SUPERIOR, Wis. – The third game of four-straight home contests for the UW-Superior women's basketball team commenced Saturday, as they played host to St. Catherine. This game marked just the fifth contest between the two teams, but Wildcat head coach Don Mulhern certainly knows the Mertz well, as he sits as the program's winningest coach in its history.
The game saw both teams emerge with fast-paced offenses, leading to a closely contested game for the majority of the afternoon. With either team unable to run away with more than five points until the third quarter, the Yellowjackets began to take control before the Wildcats stayed within striking distance late and took the lead at 58-56.
Action continued in the final minutes of play and saw St. Catherine grab a four-point advantage, but a pair of fouls drawn by Superior brought them within one before the Wildcats held on late to secure a 66-63 win.
Game Notes
- Katie Dobson (Black River Falls, Wis./Black River Falls) and MyKenzie Leccia (Somerset, Wis./Somerset) started the scoring for UWS, as Dobson hit a midrange shot before Leccia took a feed from Hannah Hause (Stanley, Wis./Stanley-Boyd) and hit a shot beyond the arc.
- SCU tied things up at eight points apiece before Elise Besonen (Ewen, Mich./Ewen-Trout Creek) set up Leccia for another three pointer, boosting the 'Jackets by two at 13-11.
- The Wildcats evened things up at 15-15 before extending their advantage to five points, but Emily Coonrod (Hastings, Minn./Randolph) hit a jumper that kept UWS within three heading into the second.
- The opening stages of the second round saw momentum favor the Wildcats, but offensive output from Hause, Leccia and Dobson help boost Superior ahead at 31-28. Coonrod nailed a jumper inside the paint after receiving a feed from Megan Schafer (Grantsburg, Wis./Grantsburg) to lead 33-30 before SCU converted a free throw after a Yellowjacket foul, ending the half at 33-33.
- Hause, Besonen and Leccia converted their scoring opportunities to bring UWS up seven at 40-33. Kylee Hewitt (Hurley, Wis.) capitalized after Besonen logged a steal late in the third quarter, hitting a jump shot at 46-40, but not before St. Catherine came within one heading into the final quarter.
- Both teams matched each other's offensive output in the fourth, beginning with a SCU foul that sent Besonen to the line for two shots. After converting both, the Wildcats controlled the ball for a few minutes, taking a six-point lead at 54-48.
- Besonen drew another foul and converted both free throws, which led to Dobson logging a three to stay within one at 54-53. SCU capitalized on Yellowjacket miscues and offensively took advantage, continuing play and leading 64-60 with under two minutes remaining.
- Coonrod took a feed from Leccia late to come within two, but both teams would miss midrange shots leading into the final minute of play. SCU drew a foul and hit both free throws before the 'Jackets drew a foul of their own. Only converting one-of-two free throw attempts, UWS sent a three point shot with seconds remaining, but it would just miss the mark as St. Catherine escaped with a 66-63 victory.
- Besonen ended with 20 points, pacing Superior offensively. Leccia and Dobson would follow with 15 and 13 points, respectively.
- Leccia finished the afternoon with nine rebounds, while Dobson carded seven and Hause garnered four.
- St. Catherine converted 16 points off turnovers, eight of which came uncontested in the first half.
- UW-Superior shot 90.9 from the line, with all free throws occurring in the fourth quarter. The 'Jackets would finish shooting 45.1 percent from field goal range and 33.3 from long range.
UWS plays its final home game of its homestand Wednesday, hosting St. Scholastica at 5:30 p.m. inside Mertz Mortorelli Gym.
