ELSAH, Ill. – Senior Maija Rice (L'Anse, Mich./L'Anse Area) posted a career-high 25 points as the UW-Stevens Point women's basketball team (2-0) defeated Spalding (1-1) by a 75-62 final at the Laura Williams Memorial Classic.
 
Rice went 2-for-2 from behind the arc and 5-for-5 from the free-throw line in racking up a game-high 25 points. She had seven rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block.
 
Jessilyn Ernst (Pardeeville, Wis./Pardeeville) was also in double figures with 15 points. Emma Kilpatrick (Kimberly, Wis./Kimberly) was the team leader in rebounds with eight.
 
Rice began the day completing an and-one and Ernst had UWSP next four points. A three-pointer by Karissa Smith (Freedom, Wis./Appleton North) put UWSP up, 10-5. Five other Pointers had a bucket in the quarter as UWSP led, 20-10 after one.
 
Rice and Ernst combined for eight points and Laney Panich (Wautoma, Wis./Wautoma) had a bucket. But a 5:53 drought from the floor allowed Spalding to get within 30-27 at the break.
 
Rice had a bucket early in the third, but a 10-0 run by Spalding put UWSP behind 37-32. Kilpatrick and Brenna Gehri (Oshkosh, Wis./West) combined for a 6-0 UWSP burst. Rice had nine-straight points for the Pointers and UWSP regained the lead, 49-41, heading to the fourth.
 
Smith buried another three early in the fourth. Rice and Ernst combined for 14 points in the quarter as UWSP closed out the win.
 
The Pointers head back to Illinois to take on Eureka at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday (Nov. 15).