2001-02 UW-Oshkosh Women's Basketball News
Titans Cited For Academic Excellence
In addition to compiling a 21-7 record, the 2001-02 UW-Oshkosh women's basketball team also performed admirably in the classroom.
The Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) announced September 17 its 2001-02 NCAA Division III Academic Team Honor Roll, with UW-Oshkosh ranking third in the list of 25 schools mentioned. The honor roll recognizes the nation's highest team grade point averages based upon nominations submitted by WBCA-member coaches. Besides NCAA Division III, the WBCA also cites academic excellence in NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NAIA and Junior/Community College.
"Every year I am nothing short of amazed at how incredible some of these grade point averages are," said Beth Bass, the Chief Executive Officer of the WBCA. "For entire teams to produce grade point averages like these is astounding. I am as proud of these student-athletes as I am sure their coaches and administrations are. Congratulations to the 118 teams we honor this year."
Grade point averages are calculated by dividing the total number of quality points earned by each student-athlete on an institution's squad list in the given academic terms by the total number of hours earned by the team. The GPAs are rounded to the nearest thousandth of a point.
In NCAA Division III classrooms, Messiah College (Pa.) made a repeat first-place finish in the Academic Team Honor Roll by compiling a 3.733 cumulative grade point average. The Falcons, who went 23-4 on the basketball court this past year, have been ranked in the Top 25 of the WBCA's Academic Honor Roll five times in the past six seasons.
Savannah College of Art & Design (Ga.) ranked second in the honor roll with a 3.605 cumulative grade point average, while UW-Oshkosh ranked third at 3.569, Nebraska Wesleyan University fourth at 3.544 and Wartburg College (Iowa) fifth at 3.536. UW-Oshkosh was the lone WIAC school mentioned in the poll.
Other first-place rankings went to the University of Wyoming in NCAA Division I (3.486), Abilene Christian University (Texas) in NCAA Division II (3.666), Concordia University (Neb.) in the NAIA (3.685) and Seward County Community College (Kan.) in the Junior/Community College (3.769).
Founded in 1981, the WBCA promotes women's basketball by unifying coaches at all levels to develop a reputable identity for the sport and to foster and promote the development of the game in all of its aspects as an amateur sport for women and girls.
Steckmesser, Turtenwald Named All-WIAC
After helping the UW-Oshkosh women’s basketball team to a 21-7 record and a spot in the championship game of the WIAC Tournament, seniors Kristin Steckmesser and Jamie Turtenwald were named all-league first team selections.
Steckmesser, an All-WIAC first team selection last year and an honorable mention pick in 1999, led the conference in free throw percentage (84.7), while ranking second in three-point field goals (1.71) and fourth in scoring (14.6). The Two Rivers native also ranked sixth in assists (3.21) and eighth in field goal percentage (.438) and steals (1.96).
Turtenwald, an All-WIAC honorable mention pick last season, ranked second in assists (4.32) and assist/turnover ratio (1.98) in the league. The West Allis native also chipped in an average of 9.1 points per game.
Receiving All-WIAC honorable mention recognition from UW-Oshkosh was senior Jenny Deuster. The Green Bay native averaged 11.2 points and 5.1 rebounds per WIAC contest while ranking second in free throw percentage (82.1) and fourth in field goal percentage (55.9).
UW-Oshkosh also placed two players on the All-WIAC Defensive Team, junior Brenda Utech of Howard and sophomore Kay Mikolajczak of Franklin.
Leading the 2002 All-WIAC selections was UW-Stevens Point senior Kari Groshek, the league's player of the year. Rounding out the first team picks were Kristi Channing of UW-Eau Claire, Brooke Croshier of UW-La Crosse, Andrea Kraemer of UW-Stevens Point, Tanya Halbach and Amy Zelinger of UW-Stout, Melissa McKernon of UW-River Falls and Crystal Stietz of UW-Platteville.
Mark Thomas of UW-Stout was named the 2002 WIAC Coach of the Year.
Titans Fall In WIAC Tournament Final
A high-octane style of play, along with a blistering ability to shoot the long ball, powered the UW-Stout women's basketball team to a 90-71 victory over UW-Oshkosh in the championship game of the WIAC Tournament held Saturday (February 23) in Menomonie.
The victory presents UW-Stout, the WIAC's regular season champion, with an automatic bid to the 50-team NCAA Division III Tournament. The appearance in NCAA Division III post-season play is the sixth for the Blue Devils and the first since 1997. UW-Oshkosh (21-7) virtually has its season end with the loss, coming one victory short of advancing to NCAA Division III Tournament action for an 11th time.
UW-Stout (23-4) rang up 11 three-point field goals against UW-Oshkosh and got a game-high 21 points from Amy Zelinger and 16 from Stacie Anderson, both seniors. Zelinger pulled the trigger on six long-range bombs, dropping four through the net. Zelinger finished the game hitting eight of her 15 field goal attempts while dishing off seven assists and grabbing five rebounds.
UW-Stout, which suffered its lone WIAC loss to UW-Oshkosh on January 5, ran off to a 52-30 halftime lead and never looked back. UW-Oshkosh took an early lead, but UW-Stout regained the advantage for good at 14-12 with 13:59 left in the first half. The Blue Devils completed their domination of the first half with a 13-3 scoring run. UW-Stout shot 51.2 percent (21-410 from the field in the first half, compared to just 28.1 percent (9-32) for UW-Oshkosh. The Blue Devils made five three-point baskets in the first half in 10 attempts.
After rallying in the second half to defeat sixth-seed UW-Whitewater and second-seed UW-Stevens Point earlier in the week, third-seed UW-Oshkosh couldn't muster an attack to challenge top-seed UW-Stout. The Blue Devils led by as many as 25 points in the second half, a 60-35 count with 15:30 left in the game, and never let the lead slip less than 17.
UW-Stout finished the game shooting 45.1 percent (32-71) from the field, including 55 percent (11-20) behind the three-point line. The Blue Devils, now the owners of a 13-game winning streak, also made 15 of their 18 free throw attempts and held a 48-28 advantage in rebounds. UW-Oshkosh concluded play shooting 36.7 percent (22-60) from the field, but did make 20 of its 23 free throw tries (87 percent).
UW-Oshkosh had four double-figure scorers in the game as senior Kristin Steckmesser totaled 17, senior Jamie Turtenwald 15 and sophomore Kay Mikolajczak and junior Melissa Schweitzer 13 each, Mikolajczak also grabbed a game-high nine rebounds.
Titans Upset Pointers In WIAC Tournament Semifinal
UW-Oshkosh made nine of 11 free throws in the game's final 69 seconds to seal its 76-65 victory over UW-Stevens Point in the semifinals of the WIAC Women's Basketball Tournament held Wednesday (February 20) in Stevens Point.
The victory advances the third-seed Titans (21-6) to the championship game of the eight-team WIAC Tournament, where they'll meet top-seed UW-Stout (22-4) on Saturday (February 23) at 3 p.m. in Menomonie. The Blue Devils moved to the title contest with their 71-68 victory over fourth-seed UW-Eau Claire (19-7) on Tuesday in Menomonie.
UW-Oshkosh and UW-Stout have met twice this season, with the Titans winning 88-60 on January 5 in Oshkosh and the Blue Devils prevailing 72-71 on February 2 in Menomonie. Since the 1974-75 season, UW-Oshkosh has won 36 of its 41 meetings with UW-Stout, the 2002 WIAC regular season champion.
After a slow start by both teams, second-seed UW-Stevens Point (24-3) took a 17-9 lead at the 9:03 mark of the first half. UW-Oshkosh, which dropped a pair of games to UW-Stevens Point earlier this season, then went on a 19-11 scoring run to tie the game at 28 heading to intermission.
UW-Oshkosh shot 40.7 percent (11-27) from the field and made six of its seven free throw attempts in the first half, while UW-Stevens Point shot just 39.3 percent (11-28) from the field and converted only three of its eight tosses from the charity stripe.
In the second half, UW-Oshkosh led 43-39 before going on a 17-4 scoring run to lead 60-43 with 5:13 left. Refusing to quit, UW-Stevens Point rallied with an 11-1 scoring run to cut its deficit to 61-55 with 2:28 remaining. Leading 66-55 with 1:09 to go, UW-Oshkosh paraded to the free throw line six times in the closing seconds, making nine of its 11 charity tosses. Sophomore Kay Mikolajczak put the finishing touches on UW-Oshkosh's victory over UW-Stevens Point, the seventh-ranked team in the NCAA Division III by DHoops.com, with her three-point play with four seconds remaining.
UW-Oshkosh shot 60 percent (15-25) from the field and made 16 of its 22 free throw tries in the second half, while UW-Stevens Point shot 46.2 percent (12-26) from the field and sank 11 of its 14 free throw attempts.
UW-Oshkosh, which advances to the championship game for the third time in the four-year history of the WIAC Tournament, had four double-figure scorers against UW-Stevens Point. Mikolajczak led the Titans with 20 points, while senior Kristin Steckmesser added 18, junior Melissa Schweitzer 12 and senior Jamie Turtenwald 10. Mikolajczak also had seven rebounds, five blocked shots, three assists and three steals.
UW-Stevens Point also had four double-figure scorers in the contest as sophomore Andrea Kraemer tallied 15, senior Kari Groshek 13, sophomore Cassandra Heuer 11 and senior Amie Schultz 10.
Titans Advance In WIAC Tournament
Very few things have come easy for the UW-Oshkosh women's basketball team in recent weeks, and things only get tougher when you face a team for the third time in one season.
Such was the case on Monday (February 18) in Kolf Sports Center as UW-Oshkosh held off a pesky UW-Whitewater squad, 71-50, in the quarterfinal round of the WIAC Tournament. The victory advances third-seed UW-Oshkosh to a semifinal round contest on Wednesday (February 20) at second-seed UW-Stevens Point. The Pointers advanced on Monday with a 78-34 trouncing of seventh-seed UW-River Falls.
A 23-6 scoring run to start the second half broke the Titans out of their slumber and sparked their third defeat of the sixth-seed Warhawks this season. In all, UW-Oshkosh has won 39 of its last 53 meetings with UW-Whitewater.
Those who expected this game to parallel the team's first two meetings, UW-Oshkosh wins of 100-48 on January 2 and 92-68 on February 6, were surprised to see UW-Whitewater pull out to a 19-10 lead at the 9:20 mark of the first half.
While both teams matched shooting skills from the field in the first half, UW-Oshkosh (20-6) was hampered by deficits of 21-15 in rebounding and 6-0 in free throws made. The Warhawks (9-16) shot 42.9 percent (12-28) from the field in the opening period to build a 31-29 halftime lead, while the Titans shot 42.4 percent (14-33).
UW-Oshkosh's second half performance was led by senior Jenny Deuster, who scored 13 points and grabbed three rebounds, and sophomore Kay Mikolajczak, who counted 11 points and four rebounds. The Titans shot 54.8 percent (17-31) from the field in the second half and held advantages of 24-16 in rebounds and 7-0 in free throws made. The Warhawks shot just 30 percent (9-30) from the field in the final stanza and were hindered by 12 turnovers.
Mikolajczak, who despite battling a case of bronchitis, managed to lead the Titans with her 18 points and 10 rebounds. The double-double was her fourth of the season. UW-Oshkosh also received 17 points and three rebounds from Deuster and 11 points and seven rebounds from junior Melissa Schweitzer.
UW-Whitewater, which ends the season losing nine of its last 12 games, was led in scoring by freshman Nya Geschke's 18 points. The Warhawks also received eight points and 11 rebounds from freshman Jamie Carollo.
UW-Oshkosh, which recorded its ninth 20-win season with its victory over UW-Whitewater, and UW-Stevens Point (24-2) will be joined in the semifinal round of the WIAC Tournament by top-seed UW-Stout (21-4) and fourth-seed UW-Eau Claire (19-6). UW-Stout defeated eighth-seed UW-La Crosse, 97-73, on Monday, while UW-Eau Claire edged fifth-seed UW-Platteville, 70-60.
Titans Top Blugolds To Finish Third In WIAC Race
The UW-Oshkosh women's basketball team ended a six-game losing streak to UW-Eau Claire and secured the third seed for upcoming WIAC Tournament by defeating the Blugolds, 75-60, on Saturday in Kolf Sports Center. UW-Eau Claire, which defeated UW-Oshkosh, 69-57,on January 16, played the contest without six players who were suspended for a game for breaking a team rule.
UW-Oshkosh's victory enabled the Titans to grab third place in the WIAC standings with a 12-4 league record, while UW-Eau Claire (18-6) finished fourth at 10-6. UW-Oshkosh (19-6), the only team to finish third or higher in the WIAC every year since 1990, will open WIAC Tournament action on Monday (February 18) by hosting sixth-seed UW-Whitewater (9-15) in Kolf Sports Center.
Knowing that UW-Eau Claire was low on bodies due to the suspensions, UW-Oshkosh's game plan was simple - increase the speed of the contest. The plan worked in the opening period as UW-Oshkosh took a 41-36 halftime lead. The Titans shot 53.1 percent (17-32) from the field in the first half with five three-point baskets.
UW-Oshkosh opened the second half with an 18-4 scoring run to lead 59-40 with 13:35 remaining in the contest. The Titans built their 19-point advantage by hitting nine of their first 11 field goal attempts of the second half, while UW-Eau Claire missed 10 of their first 11.
But just as quickly as the shots fell, they stopped. The Titans missed 13 of their next 15 shots, managed just five points over the next nine minutes and allowed the Blugolds to make a game of it. A free throw by sophomore Becca Spaeth with 4:06 to play brought UW-Eau Claire within 64-56, before UW-Oshkosh finally put it away. UW-Oshkosh junior Melissa Schweitzer hit a free throw to up the lead to nine then senior guard Jamie Turtenwald stole a pass and hit a layup and followed that with a 3-pointer to put the lead back up to 14.
UW-Oshkosh, which committed just nine turnovers in the game, displayed excellent scoring balance as six players reached double-figure scoring. Sophomore Kay Mikolajczak, who played last season at UW-Eau Claire, totaled 14 points to lead the Titans. She was followed by 12 points each from senior Jenny Deuster, junior Libby Sievert and senior Kristin Steckmesser and 11 each from Schweitzer and Turtenwald.
Spaeth led UW-Eau Claire with career highs of 15 points and 15 rebounds. The Blugolds also received 15 points from junior Kristi Channing.
Titans Punish Eagles
With the WIAC regular season championship out of reach, the UW-Oshkosh women's basketball team has turned its attention to clinching one of the top three seeds for next week's league tournament.
The Titans (18-6 & 11-4 in the WIAC) made their first move towards that goal with a 77-50 victory over UW-La Crosse on Wednesday (February 13) in Kolf Sports Center.
UW-Oshkosh closes its regular season schedule on Saturday (February 16) by hosting UW-Eau Claire (18-5 & 10-5 in the WIAC), with the winner recording the third seed in the WIAC Tournament. The top two seeds have already been clinched for the WIAC Tournament, with UW-Stout (20-4 & 15-1 in the WIAC) gaining the first seed and UW-Stevens Point (22-2 & 13-2 in the WIAC) the second.
UW-Oshkosh senior Jenny Deuster scored 10 of her 14 points in the first half, while the Titans shot 42.4 percent (14-33) from the field to build a 34-23 lead at intermission. Conversely, UW-Oshkosh held UW-La Crosse (7-16 & 3-12 in the WIAC) to just 32.3 percent (10-31) shooting from the field in the opening stanza, and only 36.8 percent (21-57) for the game. The Titans also clamped down defensively and forced a young UW-La Crosse team into 28 turnovers.
UW-Oshkosh took a 6-5 advantage at the 17:05 mark of the first half and led the remainder of the game, including a 30-point (57-27) bulge with 11:50 left. The Titans held a 20-point lead over the Eagles for the final 15:32 of the game.
Sophomore Kay Mikolajczak led UW-Oshkosh by totaling 16 points, seven steals, five rebounds, three blocked shots and three assists. The Titans also received 10 points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals from junior Melissa Schweitzer, 10 points, four rebounds and three assists from senior Kristin Steckmesser and eight points, seven assists, four rebounds and two steals from senior Jamie Turtenwald.
UW-La Crosse, which lost to UW-Oshkosh for the 27th time in 28 meetings, was led in scoring by senior Shelley Bakken's 12 points.
Titans Bitten By Pointers
The UW-Stevens Point women's basketball team erupted in the second half to defeat UW-Oshkosh, 68-51, on Saturday (March 9) in Stevens Point. The victory marked the first time since the 1986-87 season that UW-Stevens Point had swept the regular season series with UW-Oshkosh.
UW-Oshkosh (17-6/10-4 in the WIAC) and UW-Stevens Point (21-2/12-2 in the WIAC) played to 12 ties in the first half. Following the 12th tie, a 26-26 deadlock, UW-Stevens Point went on an 8-2 scoring run to lead 34-28 at intermission. Both teams struggled from the field in the first half, with UW-Oshkosh shooting 39.1 percent (9-23) and UW-Stevens Point 37.9 percent (11-29).
Leading 43-38 midway through the second half, UW-Stevens Point took control of the contest by scoring 12 straight points for a 55-38 advantage with 7:26 left in the game. The Pointers held a 13-point lead the remainder of the contest, including a pair of 19-point advantages. While UW-Stevens Point increased its marksmanship from the field in the second half by shooting 50 percent (15-30), UW-Oshkosh decreased its performance by shooting 28.6 percent (8-28).
Sophomore Andrea Kraemer led UW-Stevens Point in scoring with 16 points, while senior Kari Groshek added 12 and sophomore Cassandra Heuer 10. Kraemer also totaled a team-best seven rebounds and dished of six assists.
Senior Jenny Deuster led UW-Oshkosh's effort by scoring 15 points, grabbing six rebounds and dishing off three assists, while junior Melissa Schweitzer totaled eight points and six rebounds and senior Jamie Turtenwald seven points, seven rebounds and three assists.
Titans Dismantle Warhawks
The UW-Oshkosh women's basketball team dismantled UW-Whitewater, 92-68, on Wednesday (February 6) in Kolf Sports Center to remain in contention for the number two seed in the upcoming WIAC Tournament.
UW-Stout leads the WIAC race with a 13-1 league record, while UW-Stevens Point follows in second place at 11-2, UW-Oshkosh in third at 10-3 and UW-Eau Claire in fourth at 9-4. The Titans control their own destiny in claiming the second seed for the WIAC Tournament with remaining games on February 9 against UW-Stevens Point, February 13 against UW-La Crosse and February 16 against UW-Eau Claire.
UW-Oshkosh (17-5) took a 2-0 lead at the 19:09 mark of the first half, and with exception of a tie at six, held the advantage over the Warhawks (8-14 & 4-10 in the WIAC) for the remainder of the game. UW-Oshkosh's biggest lead was 89-64 with 2:30 left.
Senior Kristin Steckmesser led the Titans in scoring with 23 points, while senior Jenny Deuster added 17, junior Melissa Schweitzer 12 and sophomore Kay Mikolajczak and senior Jamie Turtenwald 10 each. Deuster scored 13 of her points in the second half, while Steckmesser counted 12.
Both teams found the bottom of the net often, with UW-Oshkosh shooting 52.9 percent (36-68) from the field and 75.0 percent (12-16) from the free throw line and UW-Whitewater 51.3 percent (20-39) from the field and 80.6 percent (25-31) from the charity stripe. The Titans also made eight three-point field goals in 17 attempts.
UW-Oshkosh, which defeated UW-Whitewater, 100-48, on January 2, has won 38 of its last 52 meetings with the Warhawks. UW-Whitewater was paced in scoring by junior Katie Rechlicz's 15 points.
Late Free Throws Beats Titans
Junior Tanya Halbach made a free throw with six seconds left and another with one second remaining as the UW-Stout women's basketball team edged UW-Oshkosh, 72-71, on Saturday (February 2) in Menomonie.
After allowing UW-Oshkosh (16-5 & 9-3 in the WIAC) to rally from a 15-point deficit and take a 70-69 lead, UW-Stout (17-4 & 12-1 in the WIAC) tied the game on sophomore Sara Kahl's free throw with 57 seconds remaining. UW-Oshkosh regained the lead at 71-70 on its next possession as sophomore Kay Mikolajczak made a free throw with 33 seconds left.
Following a pair of UW-Stout timeouts, Halbach tied the game at 71 by making the front end of a pair of double-bonus free throws. After a miss on her second try, UW-Stout sophomore Laura Verdegan got the offensive rebound and passed the basketball to Halbach who was fouled. Halbach missed her first free throw attempt, but following a UW-Oshkosh timeout, made the second with one tick on the clock remaining to give the Blue Devils a 72-71 victory.
UW-Oshkosh, which trailed 40-34 at intermission, had four double-figure scorers in the contest as senior Jamie Turtenwald counted 19, junior Melissa Schweitzer 18 and Mikolajczak and senior Kristin Steckmesser 11 each. UW-Stout, the first-place leader in the WIAC standings, was paced in scoring by Halbach's 17 points.
UW-Oshkosh shot 44.8 percent (26-58) from the field and had just 15 turnovers in the game, but 13 missed free throws in 26 attempts and a 48-28 disadvantage in rebounding proved costly. UW-Stout, which dropped an 88-60 decision to UW-Oshkosh on January 5, shot 45.3 percent (24-53) from the field and won the contest despite committing 26 turnovers.
Titans Swat Yellowjackets
The UW-Oshkosh women's basketball team defeated UW-Superior for the 35th consecutive time following the Titans' 69-48 victory over the Yellowjackets on Saturday (January 26) in Superior. It was the second time that UW-Oshkosh had exterminated the Yellowjackets this season, with an 81-58 victory coming back on December 1 in Oshkosh.
UW-Oshkosh's win over UW-Superior keeps the Titans tied with UW-Eau Claire for second place in the WIAC standings, one victory behind league-leading UW-Stout and one victory ahead of fourth-place UW-Stevens Point. UW-Stout, which visits UW-Eau Claire on Wednesday (January 30) and hosts UW-Oshkosh on Saturday (February 2), leads the WIAC race with a 10-1 league record, while UW-Oshkosh and UW-Eau Claire follow at 9-2 and UW-Stevens Point at 8-2. UW-Oshkosh, which is off until Saturday, defeated UW-Stout, 88-60, on January 5 in Oshkosh.
Junior Melissa Schweitzer and seniors Kristin Steckmesser and Jenny Deuster led UW-Oshkosh (16-4) to its win over UW-Superior (2-16/0-11 in the WIAC). Schweitzer scored 17 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, both game highs, to record her second double-double in as many games. Steckmesser scored 11 points, dished off eight assists and grabbed seven rebounds, while Deuster had 10 points and seven rebounds. Freshman Stephanie Janigo and sophomore Heidi McKay both scored 12 points to pace UW-Superior, with McKay also grabbing a team-best eight rebounds.
UW-Oshkosh took a 3-0 lead at the 19:27 mark of the first half and led UW-Superior the remainder of the contest. The Titans compiled a 26-point lead twice in the game, with the latest being by a 64-38 count with 3:32 left in the contest. UW-Superior, which trailed 39-29 at intermission, had its smallest deficit in the game being scores of 3-2 and 20-19.
UW-Oshkosh shot 42.1 percent (24-57) from the field and made 13 of its 16 free throw attempts, while UW-Superior shot 33.9 percent (19-56) from the field and made just six of its 11 free throw tries.
Titans Rally To Defeat Pioneers In Overtime
The UW-Oshkosh women's basketball team made only five three-point baskets, but three of them came in the closing seconds of regulation as the Titans rallied to defeat UW-Platteville, 74-72, in overtime on Wednesday (January 23) in Platteville.
UW-Oshkosh (15-4 & 8-2 in the WIAC) trailed UW-Platteville (10-8 & 5-5 in the WIAC), 62-54, before forcing overtime on a pair of three-point baskets by senior Jamie Turtenwald and one by junior Libby Sievert in the final 20 seconds of regulation. Turtenwald cut the Titans' deficit to 62-60 by hitting back-to-back three-point aerials with 20 and 18 seconds left in regulation. Following a free throw by UW-Platteville sophomore Angie Sisson with 17 seconds left in regulation, Sievert sent the contest to overtime tied at 63 on her three-point missile with four seconds remaining.
In overtime, the contest was tied four times before UW-Oshkosh scored the game-winning points on Sievert's two free throws with seven seconds remaining. Sievert's heroic free throw tosses were set up after UW-Platteville sophomore Tiff Flesch tied the count at 72 on a layup with nine seconds left. Sievert had five points and senior Kristin Steckmesser four in the extra period to account for nine of the Titans' 11 points scored.
UW-Platteville dominated first half play by leading UW-Oshkosh for all but five minutes. The Titans scored the game's first four points before the Pioneers tied the contest at four and opened a 20-12 advantage with 11:28 remaining in the opening stanza. UW-Oshkosh battled back the remainder of the first half to trail 27-26 at intermission.
Steckmesser led UW-Oshkosh in scoring with 19 points, while Turtenwald added 16, Sievert 12 and junior Melissa Schweitzer 11. Schweitzer also grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds to record her first double-double of the season. Senior Crystal Stietz paced UW-Platteville in scoring with 19 points.
Titans Run Away From Falcons
Ending the first half and starting the second with a 31-4 scoring run, the UW-Oshkosh women's basketball team pulled away for a 74-41 victory over UW-River Falls on Saturday (January 19) in Kolf Sports Center.
UW-Oshkosh is now tied with UW-Eau Claire and UW-Stevens Point for second place in the WIAC standings, all with 7-2 league records. UW-Stout leads the WIAC race with an 8-1 mark after defeating UW-Stevens Point, 82-64, on Saturday.
UW-Oshkosh (14-4) began the game by taking a 15-6 lead over UW-River Falls (8-10 & 2-7 in the WIAC). The Falcons cut their deficit to 15-13 before the Titans ended the first half with a 12-2 scoring run to lead 27-15 at intermission.
Both teams were hampered by poor shooting in the first half, with the Titans shooting just 32.4 percent (11-34) from the field and the Falcons just 24.0 percent (6-25). In addition, the two combatants combined to make only six of their 12 free throw attempts in the opening period of play.
UW-Oshkosh started the second half like it ended the first, this time going on a 19-2 scoring run to lead 46-17 with 12:37 left in the game. The Titans built their advantage to as many as 38 points (67-29) in the second half and held a lead of 30 or more points for the final 10:10.
UW-Oshkosh improved its shooting in the second half by going 66.7 percent (16-24) from the field and 76.9 percent (10-13) from the free throw line. UW-River Falls continued its shooting woes in the second half by making only 26.5 percent (9-34) of its attempts from the field and 50 percent (6-12) of its efforts from the charity stripe.
UW-Oshkosh, ranked 25th in the NCAA Division III by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA), had five double-figure scorers in the game. Sophomore Kay Mikolajczak and junior Melissa Schweitzer both scored 12 points to lead the Titans, while junior Brenda Utech tallied 11 and seniors Jenny Deuster and Kristin Steckmesser 10 each. Freshmen Darcy Olsen scored 12 points to lead UW-River Falls, which dropped its 26th straight game to UW-Oshkosh.
Shooting Woes Hinder Titans In Loss To Blugolds
Connecting on just 32 percent (20-63) of its field goal attempts, the UW-Oshkosh women's basketball team dropped a 69-57 decision to UW-Eau Claire on Wednesday (January 16) in Eau Claire. The outcome leaves both teams tied for second place in the WIAC standings with 6-2 records.
UW-Eau Claire (14-2) scored the first four points of the game and never relinquished the lead although UW-Oshkosh (13-4) managed one tie at 10. Aided by 60.9 percent (14-23) shooting from the field, UW-Eau Claire took a 35-21 lead to intermission. The Titans were hampered in the opening stanza by 20.7 percent (6-29) field goal shooting and seven turnovers.
In the second half, UW-Eau Claire held a 41-27 advantage before UW-Oshkosh went on a 10-1 scoring run to trim its deficit to five points at 42-37 with 9:54 remaining. The Blugolds countered with six straight points and held the Titans to at least nine points away the remainder of the game, with the latest nine-point spread being 63-54 with 2:10 left.
UW-Oshkosh, which entered the game ranked 24th in the NCAA Division III by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) , had three double-figure scorers against Blugolds as senior Jamie Turtenwald tallied 18 points, senior Kristin Steckmesser 16 and sophomore Kay Mikolajczak 12. Freshman Emilee Planert led UW-Eau Claire, ranked 19th in the NCAA Division III by the WBCA, in scoring with 18 points. Sophomore Brook Wozniak also added 16 points and 17 rebounds, both career highs, for the Blugolds.
Although UW-Eau Claire's field goal shooting fell off to 36 percent (8-22) in the second half, the Blugolds did make 17 of their 20 free throw tries in the final period. The Blugolds finished the game making 24 of their 31 free throw attempts, while UW-Oshkosh made 13 of 17. UW-Eau Claire committed eight more turnovers (18-10) than UW-Oshkosh, but commanded the boards by a 44-26 count.
Titans Fall From WIAC Unbeaten Ranks
Andrea Kraemer scored 22 points and Cassandra Heuer 19, both career bests, as the UW-Stevens Point women's basketball team posted a 79-75 overtime victory over UW-Oshkosh on Saturday (January 12) in Kolf Sports Center.
UW-Stevens Point, which ended a 17-game losing streak to UW-Oshkosh with a 70-68 overtime win the last time the two teams met, entered Saturday's contest with one WIAC loss while the Titans were unbeaten. Both teams were also mentioned in the latest NCAA Division III poll conducted by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association, with UW-Stevens Point ranked seventh and UW-Oshkosh 18th.
UW-Oshkosh (13-3 & 6-1 in the WIAC) and UW-Stevens Point (15-1 & 6-1 in the WIAC) found the bottom of the net often in the first half as the two combatants battled to a 38-38 halftime tie. The Titans shot 61.5 percent (16-26) from the field and made all three of their free throw attempts in the opening period, while the Pointers shot 51.7 percent (15-29) from the field and made all five of their free throw tries. Each team built a five-point lead in the first half, with UW-Stevens Point's being 7-2 at the 17:10 mark and UW-Oshkosh's being 23-18 at the 10:31 mark. The five-point advantages were the largest by either team during the 45-minute contest.
UW-Stevens Point led the majority of the second half, including four times by four points. UW-Oshkosh rallied from its deficits by taking a 63-61 lead with 1:18 left in regulation on senior Jenny Deuster's layup. UW-Stevens Point forced overtime tied at 63 when senior Amie Schultz hit a running bank shot with 47 seconds remaining. The shooting touch from the field cooled off for both teams in the second half as UW-Stevens Point shot 38.1 percent (8-21) and UW-Oshkosh 40.0 (10-25).
In overtime, the two teams played to five ties before UW-Stevens Point took the lead for good at 75-73 following a layup by Kraemer with 54 seconds left. UW-Stevens Point held UW-Oshkosh on its next possession and Heuer hit a jumper with 10 seconds left to put the Pointers up by four points. After UW-Oshkosh senior Jamie Turtenwald made a layup with four seconds left, Kraemer drained two free throws with three seconds remaining to seal the game. Kraemer and Heuer, both sophomores, scored seven and four points, respectively, in the overtime period.
Deuster led UW-Oshkosh in scoring with 18 points, while senior Kristin Steckmesser added 13. The Titans also received nine points, a team-high five rebounds and a team-best four assists from sophomore Kay Mikolajczak. In addition to her 22 points, Kraemer also grabbed eight rebounds and dished off seven assists for the Pointers, who extended their road winning streak to 14 games.
Titans Stymie Eagles In Second Half
The UW-Oshkosh women's basketball team will enter its upcoming showdown with UW-Stevens Point unbeaten in WIAC play following its 80-64 victory over UW-La Crosse on Wednesday (January 9) in La Crosse. The Titans, 6-0 in the WIAC, will host UW-Stevens Point, 5-1 in the WIAC, on Saturday (January 12) in a pivotal league matchup for both teams.
Despite shooting 57.1 percent (16-28) from the field in the first half, UW-Oshkosh (13-2) led UW-La Crosse (4-10 & 0-6 in the WIAC) just 37-36 at halftime. UW-Oshkosh took a 35-26 lead at the 5:09 mark of the opening period before the Eagles rallied by scoring 10 of the next 12 points.
UW-Oshkosh took control of the contest early in the second half, going on a 27-13 scoring run to lead 64-49 with 9:00 left in the game. With the exception of 38 seconds, the Titans held a double-figure advantage the final 13:14 of the game. UW-Oshkosh's second half performance was aided by an offense that shot 48.5 percent (16-33) from the field and a defense that forced UW-La Crosse into 10 turnovers and limited the Eagles to just 35.5 percent (11-31) field goal shooting.
Sophomore Kay Mikolajczak led UW-Oshkosh in scoring with 19 points, including 13 in the first half. The Titans also received 14 points from junior Brenda Utech, 12 from senior Jenny Deuster, 11 from junior Melissa Schweitzer and 10 from senior Kristin Steckmesser. Schweitzer also contributed seven rebounds and Deuster six. UW-La Crosse, which lost to UW-Oshkosh for the 26th time in 27 outings, was led in scoring by senior Brooke Croshier's 16 points.
Titans Run Past Blue Devils To Take WIAC Lead
The UW-Oshkosh women's basketball team turned what was expected to be a highly-contested matchup with UW-Stout into a rout by defeating the visiting Blue Devils, 88-60, on Saturday (January 5) in Kolf Sports Center. UW-Oshkosh's victory over UW-Stout, the 20th-ranked team in the NCAA Division III by D3Hoops.com, moves the Titans into sole possession of first place in the WIAC standings with a 5-0 record (12-2 overall).
UW-Oshkosh carved UW-Stout (10-4 overall & 5-1 in the WIAC) early, taking a 22-9 lead at the 11:36 mark of the first half. The Titans led by as many as 22 points (38-16) in the opening period before taking a 42-25 lead to intermission. Senior Kristin Steckmesser paced UW-Oshkosh in the first half with 15 points and three assists, while sophomore Kay Mikolajczak added 11 points and six rebounds. The Blue Devils were hampered in the first half by 19 turnovers and 38.5 percent (10-26) shooting from field.
After shooting 54.5 percent (18-3) from the field in the first half, UW-Oshkosh increased its marksmanship in the second half by shooting 57.6 percent (19-33). The Titans held a lead of 21 or more points for the final 9:07 of the game, including a 30-point (88-58) bulge with 2:08 remaining. UW-Oshkosh's smallest advantage in the second half was 14 points (59-45), but the Titans quickly built that lead to 25 points (72-47) thanks to a 13-2 scoring run.
Steckmesser led UW-Oshkosh in scoring with a career-high 25 points, while junior Brenda Utech added a career-best 21 and Mikolajczak 16. Steckmesser also had three assists, three rebounds and three steals, Utech seven steals, four rebounds and two assists and Mikolajczak eight rebounds, two assists and two steals. In all, UW-Oshkosh had 21 steals on UW-Stout's season-high 34 turnovers.
UW-Stout, which has lost 36 of its last 40 games to UW-Oshkosh, was led in scoring by freshman Lindsey Erichsen's 10 points. Averaging 74.3 points and 71.9 field goal attempts per game, UW-Stout was held to 60 points and 51 field goal tries by UW-Oshkosh, the Blue Devils' second-lowest and lowest totals of the season, respectively.
Titans Abolish Warhawks
Reaching 100-plus points for only the sixth time since the 1974-75 season, the UW-Oshkosh women's basketball team annihilated UW-Whitewater, 100-48, on Wednesday (January 2) in Whitewater. UW-Oshkosh's 52-point win is the largest during its 37 all-time victories over UW-Whitewater.
UW-Oshkosh (11-2/4-0 in the WIAC) led UW-Whitewater (5-7/1-4 in the WIAC) for all but 1:56 of the contest. The Titans took a 4-2 lead at the 18:03 mark of the first half and extended their advantage to 38-10 with 4:21 remaining in the opening period.
After taking a 46-25 lead to intermission, UW-Oshkosh began the second half with a 23-8 scoring run to lead 69-33 with 13:07 left in the game. The Titans' biggest advantage in the contest was the game's final score.
UW-Oshkosh had four double-figure scorers in the contest as senior Kristin Steckmesser led the way with 20 points. The Titans also received 16 points from senior Jenny Deuster and junior Melissa Schweitzer and 14 from senior Jamie Turtenwald. Addition to their scoring totals, Deuster contributed five rebounds and two assists, Steckmesser six rebounds, five assists and three steals, Schweitzer six assists, four steals and three rebounds and Turtenwald six rebounds and five assists. In all, UW-Oshkosh had 31 assists in the contest to tie a school record.
UW-Oshkosh shot 58.2 percent (39-67) from the field against UW-Whitewater, including 69.2 (9-13) behind the three-point line. The Titans also made all 13 of their free throw attempts and held a 43-29 rebounding advantage. Sophomore Kay Mikolajczak led UW-Oshkosh in rebounds with 11.
UW-Whitewater shot just 27.1 percent (16-59) from the field, including 15.4 percent (2-13) behind the three-point line. The Warhawks did, however, make 14 of their 15 tries from the free throw line. Junior Cathy Rossi led UW-Whitewater in scoring with 16 points.
Titans Capture Colonials
Scoring in double figures for the second time in 24 hours, junior Brenda Utech and senior Kristin Steckmesser guided the UW-Oshkosh women's basketball team to a 58-48 victory over Western Connecticut State University on Saturday (December 29) in Danbury, Conn. UW-Oshkosh's win came in the title game of the Western Connecticut State University Holiday Tournament. Lehman College won the consolation title with an 84-80 victory over Hartwick College.
Utech, the tournament's most valuable player, scored a game-high 16 points, grabbed three rebounds, recorded three steals and dished off one assist to help the Titans to their 10th win of the season in 12 tries. In UW-Oshkosh's 74-44 win over Hartwick College on Friday (December 28), Utech scored a career-high 19 points, grabbed three rebounds and dished off two assists.
Steckmesser, who also received all-tournament honors, scored 15 points, recorded seven steals and grabbed two rebounds against Western Connecticut State University, a first-time opponent of UW-Oshkosh. Steckmesser scored 17 points, grabbed four rebounds and dished off four assists in the Titans' win over Hartwick College.
UW-Oshkosh, which also received nine points and a game-high 12 rebounds from junior Melissa Schweitzer, led the Colonials (4-6) for all but 58 seconds of the game. The contest was scoreless for 37 seconds and tied at 42 for 21 ticks. With the exception of those ties, UW-Oshkosh led by as many as nine points (27-18) in the first half and by as many as 10 points (58-48) in the second. The Titans outscored Western Connecticut State University, 16-6, during the final 8:36 of the game, with Utech scoring seven points and Steckmesser four.
UW-Oshkosh won the game despite shooting 38.9 percent (21-54) from the field and 57.1 percent (12-21) from the free throw line. The Titans were outrebounded 38-31, but aided their effort by forcing 24 turnovers while committing just 14 of their own. Western Connecticut State University, which was led by senior Christin Morgatto's 13 points and eight rebounds, shot 42.3 percent (22-52) from the field. The Colonials shot just seven free throws (made three) in the game as the Titans fouled only 11 times.
Titans Smother Hawks
Junior Brenda Utech scored a career-high 19 points and senior Kristin Steckmesser added 17 as the UW-Oshkosh women's basketball team lashed Hartwick College, 74-44, in the opening round of the Western Connecticut State University Holiday Tournament held Friday (December 28) in Danbury, Conn.
The Titans will play Western Connecticut State University for the tournament title on Saturday (December 29) at 3 p.m. (EST). The Colonials advanced to the championship contest following Friday's 71-57 victory over Lehman College.
Utech made seven of her 12 field goal attempts in the contest, including four of five behind the three-point line, to record her third double-figure scoring game of the season. Utech also made her lone free throw try, grabbed three rebounds and dished off two assists. Steckmesser connected on seven of her 11 field goal attempts, including three of six behind the three-point line, to register her 25th double-figure scoring performance in 36 games. She also grabbed four rebounds and dished off four assists. Utech counted 11 points and Steckmesser nine in the second half as the Titans outscored the Hawks, 42-26.
UW-Oshkosh (9-2) also received 12 points and seven rebounds from sophomore Kay Mikolajczak, eight points and five rebounds from junior Melissa Schweitzer and two points, seven assists and three rebounds from senior Jamie Turtenwald. Seniors Stephanie Clough and Tiffany Hurley led Hartwick College in scoring with 15 and 12 points, respectively. Hurley, the 2001 Empire 8 Conference Player of the Year, was held to just four points and one rebound in the second half.
UW-Oshkosh shot 50.8 percent (30-59) from the field against its first-time opponent and made six of its 10 free throw attempts. The Titans also held a 34-26 advantage in rebounds. Hartwick College (4-4) shot 41.9 percent (18-43) from the field, but just 33.3 percent (7-21) in the first half when it trailed 32-18 at intermission.
Three-Point Baskets Help Titans Defeat Regents
With the number of field goals, free throws and rebounds being equal, a 9-0 advantage in three-point baskets made the difference as the UW-Oshkosh women's basketball team defeated Rockford College, 72-63, on Tuesday (December 18) in Rockford, Ill.
UW-Oshkosh (8-2) attempted 21 three-point shots in the contest, with six finding the bottom of the net in the second half when the Titans outscored the Regents, 42-32. Rockford College (5-4) missed all three of its three-point shots in the game, but remained within striking distance of the Titans by sinking 24 of its 45 two-point attempts and all 15 of its free throw tries. UW-Oshkosh concluded the game shooting 24-56 from the field and 15-21 from the free throw line. Both teams totaled 30 rebounds in the contest, with UW-Oshkosh having 13 on the offensive end and Rockford College eight.
Rockford College, a first-time opponent of UW-Oshkosh, ended the first half with a 13-5 scoring run to lead 31-30 at intermission. In the second half, the lead changed hands several times before UW-Oshkosh took control of the game for good on back-to-back three-point baskets by sophomore Kaaren Albrecht with just under eight minutes remaining. Albrecht's first trey gave the Titans a 53-51 lead with 7:54 left in the game while her second three-point basket gave the Titans a 56-51 advantage with 7:33 remaining.
Junior Libby Sievert led UW-Oshkosh in scoring with 15 points, including 12 on four three-point baskets. Sievert also had four assists, four steals and three rebounds. The Titans also received 11 points and a game-high 10 rebounds from sophomore Kay Mikolajczak and 11 points, four assists and three rebounds from senior Jamie Turtenwald.
Senior Heidi Burkhart tallied a season-high 27 points to lead Rockford College in scoring, while senior Kristy Nichols added 18. Burkhart was the fifth-leading scorer in the NCAA Division III a year ago.
Green Knights Slay Titans
One needs to look no further than the stat sheet to find the reasons why the St. Norbert College women's basketball team defeated UW-Oshkosh, 73-65, on Saturday (December 15) in Kolf Sports Center.
The Titans took a whopping 35 three-point attempts, compared to just 11 shots behind the arc for the Green Knights. Conversely, St. Norbert College attempted 42 free throws, twice the number UW-Oshkosh took. St. Norbert College also had assists on 18 of its 21 baskets, while UW-Oshkosh has just seven on its 21.
Granted, many of UW-Oshkosh's 35 three-point shots came late in the game, as the Titans attempted to rally from a double-digit deficit. But it was poor shooting from the floor, just 31.8 percent (21-66), that put UW-Oshkosh in that position of bombing away down the stretch.
St. Norbert College (2-4), which nearly defeated UW-Eau Claire on November 28, opened the game with an 11-2 lead before settling for a 31-29 advantage at intermission. Tied at 42, the Green Knights scored the next eight points, and never saw their lead sink beneath five points the rest of the way.
St. Norbert College was led to its first victory over UW-Oshkosh since the 1987-88 season by freshman Abbey Johnson, who scored a game-high 20 points and grabbed 13 rebounds. The Green Knights also had six other players score between six and nine points.
Senior Kristin Steckmesser was a bright spot for UW-Oshkosh (7-2), going over the 1,000-point mark for her career with a second-half layup. Steckmesser, who led the Titans in scoring with 19 points, now has 1,006 points for her career, the 14th-highest total in UW-Oshkosh history.
Junior Libby Sievert added 16 points for UW-Oshkosh while senior Jamie Turtenwald had 16. The Titans also received seven points and a game-high 18 rebounds from junior Melissa Schweitzer.
Titans Devour Falcons In Home Nest
The UW-Oshkosh women's basketball team made its 2001-02 WIAC road debut a successful one by defeating UW-River Falls, 71-49, on Saturday (December 8) in River Falls. UW-Oshkosh has now won 25 straight games against UW-River Falls, with the last loss dating back to the 1988-89 season.
Tied at 15, UW-Oshkosh (7-1/3-0 WIAC) scored 11 unanswered points to take a 26-15 lead with 4:29 left in the first half. The Falcons pulled to within 29-26 in the opening period, but a three-point play by UW-Oshkosh junior Brenda Utech with five seconds left made the Titans' advantage 32-26 at the break.
UW-Oshkosh began the second half with three straight three-point field goals to take a 41-30 lead with 15:51 left in the game. The Titans held a double-digit lead the remainder of the contest, with the 71-49 final score being the game's widest margin.
Senior Kristin Steckmesser led UW-Oshkosh in scoring with 16 points, while junior Melissa Schweitzer contributed 15, Utech 14 and junior Libby Sievert 13. Schweitzer and Sievert each made three three-point field goals as the Titans hit nine in 16 attempts. UW-Oshkosh, which shot 51.9 percent (27-52) from the field, also blocked five shots and compiled a 43-32 rebounding advantage. Sophomore Kay Mikolajczak led UW-Oshkosh with 11 rebounds.
UW-River Falls (5-3/0-2 WIAC), which shot just 31.3 percent (20-64) from the field, was led by freshman Erin Effle's 12 points and 11 rebounds.
Titans Dish Out A Dash Of Revenge
The UW-Oshkosh women's basketball team avenged a tough defeat from last season by overwhelming UW-Platteville, 86-56, on Wednesday (December 5) in Kolf Sports Center.
UW-Oshkosh (6-1/2-0 in the WIAC), which lost to UW-Platteville in the quarterfinal round of last year's WIAC Tournament, jumped out to a quick 8-0 lead at the 16:09 mark of the first half and never looked back. The Titans led 42-26 at halftime and built the advantage to as many as 32 points (86-54) with 1:23 remaining in the contest.
UW-Platteville (3-4/0-2 in the WIAC) suffered its 24th loss to UW-Oshkosh in 25 meetings by failing to stop the Titans' inside play of sophomore Kay Mikolajczak and outside play of senior Kristin Steckmesser and sophomore Kaaren Albrecht.
Defensively, UW-Oshkosh keyed on UW-Platteville senior Crystal Stietz, who entered the contest averaging a WIAC-leading 21.5 points per game. Stietz was held to a team-high 12 points and just six field goal attempts by the Titans.
All 11 players that suited up for UW-Oshkosh scored, with Mikolajczak and Steckmesser leading the way with 16 points each. Junior Melissa Schweitzer chipped in with 11 points, while senior Jamie Turtenwald added 10 and Albrecht nine. Mikolajczak made eight of her nine field goal attempts in the game, while Steckmesser and Albrecht were four-of-seven and three-for-three behind the three-point line.
UW-Oshkosh shot 57.8 percent (37-64) from the field against UW-Platteville, including 60 percent (18-30) in the second half. The Titans also forced 26 turnovers and held a 32-27 rebounding advantage over the Pioneers. Schweitzer grabbed seven rebounds to take game honors.
Titans Successfully Begin Defense Of WIAC Crown
UW-Oshkosh, which shared the WIAC women's basketball championship with UW-Eau Claire a year ago, began defense of its 2001 league title by defeating UW-Superior, 81-58, on Saturday (December 1) in Kolf Sports Center. The victory marked the ninth consecutive year that UW-Oshkosh had won its WIAC season opener.
UW-Oshkosh (5-1/1-0 in the WIAC) took a 3-0 advantage at the 18:31 mark of the first half and led UW-Superior (1-4/0-1 in the WIAC) the rest of the way. The Titans held a double-figure advantage the final 24:20 of the contest, including a 27-point (76-49) cushion with 4:54 remaining.
UW-Oshkosh, which led 40-25 at intermission, had four players tally 11 or more points. Senior Kristin Steckmesser paced the Titans with 21 points, while sophomore Kay Mikolajczak had 16, senior Jamie Turtenwald 13 and junior Libby Sievert 11. Mikolajczak also grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds to record her second double-double in as many games. In UW-Oshkosh's win over Wisconsin Lutheran College on Wednesday (November 28) she had 19 points and 19 rebounds, both career bests
UW-Superior, which lost to UW-Oshkosh for the 34th straight time, had three double-figure scorers as sophomore Heidi McKay led the way with 15 points. The Yellowjackets futher received 12 points from sophomore Jodie Johnson and 10 from junior Cassie Evenson. McKay also led UW-Superior in rebounds with nine, including eight in the first half.
UW-Oshkosh shot 44.3 percent (31-70) from the field, while UW-Superior shot 37.5 (21-56). At the free throw line, UW-Oshkosh was 13-18 and UW-Superior 11-16.
Mikolajczak Guides Titans To Non-Conference Win
Sophomore Kay Mikolajczak scored 19 points and grabbed 19 rebounds, both career bests, to lead the UW-Oshkosh women's basketball team to a 73-51 win over Wisconsin Lutheran College on Wednesday (Nov. 28) in Kolf Sports Center.
Mikolajczak, making her first UW-Oshkosh start after transferring from UW-Eau Claire, scored 15 points and grabbed eight rebounds in the first half as the Titans took a 38-26 lead to intermission. The two teams played to within six points of each other during the first 18:03 of the contest before the Titans ended the opening period with a 9-2 scoring run. UW-Oshkosh (4-1) led for all but 3:05 of the first half, with its only deficits being 2-0 and 22-21.
In the second half, Wisconsin Lutheran College (1-4) used a 12-5 scoring run to make the count 45-38 with 12:25 remaining. The Warriors' single-digit deficit didn't last long, however, as UW-Oshkosh sophomore Kaaren Albrecht drained a three-point field goal just 24 seconds later to increase the margin to 10 points. UW-Oshkosh led by as many as 22 points twice in the second half, including the game's final score. Wisconsin Lutheran College shot just 20 percent (5-25) from the field in the second half, making only basket in the final 6:10 of the game.
Besides Mikolajczak's performance, UW-Oshkosh also received 13 points, four rebounds and four assists from senior Kristin Steckmesser, 12 points, two rebounds and two steals from junior Libby Sievert, eight points and six rebounds from junior Melissa Schweitzer and seven points, six rebounds and four assists from senior Jamie Turtenwald. Junior Julie Christensen totaled 15 points and seven rebounds to lead Wisconsin Lutheran College in both categories.
Titans Hold On To Win Holiday Classic Title
The UW-Oshkosh women's basketball team survived a late charge by Lake Forest College to defeat the Foresters, 71-68, in the championship game of the UW-Oshkosh Holiday Classic held Saturday (November 24) in Kolf Sports Center.
UW-Oshkosh (3-1) led Lake Forest College (4-1), 69-53, with 4:46 remaining in the contest before the Titans' first-time opponent scored 15 unanswered points to make the score to 69-68 with 28 seconds left. The Foresters had to foul on the ensuing possession and UW-Oshkosh senior Kristin Steckmesser made two free throws with 16 seconds remaining to provide the game's final score. Lake Forest College had two chances in the closing seconds to tie the game, but both of its three-point shots missed the mark.
UW-Oshkosh, which never trailed Lake Forest College after taking a 4-2 lead at the 19:14 mark of the first half, had four double-figure scorers in the contest. Senior Jenny Deuster led the Titans in scoring with 14 points, while Steckmesser added 13 points and junior Melissa Schweitzer and senior Jamie Turtenwald 10 each. Schweitzer, who scored 10 points in UW-Oshkosh's 81-44 win over Edgewood College on Friday (November 23), also totaled seven rebounds and three steals against Lake Forest College to collect the event's most valuable player award. Schweitzer was joined on the all-tournament team by Turtenwald, who also dished off six assists and had three steals in the title game.
Lake Forest College had three players in double-figure scoring as Kandyce Green came off the bench to lead the way with 17 points. Shannon Clerkin, who joined Green as an all-tournament selection, scored 15 points while Katie McCants counted 12. The Foresters outrebounded the Titans, 34-26, and made 20 of their 23 free throw attempts.
In the consolation game, North Park University defeated Edgewood College, 66-63, behind the all-tournament performances of Andrea Mendyk and Carrie Swenson.
Titans Rout Eagles In Holiday Classic Opener
The UW-Oshkosh Women's Basketball Holiday Classic will feature the host Titans in the championship game for the 10th time in the 10-year history of the event following their 81-44 win over Edgewood College on Friday (November 23) in Kolf Sports Center.
UW-Oshkosh (2-1), which has won the tournament seven times, plays Lake Forest College (4-0) in the championship game on Saturday (November 24) at 3 p.m. The Foresters advanced to meet the Titans following their 78-58 win over North Park University. Edgewood College (2-2) and North Park University (1-3) will battle for the consolation title on Saturday at 1 p.m.
UW-Oshkosh received solid play from each of its 12 players that appeared in the contest, with the five starters compiling 43 points and 13 rebounds and the seven reserves counting 38 points and 25 rebounds.
UW-Oshkosh had five double-figure scorers in the contest, with sophomore Kay Mikolajczak coming off the bench to count a game-high 17 points. Mikolajczak also totaled seven rebounds, four blocked shots, two assists and two steals during her 15 minutes on the hardwood. Other double-figure scorers for UW-Oshkosh, all with 10 points each, were seniors Jenny Deuster and Kristin Steckmesser and juniors Melissa Schweitzer and Libby Sievert. Junior Jodi Bushman came off the bench to play 19 minutes and her contribution to the win featured 10 rebounds and three rebounds, both career bests. Katie Wagner led Edgewood College in scoring with 16 points.
UW-Oshkosh never trailed Edgewood College in the game, taking a 2-0 lead at the 18:56 mark of the first half and building as much as a 43-point advantage (72-29) at the 7:04 mark of the second half. In all, UW-Oshkosh had a cushion of 20 or more points for the final 21:14 of the game.
Titans Stung By Hornets
The UW-Oshkosh women's basketball team couldn't overcome poor shooting from the field and result was a 50-49 loss to host Kalamazoo College in championship game of the Hornet Tip-Off Tournament held Saturday (November 17) in Kalamazoo, Mich.
UW-Oshkosh (1-1) shot just 28.8 percent (15-52) from the field against Hornets, including just 25 percent (7-28) in the first half when it took a 27-21 deficit to intermission. Kalamazoo College (2-0) shot 44.4 percent (16-36) from the field in the contest, but added an impressive 17 of 18 shooting from the free throw line.
UW-Oshkosh built a 16-3 lead at the 12:06 mark of the first half. Kalamazoo College then went on a 27-5 scoring run to take its six-point halftime lead. The second half went back and forth before Niki Grubb hit a basket in the paint to put Kalamazoo College up by one with 16 seconds left in the game. UW-Oshkosh's first shot attempt under five seconds was blocked and the second shot missed as time expired.
Senior Kristin Steckmesser led UW-Oshkosh in scoring with a game-high 21 points, including four three-point baskets. She also grabbed a team-high eight rebounds and dished off a game-high five assists during her 33 minutes on the hardwood. Junior Melissa Schweitzer aided the Titans' scoring count with 10 points, while junior Brenda Utech contributed six.
Amanda Weishuhn led Kalamazoo College, which has posted 18-8 records the past two seasons, in scoring with 16 points. The Hornets also got 15 points and a game-high 13 rebounds from Grubb and 10 points and six rebounds from Alissa Johnson.
Titans Win Season Opener
Outscoring Wittenberg University by 15 points in the second half, the UW-Oshkosh women's basketball team rolled to a 65-49 win over the Tigers on Friday (November 16) in Kalamazoo, Mich. The victory puts UW-Oshkosh in Saturday's (November 17) championship game of the Hornet Tip-Off Tournament, where it will meet either Earlham College or host Kalamazoo College.
The 2001-02 season opener for both teams saw UW-Oshkosh take a 24-23 lead to intermission. Following the break, the Titans took control of the contest by shooting 54.2 percent (13-24) from the field compared to just 23.7 (9-38) for the Tigers. Wittenberg University shot just 23.3 percent (7-30) from the field in the first half, but stayed within striking distance thanks to seven more free throws than UW-Oshkosh.
Juniors Libby Sievert and Brenda Utech led UW-Oshkosh to its 22nd season-opening win in 28 years by scoring 12 points each. Utech, who made six of her eight field goal attempts, also added three assists in her 24 minutes of playing time. Sievert, a transfer from NCAA Division II Bemidji State University, made four of her eight field goal attempts in her UW-Oshkosh debut, including a pair behind the three-point line. She also contributed four rebounds and one assist during her 19 minutes of action off the bench.
UW-Oshkosh also received solid performances from senior Kristin Steckmesser, who scored 11 points and blocked three shots, junior Melissa Schweitzer, who scored seven points and grabbed eight rebounds, senior Jamie Turtenwald, who scored seven points and grabbed eight rebounds, and sophomore Kay Mikolajczak, who scored five points and grabbed seven rebounds. Mikolajczak is a transfer from UW-Eau Claire. Kate Rolf led Wittenberg University in scoring with 15 points.