EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (Blugolds.com) – The UW-Eau Claire women's basketball team got down early and never recovered, falling 65-49 to Carroll University in the season-opener on Ken Anderson Court in Zorn Arena on day one of the Blugolds' Tip-Off Classic.
While the Blugolds started off with a lead and held the Pioneers scoreless for the first 50 seconds, a 15-2 run by Carroll put the Blugolds down by 10 (15-5) and the Pioneers never trailed the rest of the night.
Eau Claire worked its way to within five points (22-17) with four minutes remaining in the opening half but Carroll ended the half on an 8-2 run to go up 30-19 at halftime.
In the second half, the Pioneers steadily increased their lead and got up by as many as 18 points three times.
The Pioneers narrowly had a better shooting percentage, 48.1 percent (26-for-54) to 46.5 percent (20-for-43), hitting five three-pointers to just two for Eau Claire. The Blugolds held a 31-28 rebounding advantage but Carroll had fewer turnovers, 12-24.
Teenie Lichtfuss (So.-Oshkosh, Wis./Lourdes) led the game in scoring with 18 points while also coming away with a game-high six assists. Madison Johnson (So.-Osceola, Wis.) tied for a game-high with nine rebounds.
Saturday the Blugolds will take on Luther College (Iowa), which beat UW-River Falls 80-75 in the first game of the Tip-Off Classic on Friday. Eau Claire will face the Norse following a game between River Falls and Carroll that starts at 3 p.m.
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