Eagles Hand Titans Home Loss

UW-La Crosse converted eight of its nine free throws during the last 30 seconds en route to upsetting the nationally ranked UW-Oshkosh women's basketball team, 57-51, on Saturday (Jan. 6) in Kolf Sports Center.

UW-La Crosse (8-5, 1-1 WIAC) led the entire game after scoring the first six points. The Eagles, who snapped a six-game losing streak to UW-Oshkosh, held a 50-42 advantage with 2:25 left, but the Titans pulled within 50-48 following a steal and a layup from Olivia Campbell with 36.1 seconds remaining.

Elise DeNoyer made a pair of free throws to increase the Eagles' lead to 52-48 with 29.8 seconds to go. The Titans missed two free throws and a layup on the ensuing possession, and Ava Kramer's pair of free throws extended UW-La Crosse's lead to 54-48 with 11 seconds to play.

The Eagles' Taylor Nelson then went 3-for-4 at the foul line over the next seven seconds to give UW-La Crosse a 57-48 lead.

Dani Craig and DeNoyer paced UW-La Crosse with 13 points apiece while Kramer added 12 off the Eagles' bench. DeNoyer and Kramer led all players with eight rebounds and three steals, respectively.

UW-La Crosse shot 64.3 percent (9-14) from the field during the first quarter and concluded the contest 19-for-44 (43.2 percent) from the floor.

The Eagles connected on 13 of 15 (86.7 percent) free throws and shot 6-for-18 (33.3 percent) from 3-point range while UW-Oshkosh was held to 38.2 percent (21-55) from the field, 21.4 percent (3-14) from beyond the 3-point arc and 54.5 percent (6-11) at the foul line.

UW-La Crosse owned a 30-29 edge in rebounds and a 9-6 advantage in steals.

UW-Oshkosh (10-2, 0-2 WIAC), ranked third in the NCAA Division III by D3hoops.com, held a 16-11 lead in turnovers after entering the contest leading the division with just 9.2 turnovers per contest and a 1.99 assist-to-turnover ratio.

The Titans listed second nationally by allowing just 44 points per game while UW-La Crosse ranked second in the conference at 53 points allowed per contest. UW-Oshkosh was also second in the country in average scoring margin (+35.5), fifth in field goal percentage (.476) and average rebounding margin (+14.9) and ninth in 3-point percentage (.392).

Isabella Samuels led UW-Oshkosh with 14 points on 6-for-9 shooting from the floor and seven rebounds.

Titan reserves Melanie Schneider and Leah Porath contributed 10 and eight points, respectively, as the UW-Oshkosh bench accounted for 25 points and 10 rebounds.

UW-Oshkosh starter Eliza Campbell chipped in seven points, five rebounds and a team-leading three assists.

UW-La Crosse's Craig knocked down a jumper 17 seconds into the game before Kylee Marks and Delaney Schoenenberger added layups for a 6-0 Eagle lead with 7:39 left in the opening quarter. Craig drilled a 3-pointer for an 18-9 advantage, and UW-La Crosse capped its hot-shooting first period with a 20-11 lead.

The Eagles extended their lead to 22-11 on the first possession of the second quarter, but UW-Oshkosh trimmed its deficit to four points on three occasions during the period, including 29-25 on a layup by Schneider that capped the first-half scoring with 3:06 left before intermission.

Samuels split a pair of free throws to pull UW-Oshkosh within 35-33 at the 4:07 mark of the third quarter, but the Eagles increased their advantage to 41-34 late in the period and held a 41-36 edge heading into the final quarter.

Schoenenberger converted two free throws for a 48-38 UW-La Crosse lead with 6:14 left, but the Eagles missed each of their four field goal attempts during the final 6:46 of the game and committed a pair of turnovers on consecutive possessions as UW-Oshkosh cut its deficit to two points with just over 36 seconds remaining.

UW-La Crosse had lost nine of its previous 10 meetings with UW-Oshkosh, including by scores of 51-49 and 71-64 last season.

UW-Oshkosh visits UW-Stout on Wednesday (Jan. 10).