Strong second half not enough in loss at UW–La Crosse

LA CROSSE — The UW–Platteville women's basketball team outscored host UW–La Crosse 36–30 in the second half, but still fell short 71–56 in a Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference game Saturday afternoon.

Sophomore point guard Morgan Horstman (Bangor) scored a game-high 16 points and grabbed a team-high six rebounds to lead the Pioneers in defeat.

Senior guard Morgan Hartman added 11 points and six boards, while sophomore forward Kassie Hansen (La Crosse) chipped in nine point and four rebounds. Junior guard Blaire Lutes (Shullsburg) and sophomore forward Lexis Macomber (Lanark, Ill.) scored seven points a piece off the bench.

Coach Megan Wilson's Pioneers fell to 6–11 overall and 2–4 in the WIAC, while the UW–La Crosse improved to 10–7, 4–2.

Six-foot-one senior center Makenzie Miller (16 points, 13 rebounds) and 5-foot-10 junior forward Elise DeNoyer (14 points, 11 rebounds) both posted double–doubles for the victorious Eagles. Senior Alyssa Clemment scored 14 points and freshman Delaney Schoenenberger also finished in double figures for the winners with 12 points off the bench.

The Pioneers led by as many as five points early in the second quarter when a Hartman jumper made it 24–19 with 7:26 left in the half. But UW–La Crosse outscored UWP 13–0 over the final 4:22 of the half and never looked back.

UW–Platteville got as close as four points in the third quarter at 44–40 on a Lutes jumper, but again the Eagles rattled off 8–0 run to close the quarter and push their lead to 12 points at 52–40.

The Pioneers will return home to face UW–Eau Claire (9–8, 3–3) Wednesday night at 7 p.m. The Blugolds are coming off a 56–48 victory over UW–Stevens Point on Saturday.

By Jason Nihles, UW–Platteville Athletics