Pioneers Force 41 Turnovers in 69-61 Win Over Millikin

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville women’s basketball team forced Millikin University into 41 turnovers which turned into 39 points for the Pioneers en route to a 69-61 win in the season opener for both teams on Tuesday night in Bo Ryan Court.

The Pioneers (1-0) landed four players in double figures including junior Ashley Henry (pictured; photo by Andy McNeill), who tied a career-high with a game-high 19 points and four steals. Freshman Rachel Cropp scored 12 in her UW-Platteville debut and junior Claire Poad and sophomore Kim Wellnitz each added 11.

The Big Blue (0-1) was led by Cecily Aldridge and Crystal Ziegler, who had 13 and 10 points, respectively. Ziegler led Millikin with a game-high 12 rebounds for a double-double performance in the loss.

After the two teams were tied at 2 in the opening 43 seconds, the Pioneers built a 24-4 lead over the next 11 minutes. In the run, UW-Platteville forced Millikin to turn the ball over 14 times. The lead remained double digits into the intermission with UW-Platteville holding a 34-17 halftime lead. 

The 17-point halftime lead is the largest lead by the Pioneers in the Megan Wilson era and largest since the fifth game of the 2009-10 season when UW-Platteville had a 21-point lead on Central College.

Henry scored four of the first six points of the second half to stretch the Pioneers lead to 38-19 with 18:57 to play. The Big Blue eventually cut the deficit to eight on four occasions in the final 20 minutes but no closer. UW-Platteville junior Liz Lawinger iced the game for the Pioneers, making five of her last eight free throws for the Pioneers.

Next, the Pioneers will host Loras on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. and Dubuque on Sunday at 2:30 p.m. in the UW-Platteville Tip-Off Tournament.