MENOMONIE, Wis. (March 7, 2025) – The UW-Stout Blue Devils opened the NCAA Division III Tournament in commanding fashion, rolling past Ripon College 87-57 in front of a raucous crowd at Johnson Fieldhouse.
UW-Stout (20-7) set the tone early, jumping out to a 19-8 lead after the first quarter and never looking back. The Blue Devils shot an efficient 55 percent from the field while stifling Ripon (23-5), holding them to just 35.6 percent shooting on the night.
Raegan Sorensen delivered another dominant performance, pouring in 32 points on 13-of-19 shooting. It marked her third 30-point game in her last four outings, continuing her torrid stretch as the postseason gets underway. Sorensen was a force in the paint, aggressively attacking the basket while also going 6-for-8 from the free-throw line. She also contributed seven rebounds and two assists in the win.
The Blue Devils showcased their depth and efficiency, with Lexi Wagner chipping in 13 points, including a pair of three-pointers, while Anna Mutch filled the stat sheet with eight points, five assists, and four rebounds. Mary Berg provided a spark off the bench, knocking down three three-pointers and finishing with nine points.
Stout broke the game open in the third quarter, outscoring Ripon 29-22 behind a blistering 72 percent shooting mark in the period. The Blue Devils dominated inside, scoring 42 points in the paint and holding a 36-33 rebounding advantage. Defensively, they forced 18 Ripon turnovers, converting them into 17 points. Stout also shared the ball effectively, dishing out 18 assists as a team.
Ripon's Ella Ten Pas led the Red Hawks with 16 points and 19 rebounds, but it wasn't enough to keep pace with Stout's balanced attack. Laney Havlovitz added 12 points for Ripon, while Karsyn Nelson contributed eight points and two steals.
BY THE NUMBERS:
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32 – Points scored by Raegan Sorensen, her third 30-point game in the last four contests.
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55% – UW-Stout's field goal percentage for the game.
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29 – Points scored by the Blue Devils in a dominant third quarter.
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42 – Points in the paint for UW-Stout.
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18 – Turnovers forced by the Blue Devils.
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18 – Assists recorded by UW-Stout.
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9 – Points off the bench by Mary Berg, including three three-pointers.
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1,782 – Fans in attendance at Johnson Fieldhouse.
UP NEXT:
With the win, UW-Stout advances to the second round of the NCAA Tournament and will host No. 6 Whitman College tomorrow at 7:15 p.m. at Johnson Fieldhouse. The Blue Devils, who reached the Sweet 16 last year, will look to take another step toward a deep postseason run.
