UW-La Crosse 75, UW-Stout 56
LA CROSSE (January 10, 2009) - When UW-Stout and UW-La Crosse met last year, the final score of all three games was by no more than three points.
That was not the case this year as UW-La Crosse, which last season snapped a 26-game losing streak to the Blue Devils, soundly beat Stout, 75-56, Saturday at Mitchell Hall.
La Crosse (10-4, 2-3) held a 14-13 lead six minutes into the game when the Eagles went on a 10-0 run to jump out 24-13. Twice Stout (8-6, 3-2) cut the lead to nine points in the next couple of minutes, but when the Eagles moved to a 28-17 lead, it was a double digits lead the rest of the way. La Crosse held a 41-24 halftime lead, built up to a 23-point, 71-48, lead with five minutes left.
The contest featured the two top scorers in the WIAC in La Crosse's Mackenzie Hunter and Stout's Julia Hirssig (Jr, Rochester, Minn). Neither disappointed, with both players scoring 21 points. Hunter was 10-of-21 with a 3-pointer, while Hirssig was 10-of-19 from the floor and connected on one free throw. Hirssig collected her seventh double-double of the season with 16 rebounds.
Kim Stokke (Jr, Menomonie) finished with 14 points for Stout. Dana Churchill had 10 points and nine rebounds for the Eagles. Stout shot 37.5 percent (24-64) from the floor, while the Eagles shot 46 percent (29-63) from the floor. The Blue Devils committed 25 turnovers, with the Eagles scoring 23 points off turnovers.
It doesn't get any easier for the Blue Devils. Stout will host UW-Stevens Point, Wednesday, Jan. 14 at 7 p.m. and UW-Whitewater, Saturday, Jan. 17 at 3 p.m.
