Falcons Fend Off Titans

UW-River Falls outscored the UW-Oshkosh women's basketball team, 17-7, in the last five minutes to earn a 59-50 win on Saturday (Jan. 30) in River Falls.

UW-Oshkosh (7-13/2-9 WIAC) led, 43-42, at the 5:14 mark after Ashley Winterfeldt (Fr. • Hortonville) knocked down a pair of free throws. Soon after, Tess Lardie gave UW-River Falls (15-4/7-4 WIAC) a 44-43 advantage with two foul shots. Tiffany Gregorich then swished a three-pointer, while Kelli Hilt extended the Falcons' cushion to six (49-43) with a lay-up.

Shelby Churchill (Jr. • Sheboygan) and Michelle Boeder (Jr. • Oshkosh) each made a free throw to pull the Titans to 49-45 with just over three minutes to play. Seconds later, UW-River Falls gained a 53-45 advantage on lay-ups from Gregorich and Maranda Dohrn.

The Falcons led by no less than five points in the game's final two minutes, with Hilt making four consecutive free throws to ice the game.

Following ties at two, five and seven to open the game, UW-Oshkosh scored the game's next seven points to take a 14-7 lead on a three-pointer from Megan Wenig (Fr. • Oshkosh).

UW-River Falls cut its deficit to three (16-13) at the 7:05 mark when Hilt swished a jumper. The Titans then extended their cushion to eight with a triple by Katie Kitzke (Fr. • South Milwaukee).

Tiffany Gregorich swished two three-pointers, while sister Brittany Gregorich tallied a deep basket and a two-point jumper for a 24-21 Falcon lead with 3:40 to play in the opening half.

After Wenig pulled UW-Oshkosh within one (26-25) at the 1:13 mark, Alise Holst converted a three-point play to put the Falcons up, 29-25. A lay-up from Wenig cut the Titans' deficit to two (29-27) at halftime.

The Titans were paced by 10 points from Kitzke, along with nine points and seven rebounds from Boeder. Wenig tallied seven points, gathered four rebounds and dished out three assists in the game.

UW-River Falls was led by the 18 points, seven rebounds and five assists of Tiffany Gregorich. Hilt added 11 points, in addition to Brittany Gregorich's 10 points and five rebounds for the Falcons.

UW-Oshkosh posted shooting marks of 32.8 percent (19-58) from the field, 26.7 percent (4-15) from three-point range and 57.1 percent (8-14) from the free-throw stripe. The Titans gathered 36 rebounds and committed 14 turnovers.

UW-River Falls shot 20-of-48 from the field (41.7 percent) and 70 percent (14-20) from the charity stripe. The Falcons made 5-of-10 (50 percent) from behind the three-point line while corralling 36 rebounds and committing 16 turnovers.

UW-Oshkosh travels to UW-Platteville on Wednesday (Feb. 3).