Box Score
Yellowjackets 69, Platteville 50
Box Score
It isn't often that college basketball teams have the opportunity to make history two games in a row. But that was exactly the scenario in front of the UW-Superior women's basketball team as they returned to Superior for their first home game of the 2012 calendar year.
Coming off a victory over UW-Oshkosh on Wednesday, the Yellowjackets looked to extend their winning streak to five games and in doing so, become the first team in school history to claim five consecutive victories when they faced WIAC foe UW-Platteville at Mertz Mortorelli Gymnasium Saturday afternoon.
The Yellowjackets did just that, overcoming a slow first few minutes to build a sizable early lead on the way to racing past the Pioneers 69-50. With the victory, UW-Superior improved to 9-5 overall and 3-3 in WIAC conference action.
More importantly, the Yellowjackets put themselves into the program's record books, getting a balanced all-around effort that saw three players score in double-figures while forcing the Pioneers to commit 21 turnovers.
Neither team was able to mount much offense in the first few minutes as it took UW-Platteville (6-9 overall, 2-4 WIAC) until 16:57 left to score the game's first points on a Claire Poad three-point play.
Offense would come quickly from there however as the Yellowjackets would go on an 11-3 run over the next 3:40 to take an 11-6 lead following a three-point play by Kailee McDonald (Cambridge, Minn./Cambridge-Isanti) with 13:17 remaining in the first half.
UW-Superior continued to pull away from there, getting a jumper from Sally Linzmeier (Valders, Wis./Valders) with 10:10 left for an 18-10 lead before taking a 33-15 advantage on a layup from Hailey Hart (Osseo, Wis./Osseo-Fairchild) with 4:24 showing on the clock.
The Pioneers would score the final five points of the first half to come to within 39-27 at the half.
UW-Superior would again pull away early in the second half, going on a 19-2 burst in the first 6:41 of the half to take a commanding 58-29 lead after a free throw by Hart with 13:19 remaining in regulation. Connie Urmanski (Edgar, Wis./Edgar) started the run with a jumper before Bri Davis (Hermantown, Minn./Hermantown) knocked down two free throws and two added two layups while Hart also added six points during the run. Linzmeier and Deandra Vavra (Cambridge, Minn./Cambridge-Isanti) also added jumpers during the burst for the Yellowjackets.
The closest the Pioneers would come the rest of the way would be on a three-pointer by Rilee Schmitz that cut the deficit to 67-50 with 1:01 left in the second half.
Offensively, the Yellowjackets were paced by Hart's 16 points while Davis added 15 and Linzmeier 14. Davis led the way on the glass for UW-Superior with nine rebounds while Hart added eight. For the game, the Yellowjackets held a 47-34 edge in rebounding.
UW-Platteville was paced by Poad with 14 points.
Milestone Update: With her 16 points, Hart jumped from 11th to eighth on the all-time scoring list. She now has 941 points, putting her 39 behind Ann DeBruin (1982-87) for seventh place. She moved closer to eighth place on the all-time rebounding list as well, now sitting just six behind Sherri Domitrovich (1999-01) who has 556. Davis crossed the 800-point mark and currently has 811 for her career. She is 22 points behind Geraldine Papenfuss (1980-84) for 13th all-time. Davis is also 12th on the all-time rebound list, 11 behind Sherri Oldevak (1977-81). Urmanski's four assists give her 168, three behind Oldevak for ninth place on the all-time list.
The Yellowjackets return to action Saturday when they head to Whitewater to take on UW-Whitewater. Opening tipoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.
