Titans Shower Avenging Angels With 3-Point Baskets

Emma Melotik and Melanie Schneider matched their career highs with 15 and 13 points, respectively, as the nationally ranked UW-Oshkosh women's basketball team defeated first-time opponent Meredith College (N.C.), 78-37, on Saturday (Dec. 16) in Raleigh, N.C.

UW-Oshkosh (8-0) drained 12 3-point shots – the third most in school history – including five by Melotik and four from Schneider. The Titans shot 12-for-27 (44.4 percent) from 3-point range to finish two long-range baskets shy of the program record of 14 set against Northland International University on Nov. 18, 2013.

The Titans, ranked fifth in the NCAA Division III by D3hoops.com, concluded Saturday's contest with advantages in field goal percentage (.462 to .289), rebounds (39-32), assists (20-8), steals (12-2) and turnovers (17-6).

UW-Oshkosh went into the game leading the country in field goal percentage (.497), scoring margin (+40.7), turnovers per contest (8.3) and assist-to-turnover ratio (+2.34). The Titans also listed fourth nationally in per-game scoring (84.6), scoring defense (43.9) and rebounding margin (+15.6).

Melotik shot 4-for-5 from beyond the 3-point arc during the first quarter and finished the game 5 of 12 from long range.

Schneider, who contributed three rebounds and three steals, hit a pair of 3-pointers during both the first and fourth quarters.

All 14 Titans in uniform played at least six minutes and 13 registered points, including seven each by Eliza Campbell, Jaimee Pitt and Madeline Staples.

UW-Oshkosh reserves accounted for 43 points, 21 rebounds, 10 assists and two of the team's three blocks. Staples added a team-leading five rebounds with three assists and two steals in 16 minutes off the bench.

Chloe Pustina contributed a game-high five assists and four rebounds for the Titans, who also received six points, four assists and three steals from Olivia Campbell.

UW-Oshkosh built leads of 24-10 after the first quarter and 42-21 at intermission before outscoring Meredith College, 36-16, during the second half.

The Titans, who never trailed, took the lead for good at 6-3 on Melotik's second 3-pointer of the game with 7:27 left in the first quarter.

A 3-pointer by Schneider extended the Titans' advantage to 11-4 midway through the opening period, and UW-Oshkosh maintained a double-digit lead the rest of the way after another long-range jumper from Melotik increased the Titans' lead to 20-8 at the 1:25 mark of the first quarter.

Leah Porath hit a 3-pointer for a 38-18 UW-Oshkosh advantage with just under three minutes left in the first half. Eliza Campbell then drove for a layup to make the score 42-21 late in the first half, and the Titans owned a lead of at least 20 points for the remainder of the game.

The Titans committed just two turnovers during the first half while shooting 50 percent (16-32) from the field, including 75 percent (6-8) from beyond the 3-point arc in the first period.

The Avenging Angels ended the first half 7-for-21 (33.3 percent) shooting from the floor.

UW-Oshkosh held Meredith College without a field goal for a nearly eight-minute stretch in the third quarter as the Titans extended their lead to 58-25 on a steal and a layup by Staples with 2:47 remaining in the period. The Titans' 14-1 scoring run over the span featured six different scorers, including four points from Isabella Samuels, who ended the game with five points and three rebounds.

The Avenging Angels snapped their drought of eight minutes, 46 seconds without a field goal when Madison Gladwell knocked down a jumper to cut the Meredith College deficit to 58-28 with 1:46 to play in the third quarter.

UW-Oshkosh built its largest lead of 41 points on a layup by Taylor Dagon that provided the final score with 25 seconds left.

Chandler Hines paced Meredith College (0-8) with 11 points. Kimberly Schuh chipped in nine points and a team-high five rebounds for the Avenging Angels.

UW-Oshkosh concludes its trip to the Tar Heel State with a game against Methodist University on Sunday (Dec. 17) in Raleigh. The contest will be played at Meredith College.

Photo courtesy of D3Photography.com