Pioneers Can't Climb Out of Early Hole

CHICAGO, Ill. -- The University of Chicago women's basketball team turned 22 University of Wisconsin-Platteville turnovers into 20 extra points as they registered a 71-60 non-conference victory Tuesday night in Chicago.  The Maroons were led  by Klaire Steffens.  The 6'1 power forward scored 24 points and pulled down 12 rebounds, nine offensive.  Chicago improved to 4-1 while the Pioneers fell to 2-3.

Chicago claimed a 10-5 lead early, but Platteville battled back.  A Taylor Gilbert (Sr./Kingston, Ill.) corner three-pointer and two Sarah Mueller (So./Stevens Point, Wis.) free throws knotted the game back up at ten.  With just over two minutes remaining the teams remained close with UC clinging to a 13-12 lead.  However an 8-2 run gave the Maroons some breathing room at the end of one, 21-14.

The Pioneers' deficit remained seven midway through the second until three straight Chicago baskets overlapped with three straight Platteville turnovers.  Now down 13 with 4:28 remaining Platteville was unable to cut into the deficit and went into the half trailing 41-27.

In the third quarter, the Pioneer post players began to heat up.  Forwards Maiah Domask (Sr./Waupun, Wis.), Gilbert, and Mueller combined to shoot 4-6 from the floor and 6-8 from the free throw line to score 16 of the team's game 20 third quarter points.  The bad news for the team was they were unable to slow down the Maroon offense.  Despite shooting 78% FG out of the half, the Pioneers could get no closer than eleven at any point.  Down 58-47 with :58 left in the quarter, Steffens struck again, completing a three-point play to push the Chicago lead back to 14 heading into the fourth.

Platteville continued to battle.  The Pioneers came down with seven offensive rebounds while trying to cut into its deficit.  Unfortunately shooting had gone cold for both teams in the final frame with each only making 4 shots from the floor and going a combined 0-6 from three-point range.  Only Domask remained on target, hitting 3 of her 4 shots to score eight of Platteville's 13.  A Pioneer 9-4 run to end the game could only bring them within the final 11-point margin.

An area of consistency for Platteville early this season has been the team's ability to get to the free throw line.  That trend continued Tuesday night as Chicago sent the Pioneers to the charity stripe 27 times, converting on 21 (78%).  Through the first five games they are averaging 24 free throw attempts a game.

Domask led all scorers with 22 points.  Mueller continued to provide a scoring punch from off the bench, finishing the night with 11 including a 7-7 performance from the free throw line.

The Pioneers will return to action Thanksgiving weekend as they travel to Upper Michigan for Finlandia University's Thanksgiving Classic.  The two-day event will begin with them facing host Finlandia on Saturday, November 27th, at 12p central time.  The next day, Platteville returns to action to face Marian University at 1p central time.