UW-Eau Claire Tops Mount St. Joseph To Open Charles B. Zimmerman Memorial Classic

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio — The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire BluGolds scored the first seven points and never looked back, taking full advantage of a significant size differential to cruise to a 79-38 victory in the first round of Wittenberg University's Charles B. Zimmerman Memorial Classic.

Wisconsin-Eau Claire improved to 7-4 on the season and will take on Hanover on Day 2 of the event. Mount St. Joseph is now 2-7 and will square off with the host Tigers on the second day.

The BluGolds overwhelmed Mount St. Joseph from the outset, scoring the game's first seven points and stretching the lead to 40-16 by halftime by scoring the last four points of the half. The second half was more of the same as the BluGolds pulled away, moving 15 players in and out of the lineup regularly.

For the game, Wisconsin-Eau Claire shot 48 percent from the field and 15-of-20 from the free throw line. More importantly, the BluGolds blocked five shots and altered dozens of others, harrassing the Lions into 27 percent shooting, including a 1-of-15 performance from three-point range.

Individually, no BluGold played more than 22 minutes in the game as 12 different players scored at least two points and four of them reached double figures. Emily Miller led with 14 points in just 10 minutes off the bench, while Ellen Plendl added 13 points and eight rebounds in just 14 minutes. Sarah Bingea added 12 points, four rebounds and three assists. Also of note, Hannah Mesick contributed six points and a whopping five steals, while Nicole Christiansen turned in a strong all-around game with four points, three rebounds, four assists and four steals in just 17 minutes.

Mount St. Joseph put one player in double figures as Carolyn Holt finished with 11 points on 5-of-6 shooting from the field and seven rebounds. Thirteen Lion players saw at least nine minutes of action in the game.