EAU CLAIRE, Wis. – Senior forward
Emma Schultz poured in a career-high 19 points as the Bethel University women's basketball team couldn't hold off Wisconsin-Eau Claire on the road falling, 55-52.
Trailing by two with under 30 seconds to go, the Royals had two chances after calling timeout to advance the ball into the front court. Both inbound plays resulted in the entry pass being intercepted by the Blugolds.
BU would get a third crack at it after UWEC hit the back end of a two-shot foul making it 55-52 with eight seconds left. The Royals once again couldn't get a clean look firing up a desperation shot from behind the arc as time expired.
Neither team saw a lead greater than nine in a game that featured 11 lead coaches and four ties.
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Half
• A closely contested first quarter saw both teams come out with hot shooting numbers. Eau-Claire dialed in from behind the arc while BU shot 61.5 percent (8-of-13) for a 17-16 advantage.
• A three-ball from
Courtney Nuest with 9:20 left in the second capped out a 10-0 run by BU.
•
Anna Garfield's layup with 3:01 left in the half gave the Royals their largest lead of the game at 30-21.
• UWEC turned a pair of BU turnovers into points cutting BU's eventual halftime lead to 30-25.
Second Half
• Bethel saw a six-point lead in the third erased with a UWEC 6-0 run knotting it up at 40-40.
• Two quick lead changes with a layup from Shultz and a three pointer by UWEC landed the Blugolds on top 43-42 after three quarters.
• There were seven lead changes in the first six minutes of the fourth.
•
Kendal Cox would have the Royals final bucket of the game with a layup at the three-minute mark.
• UWEC hit the go-ahead three with 1:23 left as BU's only shot came in the form of a layup with one minute left.
KEY PERFORMERS
• Schultz was 9-of-10 from the field adding two rebounds and an assist.
• Garfield chipped in 14 points and five rebounds.
•
Courtney Nuest charted an even tat line of seven points, five rebounds and six steals.
UP NEXT
The Royals have a quick turnaround taking on Wisconsin-Eau Claire at 7 p.m.
