Pioneers Fall to UW-La Crosse in WIAC Tournament

PLATTEVILLE, Wis. – Hosting their first home conference tournament game in nearly a decade, the University of Wisconsin-Platteville women's basketball team was eliminated from the WIAC Tournament (presented by Culver's) Monday night after falling 81-71 to UW-La Crosse on Bo Ryan Court. 

The Pioneers (14-12) entered the tournament as the #4 seed after being selected to finish seventh in the conference in the preseason poll.

The quarterfinal game started as a battle between offenses with the Eagles (13-13) holding a 20-15 lead midway through the first quarter. Back-to-back three-point makes by juniors Macey Banasik and Brynlee Nelson brought Williams Fieldhouse to its feet as the game was tied 22-22 at the quarter break. 

With five minutes left in the half, sophomore Ella Mackiewicz had two straight three-point makes for UW-Platteville to go up 34-31, but UW-La Crosse answered with a 12-0 run.  

The Eagles led 45-38 at the half and maintained a two possession lead for much of the third quarter, but senior Sarah Mueller's three-pointer cut UW-La Crosse's lead to three with just under a minute to go in the third. A make from the free-throw line by sophomore Madalyn Reichmann cut  the Eagles' lead to 61-59 with one quarter remaining. 

Unfortunately, the Pioneers went cold at the start of the fourth quarter and five minutes in, the Eagles built a double-digit lead. 

Four Pioneers reached double-figures. Mueller finished her collegiate career with a double-double of 16 points and 11 rebounds. Mackiewicz also finished with 16 points and season-high four blocks. Nelson finished with 15 points and Reichmann closed out the season with 11 points and a game-high five assists. 

UW-Platteville shot 35.5 percent (27-of-78) in the game and 7-of-35 (20 percent) from beyond the arc. 

The UW-La Crosse bench accounted for 31 points while Kailee Meeker finished with a game-high 18 points. The Eagles shot 50 percent (31-of-62) percent from the field, and 31.3 percent (5-of-16) from three-point territory. 

UW-La Crosse advanced to the semifinal at #1 seed UW-Oshkosh on Wednesday night.