MILWAUKEE – The Mount Mary University women's basketball team defeated the visiting Illinois Tech Scarlet Hawks (1-17) by a final score of 77-50 tonight at the Bloechl Center. The Blue Angels now move to 5-9 on the season after winning the game in front of their home crowd.
The Blue Angels grabbed an early lead in the first quarter. In fact, for the second straight contest, MMU began with a double-digit run while keeping their opponent off the scoreboard for the first four minutes of play. And for the second straight game, the Blue Angels just about put the game out of reach in the opening quarter.
As a team, the Blue Angels hit 10-of-14 from the field while holding Illinois Tech to 3-of-12. Two Blue Angels leading the impressive 27-point quarter were newcomer Erica Williams (Fr./Bloomington, Ill.) and Rae Grubbs (So./Covington, Ind.). Grubbs scored 10 points in that first frame hitting 2-of-2 from outside, while Williams scored eight points hitting 4-of-5 from inside five feet.
MMU continued to slow down the Scarlet Hawks offense and held the opposition to seven points in the second quarter. MMU's offense shot 43.8 percent from the field on their way to 18 points and a 45-16 lead going into halftime.
The Scarlet Hawks came out of the locker room with a new level of energy to begin the second half. Illinois Tech scored 20 in the frame as they controlled the rebounds 14-6 over the Blue Angels. MMU hit 3-of-14 as the Scarlet Hawks closed the gap albeit short-lived.
MMU turned on the offense again in the fourth quarter hitting 3-of-4 from outside the 3-point line and outscoring their opponent 25-14. The final push put things out of reach and resulted in the 77-50 final. Two more Blue Angels had a standout quarter as Brooke Uebersetzig (So./Greenwood, Ind.) dropped 3-of-3 from outside for 11 points and teammate Becky Onan (Sr./Grafton, Wis.) scored eight points hitting 3-of-4 from the field.
For the second time this season, the Blue Angels ended the game with four players scoring double-digits. Williams led with 19 points, 11 rebounds, three steals and three blocks. Uesbersetzig and Onan each scored 16 points while Rae Grubbs rounded out the offense with 14 points of her own.
"I am glad we were able to come out and execute out of the gate for the second straight game," said Mount Mary Head Basketball Coach Marc Heidorf.
"I really thought Brooke [Uebersetzig] played her best all-around game as a Blue Angel," added Heidorf of his sophomore guard. "She put us on her shoulders in the 3rd. Her assist to turnover ratio has steadily improved all season long."
The Blue Angels will return to action on Tue. Jan. 30 at the Bloechl Center. MMU hosts Northland (1-17) that evening at 6:00 pm. Live stats and video of the contest will be available at mtmaryathletics.com.
