Late run not enough in 73–61 loss at Elmhurst

ELMHURST, Ill. — A late rally put the University of Wisconsin–Platteville women's basketball team in striking distance of obtaining its fourth win of the season, but host Elmhurt College's final push was too much as the Pioneers suffered a 73–61 non-conference loss Saturday afternoon.

UW–Platteville (3–6) rallied from a 15-point halftime deficit to tie the game at 46–46 a minute into the fourth quarter, but Elmurst leading scorer Mikaela Eppard cut through the Pioneer defense on the very next possession for a layup that ignited a 12–2 run as the Bluejays regained control of the game.

Eppard scored five of her game-high 22 points in the final 1:23 as Elmhurst pushed the lead to 15 before UW–Platteville sophomore Cassie Hamer (Platteville) made an inconsequential 3-pointer in the final seconds to account for the final score. Hamer scored seven straight points in the Pioneer third-quarter comeback and finished with 14 points and six rebounds.

Elmhurst (8–2) blew open a close game by outscoring the visiting Pioneers 21–9 in the third quarter to build a 38–23 halftime cushion.

Both team's traded basketball through the early part of the second half before Hamer caught fire to start a 14–0 UWP run. She scored a layup with two minutes left in the third quarter, then made a pair of free throws moments later to trim the Elmhurst lead to 10 at 46–36. Hamer converted a 3-point play with 37 seconds left in the period, then junior guard Blaire Lutes (Shullsburg) drained a 3-pointer on the next possession to make it 46–42 entering the fourth quarter.

Sophomore Morgan Horstman (Bangor) made a jumper on the first possession of the fourth quarter, then after an Elmhurst missed a pair of free throws Horstman made another jump shot to tie the game.

Eppard scored on the following possession and the victorious Bluejays outscored coach Megan Wilson's Pioneers 27–15 over the final nine minutes.

Horstman finished with a team-high 17 points, seven rebounds, three steals and two assists to lead the UW–Platteville. Senior guard Morgan Hartman (Rochester, Minn.) added 12 points and five rebounds.

Lutes finished with nine points for the Pioneers. Sophomore center Allison Prestegaard (Amboy, Ill.) returned to action after missing Wednesday's game with a sprained ankle and had four points, three rebounds and two blocks in 17 minutes off the bench.

In addition to her game-high 22 points, Eppard also grabbed a game-high 14 rebounds. Kaela Jones and Hannah Lipman each scored 11 points apiece for Elmhurst.

UW–Platteville will return to action three days after Christmas in sunny Puerto Rico, when the Pioneers will square off with Denison (Ohio) University (4–7) in the first game of the Puerto Rico Classico on Wednesday, Dec. 28. UW–Platteville will face Rivier University (N.H.) (3–4) to close out the two-day event on Thursday, Dec. 29.

By Jason Nihles, UW–Platteville Athletics