STEVENS POINT, Wis. – The UW-Stevens Point women's basketball team (12-1, 2-0) pulled away in the third quarter in a 68-57 win over No. 5/7 UW-Whitewater (11-2, 1-1) on Wednesday.
 
Alexa Thomson (De Pere, Wis./West) led the Pointers with 22 points. She hit three three-pointers and was 5-for-5 from the free-throw line.
 
Maija Rice (L'Anse, Mich./L'Anse Area) had a season-high 14 points on 7-of-10 shooting from the field. She also led the team with eight rebounds. Gabby Gawlitta (Franklin, Wis./Franklin) was also in double figures with 14 points.
 
Thomson hit a jumper to erase the lone deficit, 2-0, in the game for the Pointers. She buried her first three as UWSP put up a 9-2 run for a 9-4 lead. Karissa Smith (Freedom, Wis./Appleton North) nailed a triple and the Pointers were ahead 18-14 after one quarter.
 
Smith drilled another three to open the second quarter. Kate Vanden Berg (Appleton, Wis./North) halted an 8-2 run by UWW with a layup. Rice scored four-straight and UWSP was in front, 33-30, at the half.
 
Rice had the first four points of the third quarter. Gawlitta and Smith each hit from behind the arc as the Pointers started the second half with a 13-1 run. Thomson completed an and-one late as the lead was 49-34 heading to the fourth.
 
Thomson and Rice combined for the first nine UWSP points of the fourth as the lead ballooned to 20 with 6:30 left in the game. Thomson sunk a three with 1:22 remaining to thwart a late rally by UWW.
 
The Pointers travel to UW-La Crosse on Saturday (Jan. 11) for a 3:00 p.m. matchup against the Eagles.