GREENCASTLE, Ind. – The Trine University women's basketball team dropped their round one contest in the Amy Hasbrook Memorial Tournament on Thursday afternoon to the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, 75-68. DePauw University hosted the event, where in the battle of ranked teams (Trine 10th and Eau Claire 15th in the nation) a 23-8 margin in quarter number three was the difference for the Blugolds. The Thunder sit at 9-3 overall, while Eau Claire moves to 10-2.
Trine threw the first punch of the game by scoring the first eight points. Makayla Ardis had six of the eight points and collected three rebounds in the first four minutes of action. After the first one went in for UWEC, they would not stop as they brought the total to within two at 10-8. Abby Sanner found Ardis for three to extend the lead with three minutes remaining in the first quarter. Sanner, Alyssa Argyle and Katie Tate notched scores late in a 21-13 quarter win.
Sam Underhill gave the Thunder a double-digit advantage at 25-15 with just over five minutes in to the period, but the rest of the second belonged to the Blugolds. Eau Claire outscored Trine 21-4 over the stretch to claim a 36-29 lead at the break.
The Thunder hung around coming out of the locker room, but three-point shooting and lay-ups inside ballooned the lead to as many as 19 with two minutes to play in the third, 54-35. Underhill had four points as the quarter wrapped up, but UWEC held a firm advantage with 10 minutes to play at 57-39.
Tate found the bottom of the net in Trine's opening possession that sparked a comeback effort that nearly pulled off what looked to be impossible. 10 consecutive points, highlighted by a three-point field goal, made it 57-49 with seven minutes to go.
The Blugolds withstood the pressure put on by the Thunder in the middle stages with a few good baskets, but Sidney Wagner, who was held scoreless a majority of the game, finally got one to go and provided a spark late in the game. An Ardis three with 2:33 to play made it a one-possession game for the first time in the second half at 65-62 Eau Claire.
UWEC knocked down a three of their own with just over one minute remaining to go up six, but Wagner once again came through with a counter of her own, a three to make it 68-65. With 35 seconds on the clock, a contested three-point shot was true for Eau Claire to sink the number 10 team in the country. Free throw shooting in the closing seconds allowed for the Blugolds to take this one 75-68.
Ardis registered her first career double-double in the game with new career highs in points (23) and rebounds (11). Underhill had 10 points as well as Sanner, who reached double figures in scoring for the second time in her young career.
On day two at DePauw, the Thunder will face the Marian University Sabres beginning at 2 p.m. EST.
