Titans Soar Over Owls In Overtime

Laura Ebbens (Jr. • Appleton) and Megan Wenig (Fr. • Oshkosh) converted lay-ups in the final 14 seconds of regulation as the UW-Oshkosh women's basketball team battled back to record a 57-54 overtime victory over Keene State College (N.H.) on Wednesday (Dec. 30) in Phoenix, Ariz.

The victory, coupled with Tuesday's (Dec. 29) 85-67 triumph over Baruch College (N.Y.), gave UW-Oshkosh a first-place finish in the Grand Canyon Classic. The Titans (5-7) are the owners of a three-game winning streak, their longest string of victories since the 2005-06 season.

Keene State College (6-3) held a 50-46 lead before Ebbens cut the Owls' advantage to 50-48 on a basket with 14 seconds left in regulation. After Keene State College's Kristin Degou missed a free throw with eight seconds to play, Wenig drove down the court and made a lay-up with four seconds remaining to force an extra session.

In overtime, Nicole Simmler gave the Owls a 52-50 lead on a jump shot with 3:43 left. UW-Oshkosh answered back with five straight points to take a 55-52 advantage with with 1:28 remaining. The Titans went ahead 53-52 on a three-point basket by Wenig and 55-52 on two free throws by Heidi Baerenwald (So. • Appleton).

Meghan Farrell brought Keene State College within 55-54 on a jump shot with 38 seconds to play, but two free throws by Wenig with 17 seconds left vaulted UW-Oshkosh back to a three-point advantage. The Owls had a chance to force another extra period, but three-point shots by Degou with 13 and three seconds remaining missed the mark.

The game began evenly matched, as UW-Oshkosh and Keene State College traded baskets to find themselves tied 4-4 just 2:56 into the contest.

UW-Oshkosh broke the deadlock with a 10-2 scoring run to take a 14-6 lead at the 10:35 mark of the opening period. Four UW-Oshkosh players tallied points during the scoring spree, including Katie Kitzke (Fr. • South Milwaukee) who counted the first of her three three-point baskets.

Keene State College charged back with nine straight points, including seven by Simmler, to grab a 15-14 lead with 5:59 left in the first half. Following a 20-20 tie, UW-Oshkosh got a three-point basket by Kitzke and a free throw and a lay-up from Kelsey Myklebust (So. • Wisconsin Dells) to take a 26-20 lead to intermission.

UW-Oshkosh built a 29-22 lead early in the second half before Keene State College stormed back to create a 29-29 tie with 15:29 to play. The teams played to ties at 31, 44 and 46 before the Owls took a 50-46 advantage on a lay-up by Simmler and two free throws by Degou.

UW-Oshkosh had three double-figure scorers as Kitzke and Wenig both counted 11 points and Ebbens 10. Kitzke added five rebounds and two steals, while Wenig contributed six rebounds, three assists and two steals. Shelby Churchill (Jr. • Sheboygan) paced the Titans with seven rebounds.

Keene State College, a first-time opponent of UW-Oshkosh, was led by Degou's 21 points and 12 rebounds. The Owls also obtained 19 points and seven rebounds from Simmler.

UW-Oshkosh shot 38.8 percent (19-49) from the field, 29.4 percent (5-17) behind the three-point line and 60.9 percent (14-23) from the free-throw stripe. The Titans collected 38 rebounds and committed 20 turnovers.

Keene State College shot 38.9 percent (21-54) from the field and 61.5 percent (8-13) from the free-throw line. The Owls made four of their 18 three-point shots (22.2 percent) while grabbing 32 rebounds and committing 17 turnovers.

Ebbens and Wenig were among five players named to the all-tournament team.

UW-Oshkosh is off until it returns to WIAC play at UW-Stevens Point on Wednesday (Jan. 6).