Box Score

The UWRF women's basketball team lost to the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Pointers, 60-54, on Saturday afternoon despite 20 points from junior forward Hailey Siegle.

The Falcons had their fair share of opportunities to pull off the conference upset at the Karges Center but failed to make key stops and hit key baskets down the stretch.

Siegle tied a career high with her 20 points, but she also grabbed five rebounds and finished with three assists and one block. Junior guard Kristi Elles hit three clutch threes at various times in the ballgame, finishing her afternoon with 10 points, three rebounds, while going 3-6 beyond the arc.

The Falcons carried a 25-22 lead into halftime thanks a late 8-0 run to finish the first. The Falcons were led by Siegle, who scored 10 points, going 4-10 from the field. Back-to-back late three pointers from Elles and sophomore guard Richell Mehus put the Falcons in front for the first time since leading 11-8 with 11:25 left in the half. A last second steal by freshman guard Mikaela Wilson led to a running layup and a three point halftime lead.

Mehus led the Falcons with three first half rebounds, while Siegle scored the Falcons' first five points and 10 of their first 14.

Freshman guard Lauren Anklam led the Pointers with six first half points, while sophomore guard Autumn Hennes added four and rebounded five. Kaitlyn Jacobs also grabbed five first half rebounds.

Neither team had the hot hand in the first half with the Pointers shooting 38.1 percent from the field and the Falcons shooting 33.3 percent. The Falcons went 5-15 from beyond the arc, but only had one free throw attempt (0-1). The Pointers converted only five of 12 free throw attempts, but the 12-1 free throw advantage was a glaring advantage. The largest lead for both teams in the first half was five. The Pointers outrebounded UWRF 19-17, but lost the turnover battle 10-8.

The Pointers won the game thanks to a 18-6 run in the middle of the second half. The run began with them trailing by six and ended with them leading by six. Stevens Point shot 41.2 percent from the field, nine percentage points better than UWRF. The Pointers outrebounded the Falcons by one (40-39), and hit five more free throws. Both teams turned the ball over 19 times. The Falcons shot three after three trying to close the small gap late, but ended hitting only seven of 27 attempts.

The second half started strong for the Falcons as they pushed their three point first half lead to six, but the 18-6 Pointers run stunted their momentum. A late 8-3 Falcons run brought UWRF back within one with under four minutes to go. An Elles three pointer with 1:12 left in regulation brought the score to 54-53, in favor of Stevens Point, but four clutch free throws for the Pointers iced the game.

The 8-3 Falcons run was highlighted by a Tess Lueders layup off a fantastic setup from Siegle. Freshman guard Hannah Pignato also had a highlight reel drive and basket on the run. Lueders fouled out in the game, but finished with six points, seven rebounds, two assists and two blocks. Pignato finished with four points, three rebounds and two assists. Mehus finished with five rebounds.

The Pointers were led by Hennes, with 13 points and eight rebounds, while Anklam and senior center Myranda Tyler had 11. Stevens Point had 41 bench points, 28 more than UWRF. They were also plus-11 (16-5) in second chance points. Jacobs finished with a game-high nine rebounds; Tyler added six.

A win could have put the Falcons in a tie for third place in the WIAC with Stevens Point, but the loss drops them to fifth.

UWRF is now 4-11 overall, 3-4 in the WIAC and 2-5 at home. Stevens Point improved to 12-4 overall, 5-2 in the WIAC and 6-2 on the road.

The Falcons travel to Superior, Wis. on Wednesday evening to take on the University of Wisconsin-Superior Yellowjackets (9-6); the tip is at 7 p.m.

Box Score