UW-L Drops Third Consecutive Game with Loss at Eighth-Ranked UW-Stevens Point

For Immediate Release: Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2009

Stevens Point, Wis. – The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse women’s basketball team fell 63-61 at eighth-ranked UW-Stevens Point Wednesday night in Berg Gymnasium in the Eagles' regular-season finale. UW-L wraps up its regular season at 17-8 overall and 9-7 in the WIAC while UW-Stevens Point improves to 21-3 overall and 13-2 in the conference. With the victory, the Pointers clinched at least a share of the WIAC title.

UW-L, which suffered its third straight loss Wednesday, will be the fifth-seed for the WIAC Tournament and play at a site to be determined Tuesday, Feb. 24 in the quarterfinals.

The Pointers scored the first six points of the game Wednesday night and led 11-4 with 14:00 remaining. The Eagles cut the lead to 11-9 on a Mackenzie Hunter three-pointer, but UW-Stevens Point went on an 8-2 run to lead 19-11 with 5:48 left in the first half. UW-L finished the half on a 14-6 run to force a 25-25 tie at intermission.

UW-L led by as many as four points in the second half, including 45-41 with 11:56 left after a Dana Churchill layup. UW-Stevens Point then went on a 15-2 run to lead 56-47 with 4:12 remaining as it converted on six-of-nine field goal attempts. The Eagles cut the lead to 56-51 with 2:53 left and 62-58 with :13 remaining, but could get no closer than the final margin of two. UW-L's Taylor Larson hit a three-point field goal with :10 left for the final margin.

Hunter tied her career-high with 32 points for UW-L, finishing 13-of-23 from the field, including two-of-two from three-point range. She also converted all four of her free throw attempts and added a game-high 10 rebounds for her second career double-double. Lindsay Wahl added 10 points for the Eagles while Melissa Lang finished with seven.

UW-L shot 40.4% from the field, including 40.0% (four-of-10) from three-point range. The Eagles were 11-of-14 (78.6%) at the free throw line.

Ashley Baker led UW-Stevens Point with 18 points, finishing eight-of-eight from the field and two-of-two at the line. Britta Petersen added 14 points and team-high eight rebounds. The Pointers shot 54.0% from the field, including 28.6% (two-of-seven) from three-point range. The team was 15-of-23 (65.2%) from the field in the second half and finished seven-of-12 (58.3%) at the line for the game.

UW-L returns to action Tuesday, Feb. 24 in the WIAC Tournament Quarterfinals.