EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (blugolds.com) ꟷ The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire women's basketball team erased a 10-point deficit in the second half, but ultimately fell to UW-Oshkosh 65-57 on Wednesday at Zorn Arena. The Titans pulled away across the final five minutes to thwart the Blugolds' rally.
The Blugolds and Titans played a free-flowing, up-tempo style in the opening quarter. The period featured six total 3-pointers, and neither side led by more than five points. Tyra Boettcher (Sr. – Menomonie, Wis.) hit a 3 to put UW-Eau Claire in front 9-4 with 5:46 to go, but UW-Oshkosh answered with back-to-back 3-pointers of its own to go ahead. The two sides traded leads for the final four minutes of the quarter and the Titans were ahead 18-17 when time expired. UW-Eau Claire forced six Titans turnovers in the quarter.
UW-Oshkosh opened the second quarter with a five-point spurt to establish a six-point lead. The Titans led until the 1:09 mark, when Jessie Ruden (Sr. – Rochester, Minn./John Marshall) hit a 3-pointer to push the Blugolds in front 30-29. However, the Titans closed the first half on a 5-0 run in the final minute and led 34-30 at halftime.
The Titans scored the first six points of the third quarter to pull ahead by 10 at 40-30. The Blugolds managed to get within five of the lead when Boettcher connected on a 3-pointer with 3:53 left, making it 42-37. UW-Oshkosh didn't cede any more ground the rest of the third quarter though, and carried a 45-39 advantage into the final period.
The Blugolds erased what had been a 10-point deficit by storming back in the fourth quarter. A 3-pointer apiece from Kyla Overskei (Fr. – Maple Grove, Minn.) and Ruden knotted the score at 47-47 with 6:13 remaining. However, a 6-0 run by the Titans shortly after put them in front 62-54 with 1:12 remaining. The Blugolds got another 3-pointer from Ruden in the immediate aftermath, but couldn't complete the comeback with time running out.
Ruden finished with a game-high 25 points and made seven 3-pointers. Her seven makes from the perimeter were the second-best single-game total of her career. She also had six rebounds.
Boettcher tallied eight points and 10 rebounds. Bailey Reardon (Sr. – River Falls, Wis.) had seven points and three rebounds, and Kylie Mogen (Sr. – Menomonie, Wis.) had six points and five rebounds. Despite some hot stretches, the Blugolds couldn't quite overcome a 30% shooting percentage.
The Blugolds are back on the court on Saturday, Feb. 4, when they visit 23rd-ranked UW-Whitewater. The game is set for 3 p.m. in Whitewater.
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