Portage County Gazette

University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (UWSP) women’s basketball head coach Shirley Egner recorded her 300th win in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC), as the Pointers won at UW-Eau Claire Saturday, Jan. 26.

UWSP (7-12, 3-5) jumped out to a 32-16 lead in the first quarter and led the rest of the way, as it went on to an 88-75 victory over Eau Claire (13-6. 4-4) in Egner’s 800th game as the Pointers’ head coach.

The all-time winningest coach in WIAC history (547-253), Egner guided UWSP into Eau Claire Saturday afternoon, after the Pointers lost 79-54 at home to Eau Claire Jan. 12.

UWSP used an 11-0 run in the first quarter to get out to a 13-3 lead 2:41 into the game, and shot 10-for-14 from the field in the opening quarter to build a 32-16 lead, as freshman guard and Plainfield native Amber Baehman was 5-of-5 from the field and scored 14 points in the quarter.

Baehman added 10 points in the second quarter, as she knocked down her fourth three-pointer of the first half with eight seconds left to give the Pointers a 58-35 lead at halftime.

Eau Claire started the second half on a 10-0 run to climb within 58-45 with 4:36 to go in the third quarter, but UWSP responded with a 7-0 run over the next 1:06 to increase its lead to 65-45 with 3:30 remaining in the third.

The Pointers maintained a double-digit lead until Eau Claire pulled within 80-72 with 2:22 to play in the fourth quarter, but UWSP went 6-for-6 from the free-throw line the rest of the way to close out the 88-75 victory.

Baehman shot 10-of-14 from the field and scored a career-high 26 points to go along with 10 rebounds and three assists; sophomore post player Kellan Schmidt was 6-of-8 from the field and totaled 15 points, six rebounds and four assists; junior guard Carly Cerrato scored 15 points; sophomore point guard Brooke Geier had 14 points and nine rebounds; and sophomore post player Bailee Collins added nine points and six rebounds to lead the Pointers.

UWSP is set to host UW-La Crosse (16-3, 5-3) at 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 31, in a game that was pushed back a day due to extreme cold temperatures.

The Pointers will then visit UW-River Falls (7-12, 1-7) at 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 2, before they play at home against UW-Whitewater (12-7, 5-3) at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 6.