Chippewa Valley Times

The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire men's basketball team faced a tough defeat against the No. 3 ranked UW-Platteville, losing 72-50 in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) matchup held at the Sonnentag Event Center. The Pioneers' strong performance early in the second half was decisive, preventing the Blugolds from securing their first victory over a top-five opponent since the 2021-22 season.

UW-Platteville, leading the WIAC with a record of 20-2 overall and 10-1 in conference play, maintained control throughout the game. They initiated with a 12-4 run, keeping UW-Eau Claire (14-8 overall, 6-5 in WIAC) trailing for most of the match. Despite this slow start, UW-Eau Claire managed to narrow the gap to just one point later in the first half. Cade Hall's layup capped an 11-4 run that brought them within striking distance at 16-15 with just over nine minutes left until halftime.

However, UW-Platteville closed out the first half on a strong note with a 10-2 run, taking a ten-point lead into halftime at 36-26. The Pioneers further extended their advantage with a decisive 16-4 spurt during the initial five minutes of the second half. This surge pushed their lead to as much as 24 points, leaving little room for recovery by UW-Eau Claire.

Carter Huschka led the Blugolds with an impressive performance scoring 19 points and grabbing seven rebounds. Cade Hall contributed with a double-double effort tallying ten points and eleven rebounds while Andre Renta added fourteen points to their cause. The Blugolds shot at only thirty-eight percent from field goals and twenty-four percent from three-point range compared to twelve successful three-pointers made by Platteville who shot forty-four percent beyond arc.

Next up for UW-Eau Claire is an away game against UW-Stevens Point scheduled for Saturday, February fifteenth at five p.m.

Fans can follow updates on Blugold sports through various platforms including Blugolds.com or via social media channels such as Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.