Titans Win Another Basketball Season Debut

Isabella Samuels scored 13 points and Emma Melotik 11 as the nationally ranked UW-Oshkosh women's basketball team opened the 2015-16 season with an 81-53 victory over Edgewood College on Friday (Nov. 13) in Kolf Sports Center.

UW-Oshkosh (1-0), ranked sixth in the NCAA Division III by D3hoops.com, won its season opener for the 33rd time in 42 years.

Thirteen of the 17 Titans who played scored points, with Samuels and Melotik combining to contribute 24 of UW-Oshkosh's 53 bench points.

Samuels, making her collegiate debut, made 6 of 8 shots from the floor and 1 of 2 attempts from the free throw line in 17 minutes played, while Melotik finished one point shy of her career high by making all four of her shots from the field, including three 3-pointers, in 14 minutes of action.

UW-Oshkosh connected on 47.6 percent (10-21) of its shots from behind the 3-point line and marked a 49-36 advantage in rebounds and 19-9 in turnovers.

Taylor Schmidt chipped in nine points and a game-high four assists for UW-Oshkosh, which also received eight points apiece from Eliza Campbell and Morgan Kokta and a career-best seven points from Lauren Peterson. Alex Richard contributed six points and game-high totals of 12 rebounds and four blocks.

The Titans led, 17-5, after the first quarter and extended their advantage to 25-5 on a 3-pointer by Melotik with 8:22 left in the first half. Edgewood College (0-1) converted just 2 of 14 shots from the field and 1 of 4 free throws in the first quarter.

The Eagles closed the opening half with a 12-6 run, trimming their deficit to 31-17 at intermission on a layup by Rachel Pope with 10 seconds left.

Edgewood College scored the first four points of the third quarter to get within 31-21 less than one minute into the second half. A layup by Pope cut UW-Oshkosh's lead to 38-30 with 5:21 to go in the third period, but the Titans scored nine unanswered points, including five by Schmidt, to regain control.

UW-Oshkosh maintained a double-digit lead for the last 14 minutes of the contest after a layup by Kokta gave the Titans a 40-30 advantage. The Titans led by 10 or more points for 32 total minutes and opened their largest advantage of 31 points at 74-43 following Melotik's final 3-pointer of the contest with 3:23 remaining.

Pope led all players with 19 points for Edgewood College. She connected on 7 of 16 shots from the floor and 4 of 5 attempts from the charity stripe.

Edgewood College's Sierra Jiran notched a double-double with 10 points and a team-high 11 rebounds. She made 4 of 7 field goals and 1 of 2 free throws while adding three blocks.

UW-Oshkosh, which has won four of its last five meetings with Edgewood College, defeated the Eagles, 62-40, last season in Madison.

The Titans play first-time opponent Anderson University on Sunday (Nov. 15) in Anderson, Ind.