Titans Cruise Past Vikings

The UW-Oshkosh women's basketball team had three players post career scoring bests as it dominated Bethany Lutheran College (Minn.), 87-44, on Saturday (Dec. 19) in Mankato, Minn.

UW-Oshkosh (2-6) snapped a six-game losing streak and won its second straight contest over Bethany Lutheran College. The Titans won last year's meeting in Oshkosh, 67-45.

Megan Wenig (Fr. • Oshkosh) tallied a career-high 19 points, including nine on 3-of-5 shooting behind the three-point line. She also dished off six assists and blocked one shot.

The Titans also picked up career scoring bests of 15 points from Katie Kitzke (Fr. • South Milwaukee) and 12 from Kelsey Myklebust (So. • Wisconsin Dells). Both players grabbed four rebounds as well.

UW-Oshkosh scored the first nine points of the contest, including a three-point basket and two free throws by Wenig. Bethany Lutheran College (1-8) cut its deficit to 13-8, but two lay-ups by Michelle Boeder (Jr. • Oshkosh) in a span of 15 seconds extended the Titans' lead to 17-8 at the 12:04 mark of the opening period.

After a jump shot from the Vikings' Anna Cepek, Kitzke tallied eight straight points, including a pair of three-point baskets, to give UW-Oshkosh a 25-10 lead with 10:28 to play in the first half. The Titans then scored 24 of the next 33 points to take a 49-19 lead to intermission.

UW-Oshkosh shot 63.3 percent (19-30) from the field in the first half, including 5-of-5 accuracy behind the three-point line. The Vikings shot 23.1 percent (6-26) from the field in the opening period and missed all five of their three-point attempts.

Bethany Lutheran College got as close as 53-22 with 17:01 to play, but UW-Oshkosh counted five straight points to increase its advantage to 58-22 with 16:10 left.

UW-Oshkosh led by 35 points (62-27) the final 13:16 of the game, including a 79-32 advantage with 7:18 to go.

UW-Oshkosh's season scoring best also featured eight points from both Boeder and Shelby Churchill (Jr. • Sheboygan). Churchill grabbed six rebounds to team honors.

Cepek scored 18 points to pace the Vikings in scoring. Bethany Lutheran College also received 11 points and six rebounds from Emily Schrupp.

UW-Oshkosh finished the game shooting 50 percent (30-60) from the field, 53.3 percent (8-15) behind the three-point line and 73.1 percent (19-26) from the free-throw stripe. The Titans committed 19 turnovers and won the rebounding battle, 51-25.

Bethany Lutheran College concluded the contest shooting 27.5 percent (14-51) from the field. The Vikings made 2-of-15 shots (13.3 percent) behind the three-point line and 14-of-21 free throws (66.67 percent). Bethany Lutheran College's 22 turnovers resulted in 14 steals by UW-Oshkosh.

UW-Oshkosh continues action in Minnesota when it plays at NCAA Division II Winona State University on Sunday (Dec. 20).