The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire men's basketball team secured an 81-75 victory over UW-Superior in overtime on Saturday at the Sonnentag Event Center. The Yellowjackets forced overtime with a buzzer-beater at the end of regulation, but the Blugolds prevailed in the extra period, marking their fifth consecutive win.
In a game characterized by momentum shifts, UW-Eau Claire (6-3) managed to seize control when it mattered most. They outscored UW-Superior 13-7 in overtime, scoring their final seven points from the free throw line. The Blugolds began with a strong start, leading by 12 points within the first five minutes. However, UW-Superior chipped away at this lead and rallied to hold a 39-35 advantage at halftime after ending the half on a 14-2 run.
The Yellowjackets extended their lead to eight points with ten minutes left in regulation, but an 8-0 run by the Blugolds, featuring five points from Andre Renta (Jr. - Hudson, Wis.), leveled the score. Both teams traded leads until Cade Hall (Sr. - Mauston, Wis.) scored with one minute remaining to put UW-Eau Claire ahead 68-66. A tip-in by UW-Superior at the buzzer pushed the game into overtime.
A decisive 5-1 run late in overtime gave UW-Eau Claire an edge. Although UW-Superior narrowed the gap to two points with 28 seconds remaining, they were compelled to foul, sending the Blugolds to the free throw line where they converted all four attempts in the final moments.
Cade Hall led his team with a double-double of 18 points and 11 rebounds—his fifth consecutive such performance. Carter Lichtsinn (Jr. - Olathe, Kan./Olathe West) added a season-high 17 points and five assists; Carter Huschka (Sr. - Farmington, Minn.) contributed 16 points and nine rebounds; while Renta finished with 14 points and five assists.
UW-Eau Claire shot 48% from the field and made an impressive 13 of their 15 free throw attempts while also out-rebounding their opponents 37-30.
Next up for UW-Eau Claire is an away game against the University of Northwestern (Minn.) on Wednesday, December 11th at St. Paul, Minnesota with tip-off scheduled for 7 p.m.
Fans can follow UW-Eau Claire's progress throughout the season via Blugolds.com or through their app Blugold Sports as well as on social media platforms Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
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