By Travis Nyhus, UWEC Sports Information
RICHARDSON, Texas (Blugolds.com) –The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire women's basketball got a balanced attack that put together convincing second and third quarters for a victory against the Concordia University Texas Tornadoes on Friday. The 70-49 triumph in Texas ended a short two game losing streak and earned the Blugolds their eighth win of the year.
Eau Claire took their first lead with 5:34 left in the first quarter on a Katie Essen (Fr. –Farmington, MN/Rosemount) bucket for an 11-9 lead. At the end of the quarter Concordia held a 20-16 advantage.
The second quarter would shift in favor of the Blugolds. They began the period with a 12-0 run to lead 28-20 with 6:38 remaining before halftime. The Tornadoes pulled back to within a score, but Eau Claire ended the quarter with another flurry of points. Maddie Dunathan (Fr. – Hortonville, WI) knocked down a 3-pointer and Kelsey Bakken (So. – Marshall, WI) scored four points as part of a 9-0 run to close the half.
The Blugolds were propelled to a 37-27 lead behind a 13-27 (48.1 percent) shooting from the field and eight points from Kayla Hanley (Sr. – Chippewa Falls, WI).
Out of the locker room, the Blugolds put the first four points on the board courtesy of Hanley and Essen.
Elly Boles (Sr. – Prescott, WI) converted on a bucket about half way through the third quarter that made it a 14-4 run since the break and gave Eau Claire a 20 point lead, 51-31.
At the end of three quarters of play, the Blugolds were up 57-37.
Eau Claire controlled the remainder of the contest never letting the Tornadoes back within less than 17 points.
The Blugolds held their largest lead with 1:09 to play. Two free throws from Hallee Hoeppner (So. – Winona, MN) put Eau Claire up 70-46.
For the game, Eau Claire made 24-51 (47.1 percent) on field goals, 5-20 (25 percent) on shots from behind the 3-point line and 17-20 (85 percent) at the charity stripe.
The Blugolds outrebounded Concordia 42-32, had 20 assists on 24 made field goals and scored 21 points off turnovers.
Bakken had a team-high 15 points, while Hoeppner scored 11, pulled down eight boards and dished out five assists.
Essen and Hanley chipped in 10 points apiece. Dunathan stuffed the stat sheet coming close to a triple-double with seven points, nine rebounds and eight assists.
The Blugolds (8-2) face the University of Texas at Dallas on Saturday in Richardson, Texas.
Follow the action this season on Blugold Game Day.
