La Crosse, Wis. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse women's basketball team earned a 65-49 victory over UW-Eau Claire Saturday afternoon in Mitchell Hall.  The Eagles improve to 10-14 overall and 5-10 in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) while the Blugolds drop to 14-9 overall and 9-5 in the conference.  It is UW-L's fourth win in the last 19 meetings with UW-Eau Claire. 

UW-Eau Claire raced out to an 11-1 lead and later took a 17-5 advantage with 12:17 remaining in the first half on a Rachel Egdorf jumper. UW-L used a 15-2 run to take a 20-19 lead with 3:28 left on a Maggi Bishop jumper.  The Eagles took a 23-21 halftime lead on Rachel Atchison's three-pointer with :28 remaining.

The Eagles never trailed in the second half. Leading 32-31 with 15:50 remaining, UW-L went on a 11-0 run to take a 43-32 advantage with 9:19 left. UW-Eau Claire trailed 47-33 when it scored six straight points to cut the margin to 47-39 with 6:02 remaining after a Courtney Lewis layup.  The Blugolds could get no closer the rest of the game.  UW-L led 49-41 with 4:59 left when Atchison connected on a three-point field goal and Jenna Anderson made a pair of free throws to make it 54-41. The Eagles led by as many as 19 points in the second half.

UW-L shot 34.4% from the field, including 36.4% (four-of-11) from three-point range, and 82.6% (19-of-23) at the free throw line.  The Eagles shot 88.9% (16-of-18) at the line in the second half.  Atchison led UW-L with 23 points off the bench Saturday, finishing eight-of-14 from the field, including four-of-eight from three-point range, and three-of-four at the line. She also had five rebounds and four steals. 

Bishop and MaKenzie Miller each recorded a double-double for the Eagles.  Bishop totaled 16 points and 10 rebounds while Miller finished with 13 points, 10 rebounds and four assists. 

UW-L outrebounded UW-Eau Claire, 51-35.

UW-Eau Claire shot 30.2% from the field, including 15.0% (three-of-20) from three-point range, and 61.5% (eight-of-13) at the line. Teenie Lichtfuss led the Blugolds with 17 points while Ellen Blacklock finished with 13 points and Lewis with 10. Blacklock had eight blocks and six rebounds while Lewis finished with a team-high nine rebounds.

UW-L returns to action Wednesday, February 18 hosting UW-Platteville in its regular-season finale at 7 p.m.