Women's college basketball: UW-Eau Claire pulls away from UW-Platteville
Jan. 25—Jessie Ruden scored 16 points and grabbed four rebounds to lead the UW-Eau Claire women's basketball team to a 65-56 win over UW-Platteville on Monday in Platteville.
The 16th-ranked Blugolds pulled away late in the third quarter and early in the fourth. They led 48-44 with just over a minute left in the third, but a 9-2 run that spanned the two periods established a comfortable cushion.
Courtney Crouch started the Blugolds' push with a personal 4-0 run before Ellie Clayton added a jumper and Kylie Mogen hit a 3-pointer to put Eau Claire ahead by 11 early in the fourth. The Pioneers never got closer than seven points the rest of the way.
Eau Claire held Platteville to 31% shooting, including a 29% clip from 3-point range. The Blugolds forced 12 turnovers and turned them into 17 points.
The Pioneers made a 3-pointer to open the game, but trailed the rest of the way after back-to-back baskets from Eau Claire.
Crouch scored 15 points for the Blugolds. Tyra Boettcher added 13 points, and Jade Ganski had eight points and eight rebounds. All but seven of Eau Claire's points came from its starters.
With the victory, Eau Claire (15-4, 6-2) pulled within one game of UW-Whitewater's lead atop the WIAC. The Blugolds have six games left on their regular season schedule, four of which are on the road.
The Blugolds travel to take on UW-Oshkosh on Wednesday night. The Titans are 12-4 overall but 2-3 in the WIAC. They received votes in this week's D3Hoops.com Top 25 poll.
UW-Eau Claire 65, UW-Platteville 56
Eau Claire: Kylie Mogen 6, Jade Ganski 8, Courtney Crouch 15, Jessie Ruden 16, Tyra Boettcher 13, Ellie Clayton 2, Olivia Ganser 5.
Platteville: Maiah Domask 18, Taylor Gilbert 8, Aspyn Stewart 3, Allison Heckert 2, Brynlee Nelson 8, Addison Baierl 5, Liliana Guerra 9, Sarah Mueller 3.
3-pointers: Eau Claire 7 (Mogen 2, Ganski 2, Ruden 2, Ganser), Platteville 8 (Guerra 3, Nelson 2, Domask, Stewart, Baierl).
Halftime: Eau Claire 32-23.
