Titans Host Pointers In WIAC Championship Semifinal
UW-Oshkosh will host UW-Stevens Point in a matchup of nationally ranked teams during the semifinal round of the WIAC Women's Basketball Championship on Thursday (Feb. 25) in Kolf Sports Center. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m.
Third-seeded UW-Stevens Point (20-6) advanced to the semifinals with a 55-44 win over sixth-seeded UW-Stout (10-16) in a first-round game on Tuesday (Feb. 23) in Stevens Point.
The second-seeded Titans (20-5), who received a first-round bye, swept the regular-season series with the Pointers by scores of 60-46 on Jan. 16 in Oshkosh and 61-59 on Jan. 30 in Stevens Point. UW-Oshkosh, the two-time defending WIAC Tournament champion, has won three straight games over UW-Stevens Point and six of the last seven.
In the first meeting this season, UW-Oshkosh trailed by seven points at intermission but shot better than 65 percent from the field in the second half on the way to outscoring UW-Stevens Point, 43-22, during the final two periods. The Titans held on to complete the regular-season series sweep behind Taylor Schmidt's 21 points, five assists and two steals.
UW-Oshkosh and UW-Stevens Point will be meeting for the ninth time in the WIAC Championship – the most by any two teams since the league tournament began in 1999. The Titans have won five of the previous eight tournament matchups, including a 68-44 decision over the Pointers in their last postseason meeting during the 2014 semifinals in Oshkosh.
Nationally, UW-Oshkosh is ranked 15th in the NCAA Division III by D3hoops.com and UW-Stevens Point 17th.
UW-Oshkosh leads the WIAC in points allowed per game (51.1), average scoring margin (+14.6), 3-pointers (151), 3-point percentage (.356), turnover margin (+6.16) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.13). The Titans rank second in the country by committing just 12 turnovers per game.
UW-Stevens Point ranks first in the WIAC in 3-point percentage defense (.269) and rebounding margin (+7.8).
UW-Oshkosh is led by a quartet of players who have started each of the Titans' 25 contests this season.
Schmidt paces a balanced UW-Oshkosh offense with 11 points per game and a .800 (52-65) free throw percentage. She also leads the conference by connecting on 45.3 percent (34-75) of her shots from 3-point range.
Rounding out UW-Oshkosh's durable starters are Ashley Neustifter, Alex Richard and Marissa Selner.
Neustifter, who is tied with Schmidt for the team lead with 36 steals, scores 5.8 points per game and ranks fourth in the WIAC with 70 assists.
Richard and Selner contribute 8.7 and 6.5 points per contest, respectively. Richard leads the team in field goal percentage (.469), while Selner pulls down a team-best 6.3 rebounds per game.
Eliza Campbell, who has started the last 13 games for the Titans, is second on the squad with 9.5 points per contest.
Lauren Anklam and Allie Miceli, who have started all 26 games for the Pointers this season, lead UW-Stevens Point.
Anklam leads the Pointers with 11.2 points per game while ranking second in the WIAC with a .824 (75-91) free throw percentage and third with 75 assists and 45 3-pointers.
Miceli averages 10.8 points and grabs a WIAC-best 8.7 rebounds per game. She has led the Pointers in rebounds 19 times this season.
In Thursday's other WIAC semifinal, top-seeded UW-River Falls (21-4) will host fifth-seeded UW-Eau Claire (14-12). The Blugolds advanced by upsetting fourth-seeded and 24th-ranked UW-Whitewater (19-7), 69-59, on Tuesday. UW-River Falls, which clinched its first WIAC regular-season title since 1989, is ranked 11th in the nation.
The WIAC semifinal winners will play at the higher seed on Saturday (Feb. 27) for the league's automatic berth into the 64-team NCAA Division III Championship. If UW-Oshkosh hosts the league championship game, it will be contested in Albee Hall.
Ticket prices for Thursday's semifinal round game are $9 for adults, $7 for senior citizens, $3 for college students (with valid ID card) and $3 for students (K-12). Children under the age of five are free.