Titans Come Up Short In Battle With 10th-Ranked Pointers

UW-Stevens Point ran its winning streak to seven games with a 66-56 victory over the UW-Oshkosh women's basketball team on Wednesday (Feb. 8) in Stevens Point. The Pointers (20-3/12-2 WIAC) are ranked 10th in the NCAA Division III by D3hoops.com.

After a three-pointer by Cassie Bandow to go ahead, 11-10, the Pointers led for the final 35 minutes of play. Sam Barber compiled 15 points and Bandow 13 points, while Ashley Averkamp hauled in a game-best nine rebounds. UW-Stevens Point forced the Titans into 23 turnovers during the contest.

UW-Oshkosh (7-15/1-12 WIAC) was led by 16 points from Megan Wenig (Jr. • Oshkosh) and 15 by Kelsey Myklebust (Sr. • Wisconsin Dells). Despite converting 19-of-26 free throws (73 percent), the Titans totaled 38 percent (17-45) shooting from the field and 27 percent (3-11) accuracy from three-point land.

Katie Kitzke (Jr. • South Milwaukee) connected from downtown just nine seconds after the opening tip. Another three-ball from Wenig put UW-Oshkosh up, 10-8, with 15:25 on the clock. That would be the Titans' final advantage of the night.

A three-point play by Myranda Tyler capped the Pointers' 8-0 scoring run that took the lead. UW-Oshkosh kept fighting, using a Kitzke three-point play to make it 22-17. UW-Stevens Point then snatched three offensive rebounds in one minute and had Bandow drain a triple to lead, 31-19.

The Pointers held a 33-27 cushion at the break, but Ashley Winterfeldt (Jr. • Hortonville) hit a free throw to pull within 35-32 with 18 minutes left. Midway through the half, Sam Barber tallied four straight points to stretch the margin to 46-36 with 12 minutes on the clock.

Wenig later found the bottom of the net for three points, getting UW-Oshkosh as close as 48-43 at the 9:50 mark. Bandow had a response with two field goals and a free throw that put her squad on top, 58-46. The Pointers led by at least eight points the rest of the way.

UW-Stevens Point posted just 2-of-17 shooting (12 percent) behind the arc, but it made half its two-point tries to finish at 40 percent (26-65) from the field. The Pointers also sank 12-of-16 foul shots (75 percent) and committed 12 turnovers.

The Titans, using six boards by Sarah Stecker (So. • Menasha), tied the Pointers with 36 rebounds. Kitzke also supplied 11 points and two steals for the visitors.

UW-Oshkosh concludes its five-game road trip at UW-River Falls on Saturday (Feb. 11).