By Tommy McGowan, UWEC Sports Information
MENOMONIE. Wis. (blugolds.com) - The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire women's basketball team won a thriller Wednesday night, defeating UW-Stout 83-80. Regulation wasn't enough time to decide the contest, with the game lasting two overtimes.
A layup from Katie Essen (Jr.-Farmington, MN/Rosemount) began the scoring for the Blugolds, who were able to build a 17-12 lead by the end of the first quarter. Defense was crucial for UWEC in the period, as they held Stout to just 31 percent shooting from the field.
Both offenses had tough second quarters, as Eau Claire struggled with turnovers and went 0-3 from three-point. The Blue Devils took a 29-26 lead into the halftime break.
After the poor shooting second, the two offenses responded with a strong third. They both shot over 57% from the field, but Stout maintained a slim advantage, going into the final quarter up 46-44.
A three-pointer from Kelsey Bakken (Sr.-Marshall, WI) tied the game at 59 with just over a minute remaining in regulation. A missed three from the Blue Devils just before time expired ensured the game would go into overtime.
The back-and-forth action continued into the first overtime period. A pair of free throws from Anna Graaskamp (Sr.-Eau Claire, WI/Memorial) put Eau Claire up two with under a minute left, but Stout once again responded, nailing a layup to send the game into a second OT.
With the score tied at 76, the Blugolds went on a 6-0 run to finally get separation. They held that lead the remainder of the second OT.
Even though they struggled to shoot from three-point, UWEC finished the night shooting 46 percent from the field. They also built an advantage on the glass, outrebounding Stout 50-45.
Graaskamp finished the game as the leading scorer for Eau Claire with 19, while Hallee Hoeppner (Sr.-Winona, MN) finished right behind her with 18. Graaskamp also led all players with 14 rebounds, earning her third double-double on the season.
The victory moves the Blugolds to 11-7 overall and 6-2 in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. Next up, they will return to Zorn Arena to collide with UW-Superior on February 3rd. Follow the Blugolds on Blugold Game Day or on the 'UWEC Blugolds' app from your mobile device.
