UW-Stout Wins on Last Second Layup to Defeat UW-L

For Immediate Release: Saturday, January 12, 2008

Menomonie, Wis. - Julie Hirssig hit the game-winning layup as the horn sounded Saturday afternoon to give the UW-Stout women's basketball team a 71-70 victory over UW-La Crosse in Johnson Fieldhouse. The Blue Devils improve to 10-4 overall and 4-1 in the WIAC while the Eagles fall to 6-8 overall and 1-4 in the conference.

The Eagles led throughout the first half, leading 32-25 at intermission. UW-L led 12-4 with 13:53 left in the opening half when it when on a 17-2 run to lead 29-6 with 6:05 remaining. UW-Stout came back to finish half on a 19-3 run of its own to cut the halftime deficit to seven points.

UW-L led by eight points early in the second half, but UW-Stout forced a 41-41 tie with 13:04 remaining. The Blue Devils later led 59-51 with 7:22 remaining and 65-58 with 2:40 left, but the Eagles went on a 9-4 run to cut the lead to 69-67. Mackenzie Hunter gave UW-L a 70-69 lead on a three-point play with :07 left, but after a UW-Stout timeout, Hirssig hit her game-winning shot on an assist from Lindsey Geissler.

Hunter led three UW-L players in double figures with 18 points, finishing six-of-16 from the field, including one-of-two from three-point range. She was also five-of-five at the free throw line while adding a team-high six rebounds. Dana Churchill and Lindsay Wahl each scored 13 points and grabbed five rebounds. Churchill, who also finished with three assists and two steals, was four-of-six from the field and five-of-seven at the line while Wahl was three-of-five from the field and hit all seven of her free throw attempts.

UW-L shot 38.6% from the field, including 14.3% (one-of-seven) from three-point range. The Eagles were 25-of-33 (75.8%) at the free throw line.

Charlee Edwards led UW-Stout with 15 points while Geissler finished with 13 and Hirssig 12. The Blue Devils shot 44.4% from the field, including 59.3% (16-of-27) in the second half. The team finished at 40.0% (four-of-10) from the field and were 19-of-26 (73.1%) at the line.

UW-L returns to action Wednesday, January 16 hosting UW-Platteville at 7 p.m.