EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (Blugolds.com) – Facing UW-Stout, the UW-Eau Claire women's basketball team led the entire way to beat the Blue Devils 76-50 on Ken Anderson Court in Zorn Arena this afternoon.
Eau Claire started the game strong, outscoring the Blue Devils 28-13 over the opening nine and a half minutes. Stout didn't score any points for over two minutes to start the game.
After the Blugolds led by 15 points, Stout then used a 12-0 run to close the gap to just three. Eau Claire didn't score any points for almost eight minutes during that stretch.
But that was as close as the Blue Devils would get as Eau Claire outscored Stout 6-1 the rest of the half to get back up by eight (34-26) at halftime.
In the second half, Stout got back to within four but Eau Claire then went on a 13-0 run to build a 17-point advantage, four minutes into the half. The closest the Blue Devils got the rest of the way was 14 points while Eau Claire led by as many as 28 points.
Kristin Sahr (Jr.-Stillwater, Minn.) led the game in scoring with 24 points, a career-high, while two others reached double figures. Carly Chell (Jr.-Apple Valley, Minn.) and Rachel Egdorf (Jr.-Mishicot, Wis.) led Eau Claire in rebounding with eight each.
The Blugolds outshot the Blue Devils 47.4 percent (27-for-57) to 26.3 percent (15-for-57) and held a 43-41 rebounding advantage.
Eau Claire improves to 4-14 overall and 2-7 in the WIAC while Stout drops to 6-12 on the season and 2-7 in conference play.
The Blugolds will be home Wednesday, hosting 24th-ranked UW-Stevens Point for a game beginning at 7 p.m. in Zorn Arena.
-KM-