By Tommy McGowan, UWEC Sports Information
EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (blugolds.com) - The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire women's basketball team defeated UW-Oshkosh on Friday night, 64-62. The victory clinches homecourt advantage in the upcoming Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championships.
Box Score | WIAC Championship Website
The Blugolds fell behind early, but a pair of free throws from Courtney Crouch (So.-White Bear Lake, MN) tightened the score to 17-14 at the end of the first quarter.
Maizie Deihl (Sr.-New Prague, MN) hit two three-pointers in the first, while Katie Essen (Sr.-Farmington, MN/Rosemount) and Ellie Clayton (Jr.-Lakeville, MN/Farmington) also got in the scoring column.
Eau Claire scored first in the second period and would take their first lead of the game off a three from Deihl with two minutes remaining in the half. The lead would change hands several more times before halftime, but another bucket from Deihl sent the Blugolds into the break with a 29-28 advantage.
Deihl had another basket to open the second half but the Blugolds were unable to gain any separation. Even though UWEC led nearly the entire quarter, a Titan layup sent the two teams into the fourth locked at 48.
The final quarter was back-and-forth until the last whistle. Heading into the final minute, the two were tied at 60. Tyra Boettcher (Jr.-Menomonie, WI) had a massive steal and layup that looked like it may clinch the game, but Oshkosh responded with a basket of their own.
On the final possession, Essen nailed a difficult, buzzer-beating layup off a pass from Jessie Ruden (So.-Rochester, MN/John Marshall).
Eau Claire was terrific from three-point range on the night, going 7-12 (58%). In addition, they got to the free throw line early and often, going 19-24.
In addition to making the game-winning shot, Essen stuffed the stat sheet full. She led the Blugolds with 22 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, and had four assists. Deihl and Ruden both added 16 and 15, respectively.
Eau Claire finishes the regular season 7-1 overall. With the top seed locked down, they square off against UW-Platteville in the WIAC Quarterfinals, tipping off March 1st at 7 PM. Follow the action on Blugold Game Day.
