UW-L Defeats UW-Stout in Conference Play

For Immediate Release: Saturday, Jan. 10, 2009

La Crosse, Wis. – The UW-La Crosse women's basketball team earned its second straight home win over UW-Stout with an 75-56 victory Saturday night in Mitchell Hall. The Eagles, who improved to 10-4 overall and 2-3 in the WIAC, defeated the Blue Devils 60-57 last season in La Crosse. UW-Stout falls to 8-6 overall and 3-2 in the conference with its loss Saturday.

It is UW-L's second win in the last 29 meetings with UW-Stout. The Eagles snapped a 26-game losing streak to the Blue Devils with last year's victory.

UW-L, which is receiving votes on the D3hoops.com Top 25-Poll, led 14-13 with 14:12 left in the first half when it went on a 10-0 run to lead 24-13. The Blue Devils cut the lead to nine points twice later in the first half, but the Eagles took a 41-24 halftime lead as they shot 51.6% (16-of-31) from the field.

UW-Stout cut the lead to 61-48 with 7:55 remaining, but UW-L scored the game's next 10 points to lead 71-48 with 5:27 left and the Blue Devils could get no closer than the final margin of 19.

Mackenzie Hunter led UW-L with 21 points, finishing 10-of-21 from the field (one-of-one on three-point attempts). She also had five rebounds, two assists and two steals. Dana Churchill finished with 10 points and team-high nine rebounds for the Eagles. She was three-of-four from the field and four-of-five at the free throw line. Taylor Larson and Melissa Lang each scored eight points while Amanda Waldvogel added seven.

UW-L shot 46.0% from the field, including 57.1% (four-of-seven) from three-point range. The Eagles were 13-of-21 (61.9%) at the line and forced 25 Blue Devils turnovers.

Julia Hirssig led UW-Stout with 21 points and 16 rebounds while Kim Stokke had 14 points. The Blue Devils shot 37.5% from the field, including 14.3% (two-of-14) from three-point range. The team was six-of-eight (75.0%) at the line.

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