By Travis Nyhus, UWEC Sports Information
EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (Blugolds.com) – The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire women's basketball team got their second straight conference win in a 56-48 victory over UW-Stevens Point lead by tough defense and efficient three point shooting in Zorn Arena Saturday night.
After being down 7-2, Anna Graaskamp (Fr. – Eau Claire, WI/Memorial), making her return after missing the previous three games, made two free throws and a jump shot on back-to-back possessions to narrow the score. Two more Graaskamp free throws made the score 15-13 with 1:26 left in the first quarter.
The Blugolds would take their first lead of the game 20-18 on a Bree Meier (Sr. – Lakeville, MN/South) three pointer with 3:16 left before half time. This was part of a 10-2 run to end the half with Eau Claire leading 25-20. Stevens Point was held to just three points in the second quarter.
Meier hit a jumper with 3:12 in the third to give the Blugolds a 30-22 lead. Meier then hit one from deep, which gave Eau Claire a nine-point lead they would hold heading into the final period.
The Pointers had closed the gap to four points, but then Meier made her fourth three of the game to stretch the lead to 41-34 with just under eight minutes remaining in the game. Meier connected from behind the arc one last time with six minutes left. With 2:50 left, Graaskamp converted from the charity stripe to make it an 11-point advantage. The Blugolds would close out the rest of the game at the line knocking down five of six shots.
Meier lead all scorers with 17 points. She was 6-9 overall and 5-6 from beyond the arc. Jenni LaCroix (Jr. – Verona, WI) was also productive off the bench adding 10 points and three assists. In her return to the lineup, Graaskamp notched 15 points while Arien Brennan (Sr. – Hayward, WI) once again filled the box score with five points, 15 rebounds and four steals.
Eau Claire made 19-41 (46.3 percent) of their shots from the field and 7-13 (53.8 percent) from deep and 11-15 (73.3 percent) from the free throw line. On the defensive end, the Blugolds held the Pointers to 19-64 (28.1 percent) overall and 4-28 (14.3 percent) from the three-point line.
The Blugolds (9-8, 3-3) are back in action on Wednesday night at 7 p.m. when they travel to take on UW-Platteville.
Follow all the action this season on Blugold Game Day.
