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Women's Basketball

Taylor Schmidt scored 11 points, including the game-winning free throw.
Taylor Schmidt scored 11 points, including the game-winning free throw.

Titans Defeat Green Knights On Late Free Throws

Box Score

Taylor Schmidt swished two free throws with 1.7 seconds left to give UW-Oshkosh a 58-56 victory over the St. Norbert College women's basketball team on Monday (Dec. 16) in Kolf Sports Center.

The Titans, ranked 21st by D3hoops.com, became the first 10-0 team in the NCAA Division III this season.

With St. Norbert College (6-2) leading, 56-54, Sarah Stecker got fouled in the lane with 43 seconds remaining. Stecker buried both foul shots to tie the score. After the Green Knights missed a jump shot, Schmidt drove to the hoop and drew contact, earning a trip to the line with 1.7 on the clock.

The extremely tight contest featured 15 ties, including nine in the second half. Both teams rely on a strong defense, with St. Norbert College ranking fifth in the nation (48.3 points/game) and UW-Oshkosh eighth (49).

The Green Knights found a groove early, knocking down 11-of-12 shots to start the game. Morgan Heim converted a three-point play, while Brianna Byrne counted a deep jumper, to put St. Norbert College ahead, 25-16.

After its hot start, St. Norbert College made just one of its next 16 shots from the field.

UW-Oshkosh got a spark from two freshmen. Schmidt buried a three-pointer, and Maggie Novak splashed a triple of her own to make it 25-22. The Titans then took a 28-27 lead on two free throws by Katelyn Kuehl with 3:19 left in the half.

Four minutes into the second period, Ashley Neustifter found Kendell Truttman on a back-cut for an easy lay-in that put UW-Oshkosh up, 36-34.

Heidi Van Sistine came back with a lay-up and jumper to tie the score at 40. St. Norbert College then went on top with Stephanie Weigman's three-pointer at the 11:53 mark.

Morgan Kokta had a string of big plays midway through the second half. She hit a jumper while getting fouled and finished the three-point play. Kokta then grabbed an offensive rebound and passed to Schmidt with 8:21 left. Schmidt kicked it out to Novak, who drained a three-pointer to give the Titans a 48-45 lead.

With 3:52 to go, Heim made a lay-up to tie it at 52. UW-Oshkosh tallied its final six points at the foul line, finishing the second half with 9-for-9 accuracy.

Schmidt led the Titans with 11 points and three assists, while Stecker posted eight points and eight rebounds. Kuehl added eight points and four rebounds for UW-Oshkosh, which shot 42 percent (18-43) from the field, 25 percent (3-12) from deep and 83 percent (19-23) at the charity stripe.

St. Norbert College totaled 46 percent (24-52) overall shooting, along with 36 percent (5-14) success beyond the arc and 60 percent (3-5) efficiency on free throws.

Heim paced the Green Knights with 15 points and four assists. Van Sistine totaled 10 points, while Byrne marked eight points and Lauren Carman three steals.

UW-Oshkosh has another game in Kolf Sports Center on Wednesday (Dec. 18) against Marian University.

By Jon Feyen

Photo by Steve Frommell