PLATTEVILLE, Wis. – The University of Wisconsin-Platteville women's basketball team (6-6, 0-1) lost its WIAC opener, 62-44, Saturday afternoon to UW-Stevens Point (11-1, 1-0) on Bo Ryan Court. 

Although it was a five-point game at the half, the Pointers pulled away in the third and went on to outrebound the Pioneers 49-22 and outscore 14-0 on second chances to take the first conference match up of the season. 

The teams were tied 11-11 after the first 10 minutes and a layup by senior Makayla Mau gave the Pioneers a 21-20 advantage with five minutes to go in the second quarter, but UW-Stevens Point strung together a 6-0 run to close out the half. The Pointers used that energy at the start of the second half and reached their double-digit lead by midway through the third quarter. 

The Platteville bench scored 29 points in the game and seniors Macey Banasik and Brynlee Nelson paced UW-Platteville with eight points while Mau added seven. Junior Ella Mackiewicz had a team-high six rebounds. 

The Pioneers shot 31 percent (18-of-58) from the floor, 21.1 percent (4-of-19) from deep and 66.7 percent (4-of-6) from the foul line.  UW-Stevens Point finished 41.2 percent (21-of-51) from the field, 18.8 percent from beyond the arc and 77.3 percent (17-of-22) from the free-throw line. 

UW-Platteville will return to Bo Ryan Court on Wednesday night, January 8 when they host UW-La Crosse on Community Night at 7 p.m.