STEVENS POINT, Wis. – The UW-Stevens Point women's basketball team (13-6, 2-6) suffered through lengthy offensive droughts in the second and fourth quarters in a 62-45 loss to UW-River Falls (12-7, 3-5) to open the second half of league play on Saturday.
 
Josie Nies (Platteville, Wis./Platteville) led the Pointers with nine points. Alexa Thomson (De Pere, Wis./West) and Gabby Gawlitta (Franklin, Wis./Franklin) added eight each. Thomson led the Pointers with nine rebounds.
 
Courtney Krueger (Merrill, Wis./Merrill) buried a three in the opening minute and Gawlitta added four points as UWSP jumped ahead, 9-0. Following a free throw by UWRF, Katelyn Slowik (Elcho, Wis./Elcho) nailed a three and Abbie Campion (Janesville, Wis./Milton) made two free throws for a 14-1 lead. Slowik buried another three and Thomson hit from behind the arc as UWSP led 22-11 after one.
 
Gawlitta hit a jumper with 46 seconds remaining in the first half ending a nearly 10 minute scoring drought and a 23-0 run by the Falcons. Nies added a free throw and UWSP trailed, 34-25, at the break.
 
Gawlitta opened the scoring in the second half. Thomson hit another three with Nies and Jamie Pfeifer (Wisconsin Dells, Wis./Wisconsin Dells) adding buckets as UWSP got within two, 36-34. Nies added four points and a three by Krueger saw UWSP down, 51-41, heading to the fourth.
 
Thomson and Nies had early baskets in the fourth, but UWSP did not score over the final 8:09 of the game.
 
The Pointers travel to UW-Stout on Wednesday (Jan. 31). Tip-off in Menomonie is set for 7:00 p.m.