Titans Fall in Second Round of NCAA Tournament
ADA, Ohio—The UW-Oshkosh Titans fell in the second round of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament to the Ohio Northern Polar Bears, 71-60. The Titans finish the 2022-23 season with a 20-9 record.
Kayce Vaile recorded her ninth double-double this season, leading the Titans with 15 points and 13 rebounds. Jenna Jorgensen added 14 points as the only other Titan in double-figure scoring. Kate Huml added eight points for the Titans in the contest.
From the field, the Titans shot 30.2% (16-of-53) and collected eight 3-pointers. The Titans went 20-of-21 from the free throw line, grabbed 33 rebounds, collected 14 assists, and added five blocks in the second round loss.
Game Summary
A 3-pointer by Huml tied the game up at five early in the first quarter. The Titans would go on a 7-3 run over the course of two minutes, taking a 12-8 lead with four minutes remaining in the quarter. The Titans and Polar Bears traded baskets over the remaining time in the first quarter as the Polar Bears tied the game at 17 to end the first quarter on a pair of free throws.
Ava Douglas hit a 3-pointer on an assist from Kennedy Osterman to give the Titans a 20-18 lead with 8:46 remaining in the game. The Titans were held without a basket for over three and a half minutes as Allison Forney hit a 3-pointer on a pass from Huml. The Titans final five points of the first half came from the free throw line as Vaile and Jorgensen combined for a five-out-of-five made free throws.
Trailing by nine to start the third quarter, Jorgensen was fouled early and sent to the free throw line for a pair of made shots. The Polar Bears extended their lead to 11 at 41-30 as Douglas found an answer for the Titans. Julia Magnuson and Kennedy Osterman hit back-to-back shots for the Titans, trimming the deficit to six at 43-37. The Polar Bears would hold the Titans to five points in the final three minutes of the third quarter, taking a 52-42 lead over the Titans.
Huml and Jorgensen score four points in the opening minute of the final quarter as the Titans continued to battle back. Vaile would make a free throw for the Titans and then be held without a basket for nearly two minutes late in the quarter. Douglas was a contributing factor for the Titans next two baskets, assisting Vaile on a layup and Avery Poole on a 3-pointer and the final baskets of the game for the Titans. The Titans final eight points of the game came from the free throw line as the Titans went eight-for-eight at the line over two minutes.