Issued: January 29, 2003

MEN BLUGOLDS HOLD OFF YELLOWJACKETS

SUPERIOR - The UW-Eau Claire men's basketball team hit 28 of 35 free throw attempts en route to holding off a late Superior rally and defeating the Yellowjackets 73-70 here tonight at Clough Gates Gymnasium.

The Blugolds improve to 12-7 on the season and 4-6 in Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play while the Yellowjackets fall to 4-14 overall and 1-9 in the WIAC.

Dan Archambault (So-Oshkosh/West) hit 7 of 8 free throws in the final two minutes to hold off the Yellowjackets.

The first half saw each team possess the lead on two occasions. The Blugolds got on the board first to take a 2-0 lead but Superior responded with a three-point shot. Eau Claire then went on a 9-2 run to take an 11-5 lead but the Yellowjackets responded with a 10-0 run of their own to regain the lead. The Blugolds took back the lead by a score of 17-15 with 7:43 remaining and would never trail after that point. Eau Claire entered halftime with a 32-25 lead.

The second half saw runs by both teams. Eau Claire went up by 12 early in the second half but the Yellowjackets quickly shaved the lead down to two points. The Blugolds then scored seven unanswered to regain a 12 point advantage. Superior cut the lead to three before Eau Claire extended the margin to 13 points.

With less than two minutes remaining the Yellowjackets cut the Blugold lead to just two points. Archambault then hit a pair of free throws to make it a two possession lead with 58 seconds remaining. Superior hit the back end of a pair of free throws to pull the lead to three before sending Archambault to the line again. The Blugold guard again hit both ends of the double bonus to give Eau Claire a five point advantage. The Yellowjackets' Cody Kastern was fouled on the ensuing possession and hit the first of two from the line. Kastern missed the second shot and Tyler Birkel (Fr-Spring Valley) grabbed the defensive rebound and was fouled hard to the ground where he stayed on the floor with an elbow injury. After a brief conversation, the officiating crew deciding Birkel would have to shoot the pair of free throws with 14 seconds remaining in the contest. Birkel missed the pair and the Yellowjackets drove the length of the court and scored a lay up with just a few seconds remaining to pull within two points. Archambault was immediately fouled and hit one of two from the charity stripe with two seconds left on the clock. A baseball pass was tipped by the Blugolds as time expired to preserve the three point victory.

Archambault led all Blugolds in scoring as he totaled 21 points to go along with four assists. Archambault hit 11 of 12 from the free throw line on the evening. Jason Larson (Sr-Sugarland, TX/Stephen F. Austin) added 20 points, four assists, and four steals in the Blugold win. Larson was also hot from the charity stripe sinking 9 of 10 shots he attempted. Ryan Weitor (So-West Bend/West) added 13 points for Eau Claire.

Kastern led the way for the Yellowjackets with 39 points to go along with seven rebounds. Kastern hit seven three pointers on 11 attempts in the Yellowjacket effort.

Eau Claire will next travel to Stevens Point this Saturday to battle the Pointers in a WIAC match up. Tip-off is set for 7:00 p.m.

Eau Claire-Superior Box