Basketball often is a game of runs triggered by defense.
     That’s what happened when Platteville played Lancaster in Southwest Wisconsin Conference girls basketball Thursday.
     The Hillmen grounded the Flying Arrows, so to speak, holding them scoreless for 5 minutes 22.5 seconds in the first quarter. The resulting 10–0 run gave Platteville a 13–2 lead on the way to a 49–31 win.
     Lancaster managed to get to within six, 19–13, with 2:03 left in the first half, and five, 23–18, with 5:15 left in the third quarter. The latter, however, sparked a 9–1 run that extended Platteville’s lead to 31–19 with 32 seconds left in the third quarter.
     A pair of three-pointers by Ashley Budden and Cassie Hamer to start the fourth quarter quickly extended Platteville’s lead to 37–21 with 5:57 left in the game.
     The lead extended further to 42–22 on a Budden basket and a Lexie Budden three-point play, while Lancaster went just 1 of 4 from the free throw line.
     The Flying Arrows got no closer than 13 points the rest of the game.
     Hamer finished with a game-high 16 points and three assists. Ashley Budden added 13 points, six rebounds and two steals.
     Junior Brittany Bahl led the Arrows with nine points.
     With the win Platteville improved to 1–1 in the SWC, while Lancaster fell to 0–2.
     Monday night Platteville improved to 7–3 overall on the season with a 46–42 non-conference victory over visiting Benton/Shullsburg.
     The Hillmen made 5 of 7 from the free throw line in the final minute to close out the win after the Zephyr–Miners pulled within two points.
     Hamer scored a team-high 14 points and Budden added 12 to pace Platteville and offset a game-high 17 points from Benton/Shullsburg senior standout Sarah Redfearn.
P     latteville will return to action Friday at SWC-leading Dodgeville (5–2, 2–0 SWC). The Hillmen will then travel to Galena on Tuesday.

Platteville 49, Lancaster 32
(from Thursday, Jan. 9 @ Lancaster)
Lancaster    4    9    8    10     —  31
Platteville    13    8    10    18     —  49
Lancaster (3–5, 0–2) — Vesperman 4, Yoose 2, Kelly 5, Galvin 7, Bahl 9, Wagner 4. Totals — 10 10–21 32.
Platteville (6–3, 1–1) — Lexi Budden 4, Rachel Emendorfer 5, Cassie Hamer 16, Holly Kasper 2, Allison Woodworth 2, Ashley Budden 13, Sierra Brecke 7. Totals — 18 6-7 49.
3-point goals — L: 3 (Kelly 3): P: 7 (Emendofer 1, Hamer 4, A. Budden 1, Brecke 1). Team fouls — L: 12, P: 18. Fouled out — none.

Platteville 46, Benton/Shullsburg 42
(from Monday, Jan. 13 @ Platteville)
Benton/Shulls.    7    7    17    11     — 42
Platteville    12    7    16    11     —  46
Benton/Shullsburg (4–4) — Burmeister 4, Sarah Redfearn 17, Neis 6, Bailey Redfearn 2, Bastian 4, Morrissey 9. Totals — 14 14–28 42.
Platteville (7–3) — Lexi Budden 6, Rachel Emendorfer 4, Hannah Digman 3, Cassie Hamer 14, Holly Kasper 2, Ashley Budden 12, Sierra Brecke 5. Totals — 17 10-22 46.
3-point goals — B/S: 0; P: 2 (Digman 1, A. Budden 1). Team fouls — B/S: 18, P: 19. Fouled out — none.