Titans Open WIAC Play With Road Win Over Warhawks

WIAC preseason favorite UW-Oshkosh snapped two-time defending league champion UW-Whitewater's 24-game conference winning streak with a 72-58 women's basketball victory on Wednesday (Dec. 3) in Whitewater.

The Titans never trailed in the contest as they also snapped a four-game losing streak to the Warhawks, including a 69-57 decision in the third round of last year's NCAA Division III Championship.

UW-Whitewater (2-4, 0-1 WIAC) lost at home for just the third time in 35 games. The win is UW-Oshkosh's first in Whitewater since 2006.

Taylor Schmidt led the Titans (6-1, 1-0 WIAC) with a season-high 17 points. Alex Richard added 14 points and a team-high seven rebounds. Ashley Neustifter chipped in with 10 points, followed by eight apiece by Eliza Campbell and Marissa Selner.

UW-Oshkosh, ranked 13th in the NCAA Division III by D3hoops.com, shot 50 percent from both the field (29-58) and behind the three-point line (2-4). The Titans connected on 12-of-18 free throws (66.7 percent) and committed just 11 turnovers.

UW-Oshkosh had a lead for all but 54 seconds as the game featured first-half ties at 4, 6, and 12.

The Titans broke the final tie with nine straight points during a two-minute span to take a 21-12 lead with just over 11 minutes to play in the first half. UW-Oshkosh made 4-of-5 shots during the run, including a 3-pointer by Alicia Tollefson.

UW-Oshkosh extended its lead to 31-21 with 2:38 left in the half, but UW-Whitewater used a 9-2 run to make the score 33-30 with a minute left in the period. The Warhawks made 4-of-5 shots during the run while the Titans committed three turnovers in four possessions. However, a Neustifter jumper provided the Titans with a 35-30 edge at the break.

The Titans made their first seven shots of the second half to build a 49-38 advantage with 16 minutes remaining. Richard tallied UW-Oshkosh's first three baskets of the period before Schmidt, Katelyn Kuehl, Neustifter and Selner added to the shooting spree.

UW-Whitewater's Abbie Reeves and Lisa Palmer converted three-point plays on the first two Warhawk possessions of the second half. But UW-Whitewater missed nine of its next 10 shots and committed four turnovers before a layup by Brooke Trewyn made the score 51-40 with 12:07 left.

A free throw by Schmidt put the Titans ahead, 58-46, with 7:39 remaining, but UW-Whitewater responded with a 10-2 run. UW-Oshkosh missed 5-of-6 shots during a Warhawk run that saw the Titans' lead whittled to 60-56 with 3:54 left.

UW-Oshkosh put the game away by tallying the next eight points for a 68-56 advantage with 1:49 remaining. Two free throws apiece by Schmidt and Neustifter started the run that was capped with layups by Selner and Richard.

UW-Whitewater only mustered two free throws during the final 3:54 of the game as the Titans closed with a 12-2 run. After trimming the deficit to four points (60-56), the Warhawks missed their last six shots and committed three turnovers.

Trewyn paced UW-Whitewater with 17 points and seven rebounds. Kate McKay added 10 points and six boards for the Warhawks.

UW-Whitewater shot 39.7 percent (23-58) from the floor, including 20 percent (2-10) from beyond the three-point arc. The Warhawks were perfect at the free-throw line, making all 10 of their attempts in the second half. UW-Whitewater committed 19 turnovers and posted a 35-32 advantage in rebounds.

UW-Oshkosh, which closed its four-game road trip with the victory, returns home to face UW-Platteville on Wednesday (Dec. 10) in Kolf Sports Center.