OSHKOSH, Wis. (blugolds.com) — The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire women's basketball team overcame a halftime deficit to defeat UW-Oshkosh 62-53 on the road on Wednesday. The ninth-ranked Blugolds' big second half pushed them to 3-0 in the WIAC and 12-2 overall this season.
Tyra Boettcher (Sr. - Menomonie, Wis.) had 17 points and 11 rebounds to record her third double-double over the Blugolds' last four games. Jessie Ruden (Sr. - Rochester, Minn./John Marshall) added a game-high 19 points for UW-Eau Claire.
A solid first quarter saw the Blugolds establish an early advantage. The Titans led 6-5 before UW-Eau Claire embarked on an 8-1 run to pull ahead 13-6. Boettcher scored four points in that stretch. The Blugolds took a 15-11 lead into the second quarter.
UW-Oshkosh pulled ahead in the second period though, surging in the late stages to take a halftime lead. The Blugolds went ahead by seven on a jumper from Kylie Strop (Jr. - River Falls, Wis.) with 5:04 left, but the Titans held them scoreless for the remainder of the quarter. It helped UW-Oshkosh go in front 28-25 at the halftime break.
The second half held better fortune for the Blugolds, who outscored the Titans 37-24 the rest of the way. UW-Eau Claire managed to do so even after surrendering the first six points of the second half to fall behind 34-25. Later in the third quarter, Bailey Reardon (Sr. - River Falls, Wis.) made a layup to start a 10-0 run that put UW-Eau Claire ahead for good. The Blugolds took the lead on a 3-pointer from Ruden, and held a 43-40 advantage entering the fourth quarter.
The Blugolds kept the Titans at bay in the fourth quarter, outscoring them 19-13 in the final period. A 7-0 run featuring five points from Strop helped put the game away early in the quarter.
Courtney Crouch (Sr. - White Bear Lake, Minn.) had 10 points and five rebounds for UW-Eau Claire. Strop scored 14 points and had five rebounds off the bench. Kylie Mogen (Sr. - Menomonie, Wis.) ranked second on the team with six rebounds.
The ninth-ranked Blugolds host a top-20 clash on Saturday, Jan. 7, when they host No. 17 UW-Whitewater. Tip-off is set for 5 p.m. at Zorn Arena, where the Blugolds are unbeaten at 7-0 this season.
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