Chippewa Valley Times

The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire women's basketball team secured a narrow victory over UW-Platteville with a final score of 46-44 on Wednesday at Bo Ryan Court. The game was decided in the closing moments by Lauren Meudt, who not only scored the decisive basket but also made a crucial steal to ensure the win for the Blugolds.

The Blugolds, now holding an 8-14 record overall and 3-8 in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC), had to recover from a challenging start as UW-Platteville began with a 7-2 run. However, UW-Eau Claire managed to turn the tide in the second quarter, outscoring their opponents 15-11 and securing a slim halftime lead of 24-22. This shift was aided by an 8-1 run featuring three-pointers from Anna Koth and Meudt.

The third quarter saw both teams exchanging leads, with neither side able to establish dominance. A buzzer-beater basket by Britta DeMar gave UW-Eau Claire a one-point advantage going into the final quarter. In this tightly contested period, no team led by more than two points until Meudt's decisive layup broke the tie with just 38 seconds remaining. Her subsequent steal with two seconds left thwarted any last-minute comeback attempt by UW-Platteville.

Meudt ended as the game's top scorer with 16 points and contributed significantly on defense with five steals and four rebounds. Britta DeMar added nine points to her team's tally, while Reanna Hutchinson chipped in seven points along with four rebounds.

Looking ahead, UW-Eau Claire will play its final home game of the regular season against UW-Stevens Point on Saturday, February 15. The event will also serve as Senior Night at the Sonnentag Event Center, starting at 5 p.m.

For ongoing updates throughout the season, fans can follow via Blugolds.com or through social media platforms such as Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook under Blugold Sports.