20th-Ranked Pointers Nip Titans

Nationally ranked UW-Stevens Point took the momentum with 14 unanswered points during the second half of a 60-54 victory over the UW-Oshkosh women's basketball team on Saturday (Jan. 23) in Kolf Sports Center.

Michelle Boeder (Jr. • Oshkosh) knocked down consecutive three-point shots to give UW-Oshkosh (6-12/1-8 WIAC) a 46-43 lead with 7:48 left in the contest.

UW-Stevens Point (15-3/7-2 WIAC) started its game-clinching scoring run moments later on a lay-up by Cassie Bandow. The Pointers then took a 47-46 lead on a pair of free throws by Britta Petersen and a 49-46 advantage on a lay-up by Ashley Averkamp.

Two lay-ups by Petersen and lay-ups from both Andrea Flease and Josi Schultz over the next 2:09 of play extended UW-Stevens Point's lead to 57-46 with 2:59 remaining.

A lay-up from Laura Ebbens (Jr. • Appleton) and a three-point basket by Megan Wenig (Fr. • Oshkosh) cut UW-Oshkosh's deficit to 57-51 with 2:15 left. Petersen then made a lay-up with 2:01 remaining and a free throw with 1:14 left to seal the Pointers' 10th consecutive victory.

UW-Stevens Point, ranked 20th in the NCAA Division III by D3hoops.com, opened the game with a 14-6 advantage. The Pointers held a 17-9 lead before UW-Oshkosh's Shelby Churchill (Jr. • Sheboygan) made a lay-up at the 11:54 mark of the first half.

After a free throw by UW-Stevens Point's Brooke Allen at the 9:28 mark, Katie Kitzke (Fr. • South Milwaukee) swished a jumper and a three-point shot to cut the Titans' deficit to 20-16. A three-point play from Danielle Bauer (Jr. • Dell Rapids, S.D.) and a jump shot by Boeder helped UW-Oshkosh earn a 21-20 lead with 5:30 left before the break.

Following ties at 23, 25 and 27, a basket by UW-Stevens Point's Bandow with 11 seconds left in the first half forced a 29-29 tie at intermission.

After trading baskets to open the second half, UW-Oshkosh built a 38-35 lead on a Kitzke lay-up with 11:46 to play. Averkamp then scored the game's next five points to give the Pointers a 40-38 advantage.

UW-Oshkosh's Bauer followed with a jump shot to tie the game at 40, but Whitney Verdegan countered with a three-point basket to give UW-Stevens Point a 43-40 lead with 9:51 to play.

The Titans were led by the 13 points and five assists of Ebbens and the 12 points and five rebounds of Boeder. UW-Oshkosh also received 10 points from Kitzke, 11 rebounds, three assists and two rebounds from Churchill, seven points, five rebounds and two blocked shots from Bauer and a career-high nine rebounds from Kelsey Myklebust (So. • Wisconsin Dells).

UW-Stevens Point was paced by Petersen's career-high 25 points, including 12 in the first eight minutes of play, five rebounds and four steals. The Pointers also obtained 10 points and three rebounds from Bandow and nine points, seven rebounds and four assists from Averkamp.

UW-Oshkosh shot 41.3 percent (19-46) from the field, including 50 percent (6-12) behind the three-point line. The Titans made 10-of-17 free throws (58.8 percent), grabbed 39 rebounds and committed 20 turnovers.

UW-Stevens Point posted shooting marks of 46.4 percent (26-56) from the field, 28.5 percent (2-7) behind the three-point line and 37.5 percent (6-16) from the free-throw stripe. The Pointers collected 29 rebounds and committed nine turnovers.

UW-Oshkosh remains at home to host UW-Eau Claire on Wednesday (Jan. 27) in Kolf Sports Center.