PLATTEVILLE, Wis. (Blugolds.com) – While the UW-Eau Claire men's basketball team kicked off the season last night with a 36-point win, the Blugolds fell just short 79-73 to Goshen College (Ind.) on the final day of the Gabe Miller Tip-Off Classic at UW-Platteville today.

The Blugolds (1-1) held a lead for three-quarters of the first half. The first four minutes of the game saw just two three-point baskets as Eau Claire went up 6-0. Eau Claire steadily increased its lead to 12 points, its largest of the night, nine minutes into the game.

But over the next four minutes, Goshen (6-1) went on a 14-2 run to tie the game at 21. The Blugolds led just two more times after that, never getting up by more than two points.

Goshen built an eight point lead with just over a minute remaining in the half and took a six-point (37-31) lead into halftime.

In the second half, Eau Claire got to within four points with an opening basket by Jordan Petersen (Sr.-Strum, Wis./Eleva-Strum), but Goshen then used a 7-0 run to get up by 11 and eventually got to a 14-point lead with less than 12 minutes remaining.

Over the next eight minutes, the Blugolds chipped away at Goshen's lead and found themselves within three points (69-66) with less than four minutes to play. But Goshen held on to win after outscoring the Blugolds 10-7 the rest of the way. In the final three minutes, Petersen was the only Blugold to score, recording all seven points.

Petersen led all scorers and rebounders with a double-double, scoring 25 points and pulling down 10 rebounds.

Lewis Mau (So.-Colfax, Wis.) and Andy Kleist (Sr.-Eau Claire, Wis./North) also reached double figures in scoring with 13 and 12 points, respectively.

As a team, the Blugolds shot 37.5 percent (24-for-64) but Goshen finished shooting 48.4 percent (30-for-62). Eau Claire held the rebounding advantage with 41 to 37 for Goshen.

Tuesday, the Blugolds will be on the road again for a game at Hamline University (Minn.). Action will get underway at 7 p.m.

-KM-