Strong Defensive Effort Leads Titans Past Eagles

Alex Richard had a game-high 10 points and a career-best 14 rebounds as the UW-Oshkosh women's basketball team grinded out a 48-38 victory at UW-La Crosse on Wednesday (Jan. 13).

UW-Oshkosh (11-3, 2-1 WIAC), ranked 20th in the NCAA Division III by D3hoops.com, held UW-La Crosse to its lowest point total of the season. The Eagles also scored their fewest points in the series since suffering a 78-34 defeat to the Titans on Jan. 17, 1998.

The Titans, who secured the double-digit win despite shooting a season-worst 28.6 percent (16-56) from the field, recorded advantages of 44-34 in rebounds and 17-14 in turnovers. UW-Oshkosh held UW-La Crosse without a field goal during a 13-minute stretch in the first half.

Richard notched her first double-double of the season and third of her career. She pulled down 11 rebounds in the first half and scored seven of her points during the final two periods.

Eliza Campbell and Morgan Kokta added seven points apiece for the Titans, while Chloe Pustina and Taylor Schmidt both chipped in six. Schmidt led all players with five assists.

Campbell sank a 3-pointer just 13 seconds into the game, but the Titans were held scoreless until Kokta knocked down a jumper to give UW-Oshkosh the lead for good at 5-4 with 4:31 to go in the first quarter. UW-Oshkosh limited UW-La Crosse to just one point during the last 7:30 of the opening period and ended the quarter with a 13-5 advantage on a jumper by Kokta at the buzzer.

The UW-La Crosse scoring drought ended on a layup by Jenna Anderson that cut the Eagles' deficit to 16-7 with 5:26 remaining in the second quarter. Anderson's basket ended UW-La Crosse's string of 16 straight misses from the floor during a span of more than 13 minutes.

UW-Oshkosh expanded its lead to 19-7 with four minutes left in the first half, but UW-La Crosse pulled within 22-13 at intermission on a layup by Rachel Atchison.

The Eagles scored seven of the thrd quarter's first nine points to trim their deficit to 24-20. The Titans responded with seven unanswered points for a 31-20 advantage on a 3-pointer by Pustina with 6:23 left in the third period. A 3-pointer by Kendell Truttman gave UW-Oshkosh a 36-29 lead entering the fourth period.

Elise DeNoyer sank a jump shot that ended a five-minute scoreless stretch for the Eagles and made the score 38-31 with 6:27 remaining. MaKenzie Miller's jumper pulled UW-La Crosse to within 38-33, but Richard and Schmidt knocked down shots on consecutive possessions to increase the Titan lead to 43-34 with 3:17 to play.

The Eagles missed their next five shots from the field, and the Titans salted away the victory with five free throws in the last 63 seconds.

Anderson led UW-La Crosse (6-8, 0-3 WIAC) with eight points and four assists. Maggie Bishop, Miller and Sierra Watrud contributed six points each for the Eagles. Miller added a team-leading nine rebounds and three blocks.

UW-Oshkosh plays host to 14th-ranked UW-Stevens Point on Saturday (Jan. 16) in Kolf Sports Center.

Photo courtesy of Jim Lund, Crescent Printing & Promotions