UW-L Picks Up First WIAC Win of Season

For Immediate Release: Saturday, January 3, 2009

La Crosse, Wis. – The UW-La Crosse women's basketball team earned its first WIAC victory of the season Saturday night with a 78-51 win over UW-Superior in Mitchell Hall. The Eagles improve to 9-3 overall and 1-2 in the conference while the Yellowjackets fall to 4-7 overall and 0-3 in the WIAC.

UW-L, which picked up its fourth straight victory overall, went on a 12-2 run after the contest was tied 17-17. The Eagles led 42-30 at halftime and the Yellowjackets could get no closer than their halftime deficit of 12 points in the second half.

The teams combined for 38 turnovers (23 by UW-Superior) and 41 fouls while finishing 40-of-54 at the free throw line.

Mackenzie Hunter led UW-L with 19 points, finishing six-of-17 from the field, including one-of-two from three-point range. She hit all six of her free throw attempts and tied for the team lead with seven rebounds. Melissa Lang, making her first career start, finished with a career-high 13 points for the Eagles. Lang, who also had six rebounds, was five-of-seven from the field and three-of-five at the line. Dana Churchill had 10 points for UW-L while Sam Aspenson finished with nine points and seven rebounds off the bench.

UW-L shot 46.7% from the field, including 54.2% (13-of-24) in the second half. The Eagles were three-of-eight (37.5%) from three-point range in the game and 19-of-25 (76.0%) at the free throw line.

Hailey Hart led UW-Superior with 12 points and nine rebounds. The Yellowjackets shot 28.8% from the field and missed all six of their three-point attempts. The team was 21-of-29 (72.4%) at the line.

UW-L returns to action Wednesday, January 7 hosting UW-Whitewater at 7 p.m.