UW-Stout overcame a terribly slow start to make a game of it, and took the lead late in the second half, only to drop a two-point 51-49 decision at UW-River Falls Wednesday.

After giving up the opening basket to the Blue Devils (6-16, 4-9 WIAC), the Falcons (9-13, 4-9 WIAC) built as much as a 15 point, 26-11, lead with three minutes remaining in the first half. Of those 11 points Stout scored over the first 17 minutes, Jenna Goldsmith (So, St. Anthony, Minn) scored eight of them and finished with 10 in the first half.

The Blue Devils held the Falcons scoreless over the final 3:20 of the first half. Goldsmith hit a jumper to make it 26-13 at 2:43 and Katie Nickles (Sr, Braham, Minn) drilled a 3-pointer with a minute left to make it 26-16 at halftime.

Goldsmith scored the first three points of the second half to cut the deficit to 26-19. Stout consistently chipped away at the lead, getting to 34-32 on a jumper by Brea Boomer (Sr, Grand Portage, Minn) at 11:04. The Falcons took the score to 38-32, but a 3-pointer by Sarah Schoch (So, Chippewa Falls), a jumper by Caitlin Coombs (Sr, Wabasha, Minn) and a jumper and a free throw by Kyleigh Hebert (Jr, Spencer) gave the Blue Devils a 40-38 lead at 6:46.

Free throws by the Falcons kept River Falls close. Katelynne Folkers (Sr, Fall Creek) gave the Blue Devils a 47-42 lead with three minutes remaining, but Stout stayed stuck on 47 points for the next two minutes. Three Stout turnovers during that span contributed to the drought, but Folkers gave Stout a 49-48 lead with 37 seconds left.

The Falcons' Kate Theisen, who lead all scorers with 16 points, gave the Falcons the lead, 50-49, with 10 seconds left on a layup and Taylor Karge sealed the win with a free throw.

Theisen was 5-of-7 from the floor and 6-of-6 from the line. Richell Mehus tallied 12 points, hitting 5-of-6 free throws. The Falcons shot 32.0 percent (16-50) from the floor and 16-of-22 from the line. River Falls held a 47-41 advantage in rebounds.

Goldsmith led Stout with 15 points. Folkers finished with 11 points, all i nthe second half. Stout shot 28.1 percent (18-64) for the game and hit 9-of-16 free throws.

Stout returns to Johnson Fieldhouse for their next two games, hosting UW-Stevens Point, Saturday, Feb. 14, and UW-Superior, Wednesday, Feb. 18. Stout will close out the regular season, Saturday, Feb. 21 at UW-Whitewater.