Titans Suffer Second Straight Defeat

Kaitlin Langer had a game-high 23 points to lead the University of St. Thomas (Minn.) to a 67-58 win over UW-Oshkosh in a battle of nationally ranked women's basketball teams during the consolation game of the Wartburg College Holiday Tournament on Wednesday (Dec. 30) in Waverly, Iowa.

Langer made 9 of 16 shots from the floor and scored all but two of her points during the first three quarters.

University of St. Thomas reserve Kaylie Brazil added 12 points behind 10-for-10 shooting from the free throw line, while Lauren Fischer contributed 10 points and a game-best 13 rebounds.

The University of St. Thomas (9-2) held a slim 43-42 lead after three quarters, but outshot UW-Oshkosh, .545 (6-11) to .286 (6-21), and converted 11 of 14 free throws during the final period.

The Tommies shot 46.7 percent (21-45) from the field overall and outrebounded UW-Oshkosh, 32-30. The Titans were limited to a .389 (21-54) field goal percentage and held advantages in assists (16-12) and turnovers (11-10).

UW-Oshkosh (9-2) entered the contest ranked fifth in the NCAA Division III by D3hoops.com, while the University of St. Thomas was 10th.

Neither team led by more than five points until midway through the fourth quarter. UW-Oshkosh built its largest leads of five points on two occasions – at 10-5 late in the first period and 13-8 early in the second stanza. Consecutive layups by Langer in the final minute of the second quarter provided the University of St. Thomas with a 23-22 edge at intermission.

The game was tied for the 10th and final time when UW-Oshkosh's Chloe Pustina converted a short jumper to knot the score at 39 with 94 seconds remaining in the third period. The Tommies' Margaret Miller answered with a layup on the next possession, and the University of St. Thomas held onto the lead for the last 11:11 of the contest.

A layup by UW-Oshkosh's Eliza Campbell cut the Tommie lead to 47-46, but the University of St. Thomas scored six straight points to extend its advantage to 53-46 with 5:30 to play.

The Titans answered with five consecutive points to pull within 55-52 following two free throws by Alex Richard at the 3:18 mark, but UW-Oshkosh was held scoreless for nearly three minutes until Emma Melotik and Taylor Schmidt knocked down 3-point shots with less than 20 seconds remaining.

Two layups by Hannah Spaulding provided the Tommies with a 59-52 lead with 1:44 left, and the University of St. Thomas sealed the victory by converting 8 of 10 shots from the free throw line during the final 68 seconds.

Richard led the Titans with 10 points, while Pustina, Schmidt, Morgan Kokta and Ashley Neustifter each scored eight. Kokta and Schmidt led all players with four assists apiece. Marissa Selner paced the Titans with seven rebounds.

The University of St. Thomas and UW-Oshkosh met for the first time since the Tommies defeated the Titans by a 58-53 score on Nov. 21, 1997.

Wartburg College captured the tournament title with Wednesday's 75-69 win over Wheaton College (Ill.).

During the opening-round games on Tuesday (Dec. 29), the University of St. Thomas fell 66-58 to eighth-ranked Wheaton College (8-2), while Wartburg College handed the Titans their first loss of the season with a 67-56 victory.

The six-member all-tournament team included UW-Oshkosh's Schmidt.

UW-Oshkosh is off until it plays UW-River Falls in the WIAC opener on Jan. 6 in Kolf Sports Center.