EAU CLAIRE - St. Norbert College couldn't keep pace with nationally ranked UW-Eau Claire's high-powered offense and dropped a 78-56 decision in a non-conference game at Zorn Arena.

The Green Knights (3-1) shot 28 percent from the field, making 21 of 75 field-goal attempts. Eau Claire, ranked No. 13 in the D3hoops.com Top 25, led 39-33 at halftime before a 23-point third quarter allowed the Blugolds to pull away.

St. Norbert got the jump early, going on an 8-0 run to take a 12-5 lead. Olivia DeCleene and Emma Morrisey sandwiched 3-pointers around a Chloe Gruszynski layup to build the seven-point lead. The two teams traded treys, with St. Norbert leading 15-8 with 4:50 left in the first quarter on a Natalie Cerrato triple. Eau Claire would hold St. Norbert scoreless over the last 2:54 of the quarter to take a 20-17 lead after 10 minutes.

The Green Knights trailed 27-26 with 5:14 left in the second quarter on a Casey Jepson layup and got back to within 31-29 with 3:21 to go on a Morrisey 3-pointer, but the Blugolds went on an 8-0 run to build a 39-29 lead. St. Norbert scored the last four points of the quarter to trail 39-33 at the break.

Eau Claire scored the first six points of the third quarter, but Casey Jepson's 3-pointer with 7:58 left in the third quarter brought St. Norbert to within 45-36 with 7:58 left in the period. Eau Claire got the lead back up to 13 before St. Norbert scored again and the margin never dipped back into single digits the rest of the way.

Gruszynski and Gierczak led St. Norbert with 12 points apiece, with Gierczak grabbing nine rebounds and Gruszynski eight.

Eau Claire shot 47.2 percent from the floor, making 34 of 62 field-goal attempts. Jessie Ruden led the Blugolds with 26 points, while Tyra Boettcher added 16 points and 13 rebounds.