EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (Blugolds.com) – The 22nd-ranked UW-Eau Claire women's basketball team had little trouble getting past UW-Platteville tonight in Zorn Arena, defeating the Pioneers 75-48.
Saturday, the Blugolds will host UW-Stevens Point in the regular season finale for both teams. If the Blugolds win, they will earn a share of the WIAC title with the Pointers. River Falls could make it a three-way tie for first place with a win at home against Whitewater Saturday as well. The Blugolds and Pointers will tip off at 3 p.m. Saturday in Zorn Arena.
In tonight's game, while Platteville was in front four minutes into the game, the Blugolds took a 10-point lead over the next six minutes with a 12-2 run.
The Blugolds had another scoring streak in the opening half, going on a 16-0 run to build a 25-point lead with just over five minutes remaining. Platteville outscored the Blugolds over the final five minutes of the half, 11-6, but the Blugolds went into halftime with a 20-point lead (39-19).
In the second half, the Pioneers gave it everything they had and cut Eau Claire's lead to just 10 points as they outscored the Blugolds 21-11 over the first 11 minutes.
But over the final eight minutes, the Blugolds again went on a scoring run to reach their largest lead of the night. Eau Claire again used a 16-0 run with eight points coming from Callie Halama (Sr.-Independence, Wis.) to go up by 26 and after a Platteville three-pointer, the Blugolds scored another four straight to get up by 27. When all was said and done, the Blugolds outscored the Pioneers 25-8 over the final eight minutes.
Ellen Plendl (Sr.-Chippewa Falls, Wis./McDonell) recorded her 13th double-double of the season, leading the game with 17 points and 12 rebounds. She also came away with a game-high five blocks and now has 96 on the season, six away from the WIAC single-season record.
Also in double-figures was Halama with 14 points and Nicole Christianson (Sr.-Chetek, Wis.) with 13 points. Christianson led the game with six assists.
The Blugolds dominated the game down low tonight, scoring 30 points in the paint to just 14 for Platteville. Eau Claire also finished with 44 rebounds to 20 for Platteville.
Eau Claire is now 19-5 overall and 12-3 in the WIAC. Platteville, which wrapped up the regular season tonight, drops to 8-17 overall and 4-12 in conference play.
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