get no closer than the final margin of 16.

Trevor Stratton led UW-L with a career-high 28 points, finishing 11-of-14 from the field, including five-of-seven from three-point range. He also hit his only free throw and added four rebounds, three assists and a steal. Tony Mane and Andy Merklein each finished with 12 point while Derek Wilcox scored 11 points off the bench. Merklein and Wilcox each a team-high seven rebounds.

UW-L shot 57.9% from the field, including 61.5% (16-of-26) in the second half. The Eagles were eight-of-16 (50.0%) from three-point range in the contest and nine-of-13 (69.2%) at the line.

Jerrod Buchholtz led UW-Stout with 22 points, finishing six-of-seven from three-point range. Eric Hostetter had 15 points, hitting four-of-eight three-point attempts. The Blue Devils shot 42.6% from the field, including 52.0% (13-of-25) from three-point range. They were four-of-six (66.7%) at the line.

The teams combined to finish 21-of-41 (51.2%) from three-point range, including 12-of-16 in the second half.

UW-L returns to action Wednesday, Jan. 14 hosting UW-Platteville at 7 p.m.