NEW YORK, NY — The 19th-ranked UW-La Crosse women’s basketball team is headed to the Elite Eight for the first time in program history.
The Eagles punched their ticket Friday with a dominant 66-45 victory over Southern Maine at the John A. Paulson Center.
Up next for UW-L (21-9) the top-ranked team in the nation, New York (28-0), which blew out Hardin-Simmons 103-61. The quarterfinal matchup happens at 6:30 p.m. Saturday on the NYU campus.
Watch tonight’s game live here.
The Eagles shook off a slow start Friday to overwhelm the Huskies (27-3).
Down three to end the first quarter, the Eagles exploded with a 25-6 run in, capping off the half with a Grace Knupp buzzer-beating layup. The Eagles went into the break up 37-21 and never looked back.
UW-L’s defense held Southern Maine to just 27% shooting from the floor.
The Eagles got 15 points and 15 rebounds from sophomore Molly Janke — marking her fourth straight double-double. Knupp finished with a team-high 16 points, while Malia Nelson added 15 points and nine boards.
UW-L dominated the rebounding battle 49-29 and led by as many as 25 points late in the fourth quarter.
TOP PHOTO: UW-L’s Grace Knupp takes a shot Friday night in the Sweet 16 (PHOTO: UW-L Athletics)
