Mount Vernon, Iowa - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse women's basketball team fell 74-69 to Loras College (Iowa) Friday night at the Cornell College (Iowa) Classic in the Multi-Sport Center. The Eagles drop to 1-1 on the season while the Duhawks improve to 2-0 in the first meeting between the teams since the 2012-13 season.

UWL raced out to an 15-4 lead with 4:39 remaining in the first quarter as MaKenzie Miller scored the Eagles' first nine points of the game.  Alyssa Clemment and Sierra Watrud hit back-to-back three-point field goals to give UWL its 15-4 advantage.  Loras (Iowa) scored the final five points of the quarter to cut UWL's lead to 15-9.

The Duhawks opened the second quarter on a 12-6 run to force a 21-21 tie on Cyerra Hutchins' jumper with 5:25 left, but the Eagles went on a 9-0 run to lead 30-21 with 3:30 remaining after a Miller layup.  Elise DeNoyer scored five points and Miller four in the 9-0 Eagles' run.  Loras (Iowa) responded with five straight points to cut the deficit to 30-26, but a Clemment three-point and layups from Rachel Atchison and Miller gave UWL a 37-26 advantage. The Eagles led 37-28 at halftime.

UWL took its largest lead of the game at 41-28 with 8:01 left in the third quarter on a DeNoyer layup and later led 43-34 with 5:53 left. Loras (Iowa) used a 13-4 run to force a 47-47 tie with 2:26 remaining in the quarter on a Hanna Stokes layup.  The game was tied 53-53 after three quarters.

Loras (Iowa) took its first lead on an Addie Oberman jumper with 9:28 remaining in the fourth quarter at 55-53.  Kylee Marks gave UWL a 58-55 advantage with 8:31 left on a layup and she later gave the Eagles a 60-59 lead with 7:07 remaining on a jumper.  The Duhawks then went on a 9-1 run to lead 68-61 with 2:46 left on a pair of Jess Brown free throws.  Clemment's jumper and DeNoyer's three-pointer cut the deficit to 68-66, but UWL could get no closer the rest of the game.  Clemment's three-point field goal cut the lead to 72-69 with :17 remaining, but Terese McMahon's two free throws with :10 left provided the final margin.

UWL shot 43.1% from the field, including 32.0% (eight-of-25) from three-point range, and 45.5% (five-of-11) from the free throw line.  The Eagles finished with 21 assists and 14 turnovers while recording seven steals.

Miller led UWL with 23 points, going 11-of-16 of from the field and one-of-one at the free throw line. She also finished with seven rebounds and three assists.  DeNoyer totaled 12 points and team-high nine rebounds while recording three assists.  Clemment had a career-high 11 points and team-leading five assists (tied career-high) while Sydney Kannel finished with nine points. 

Loras (Iowa) shot 42.9% from the field, including 33.3% (five-of-15) from three-point range, and 84.0% (21-of-25) from the free throw line. The Duhawks were 18-of-21 (85.7%) at the line in the second half.  Loras (Iowa) outrebounded UWL, 44-29, while finishing with 17 assists, 20 turnovers and nine steals.

McMahon led Loras (Iowa) with 15 points while Hutchins finished with 10 points and six rebounds. Oberman and Lauren Stanich each scored nine points off the bench.

UWL returns to action Saturday, November 19 versus Aurora University (Ill.) at 4 p.m. in the Cornell (Iowa) Classic.