UW-Eau Claire vs Northwestern 11-10-18

My first real game of this new 2018-19 season had me over at Northwestern's Ericksen Center on this cold, snowy, blustery Saturday evening as the host Eagles were getting ready to take on UW-Eau Claire out of the WIAC.  The Blugolds were coming into this new season with arguably something to prove after going 18-9 last season (9-5 in WIAC play) and getting left out of the NCAA Tournament and with only one senior on the squad, there were likely a lot of questions swirling around this team.  Northwestern meanwhile was coming into this new season with a bit of a revamped roster that includes some new size (and faces) down low so naturally I was anxious to see how they'd fare against a quality opponent from the WIAC.

It was evident from the get-go that this game would be a contrast of styles as UW-Eau Claire was using man-to-man defense while Northwestern stayed true to its 2-3 "match-up" zone defense.  With the game tied at two a piece, the Eagles took the lead at 4-2 when lanky 6'2" junior forward Rio Landers snared an offensive rebound for a putback at the 6:07 mark.  UW-Eau Claire came right back to claim the lead as a score in the paint by strong sophomore post Katie Essen at the 5:40 mark and an offensive rebound for a putback in transition by sophomore reserve forward Brooke Harris with 4:32 left in the opening period put the Blugolds out in front 6-4.  Northwestern would come right back and grab a one-point lead when freshman point guard Kelsea Lund drained a "3" from the left wing area to make it a 7-6 ballgame with 4:13 left and at that point it looked like this could very well be a back-and-forth contest.  It was here, however, that UW-Eau Claire went on a 17-0 tear that really turned this game around.  Freshman post Elli Carver formerly of Coon Rapids got this run going with a score in the paint with 2:54 left and a "3" from the top of the key by junior guard Hallee Hoeppner with 2:19 left had the Blugolds out in front 11-7.  Junior reserve guard Caryn Donahue drained a trey of her own from the left corner with 1:51 left that upped the lead to 14-7.  Two Harris free throws after the Green Bay, Wisconsin native was fouled in a transition opportunity with 1:15 left made it 16-7 and then slender senior point guard Maddie Dunathan let loose with a dagger "3" from the left corner with :26 left in this first period that suddenly made it a 19-7 ballgame that left the Eagles somewhat shocked and stunned as the team retreated to the bench at the first quarter buzzer.

The Blugolds were not finished with this run just yet as a "3" from that same left corner - this one by junior guard Kelsey Bakken - at the 9:40 mark of the second period along with one Bakken freebie at the 9:18 mark capped this big run to make it 23-7 before Northwestern was finally able to dust off the cobwebs from its own rim.  Lund banged home a much-needed "3" from the left top area at the 8:53 mark to get the deficit down to thirteen at 23-10 but the Blugolds would get their lead to 24-10 on one Essen charity stripe shot at the 8:42 mark before the Eagles could start making some inroads on the deficit.  Lund would connect with a short jumper from the left side at the 7:49 mark and a jumper from the left wing by senior guard Amy Berglund at the 7:21 mark cut the deficit down to ten points at 24-14 and UW-Eau Claire Head Coach Tonja Englund; perhaps fearing a bit of a letdown by her squad, called a timeout to discuss things with her team.  The Blugolds; hoping to pad that double-digit lead, got a bit of a boost when Dunathan connected with one free throw after getting fouled in transition at the 6:51 mark and a jumper by Harris along the left baseline had UW-Eau Claire in good shape up 27-16 at the 5:19 mark but a determined Eagles team got on a 7-0 run that put them right back into the thick of things.  Lanky freshman reserve guard Brooklyn DeKam knocked down a jumper from the right corner just inside the arc with 4:40 left and a score in the paint by Landers with 3:59 left had the deficit down to seven points at 27-20.  Then it was Lund reigning terror from three-point land as she unleashed a bomb from the right wing area with 3:01 left that reduced the deficit down to four points at 27-23.  UW-Eau Claire; perhaps somewhat alarmed by this development, went on a 6-0 push that got their lead back up to double-digits.  Two Essen scores - a drive and finish with 2:17 left and an offensive rebound and putback of her own miss with 1:32 left - got the lead up to eight points at 31-23 and a pretty rebound and tip-in by Bakken with 1:06 left improved the Blugolds safety net back up to double-digits again at 33-23.  But Northwestern would make one last little surge before the halftime buzzer.  Junior guard Jazinae Patterson connected with a lay-up with :43 left and a desperation "3" from the right top area by sophomore reserve guard Megan Stubbs right before the halftime buzzer went off got the Eagles back to within single digits again down 35-28 as both squads trotted to their respective locker rooms for the halftime recess.  Not a perfect situation mind you but a damn sight better than what they were looking at when the second period began.  A check of the first half box score reveals that Northwestern did indeed struggle for the most part from both FG and three-point range; going 12-37 for 32.4% from FG range and 4-15 from behind the arc for a paltry 26.7% and they probably settled for some shots that they shouldn't have settled for.  The Blugolds shot 12-30 for 40% from FG range and 4-10 from behind the arc for the same 40%.  Rebounds were surprisingly even as each team snared 20 and turnovers weren't that big of a factor with UW-Eau Claire guilty of seven and the Eagles committing two more than that.

The train of thought amongst the partisan Northwestern contingent on hand is that the Eagles would settle down and stay close and possibly get themselves in position to get their nose back out in front again.  And an offensive rebound and putback by sophomore post Miranda Crenshaw at the 9:41 mark of the 3rd period helped the Eagles cut the deficit down to five points at 35-30 and in prime striking distance.  But UW-Eau Claire was in no mood for a nip-and-tuck affair and they quickly set out to pad their cushion back into double-digit range.  Dunathan uncorked a "3" from the right top area at the 9:00 mark that sparked a key 12-0 Blugold run.  A Bakken lay-up in transition at the 8:26 mark got the lead to ten at 40-30 and at the 7:15 mark Dunathan struck again like a thief in the night with a steal and lay-up the other way that pushed the lead to 42-30.  A lay-up in transition by Essen at the 6:36 mark got the lead to 44-30 and the Blugolds capped this run in grand style as Bakken snared a steal and connected with a short jumper in the lane and drew a foul in the process and her ensuing "and one" at the 6:27 mark now had UW-Eau Claire in great shape up 47-30.  The Eagles would desperately try to claw their way back into the thick of things as they were effectively put back at Square One but they would never get close enough to where they could really threaten.  Landers connected with a rare "3" from the top of the key with 4:48 left and a DeKam drive into the lane and finish with 3:59 left trimmed the deficit down to fourteen at 49-35.  Junior reserve guard Audrey Lefto drained a "3" from the right top area helped Northwestern cut into the cushion even more down 49-38 but they could never find that one big responding run that could have got them back to within single-digit range.  The Blugolds calmly responded to this challenge as Carver connected with a lay-up with 3:11 left and two Harris scores - a jumper from near the right elbow area with 2:37 left and a short one-handed jumper with 1:17 left - now pushed the lead back to seventeen at 55-38.  Northwestern would get one more free throw from Berglund with :22.5 left in the third period but down 55-39, the Eagles were in a tough spot to say the least.

Northwestern tried desperately to get back into this one in the early minutes of the fourth and final period as a score in the paint by Berglund at the 9:32 mark and a score in the paint by Landers at the 8:50 mark cut the deficit down to fourteen points at 57-43 and a pretty turnaround jumper in the lane off the glass by Landers at the 8:22 mark had the Eagles down by fifteen at 60-45 but there was no extended run that might have given this team a spark to be had on this night.  And UW-Eau Claire simply had all the answers when they needed them.  A little jumper along the right baseline by Bakken at the 8:19 mark and one Carver freebie at the 7:29 mark pushed the lead to eighteen at 63-45 and then Harris made a hard drive and connected with a shot off the window and drew a foul in the process and her "and one" extended the lead to 66-45.  A Hoeppner three-point bomb from the right wing area with 4:19 left pretty much sealed the deal and made it a 69-50 game and Donahue would add a trey of her own with 2:40 left from the left wing area that made it 72-52.  Dunathan would add one insurance free throw with 1:00 left and Essen would add two more with :31.1 left and the Blugolds walked out of Ericksen Center with a 75-56 win under their belt to start the season. 

I caught up with Northwestern Head Coach Aaron Kahl afterward and although disappointed about the outcome of this one, he wasn't in a bad mood.  "We played some very good basketball tonight in stretches" he said; likely referring to the second period when the Eagles clawed their way back into single digit range after getting down big early.  "But we weren't consistent enough" he lamented.  And Kahl was quick to point out that they were playing a very good team in UW-Eau Claire on this night that may very well have a shot at the WIAC title this season.  What was impressive about the Blugolds on this night was their incredibly balanced scoring attack with four players in double-digits.  Essen led the way with her 17 points and both Hoeppner and Bakken had 13 points and Bakken also snared 10 rebounds on this night for a double-double.  Dunathan, the experienced point guard had a solid night as well with her 12 points and six assists.  Total rebounding was actually close with UW-Eau Claire holding a 37-34 edge.  As a team, the Blugolds shot reasonably well going 27-58 from FG range for 46.6% and 7-16 from behind the arc for 43.8%.  UW-Eau Claire's defense probably had a lot to do with it but poor shooting brought down the Eagles on this night as they went 22-67 from FG range for 32.8% and 7-24 from three-point land for 29.2% which won't win you many games.  And Kahl could scarcely feel good about the 18 turnovers his team was guilty of on this night.  Lund led the way for Northwestern with her 16 points while Landers added 13 and DeKam had 10 points.