Early Second-Half Surge Ignites Titans To Win Over Falcons
The UW-Oshkosh women's basketball team erased a second-half deficit with a long run and cruised to a 65-50 victory over UW-River Falls on Saturday (Feb. 7) in Kolf Sports Center.
Trailing 31-25 with 16:39 remaining, the Titans scored 16 of the next 18 points to take a 41-33 lead with just over 11 minutes to play. UW-Oshkosh made 6 of 9 shots from the field and both free throws during the run that began with a 3-pointer by Taylor Schmidt and ended with a layup by Eliza Campbell. The Titans scored on seven of nine possession during the flurry while UW-River Falls committed two turnovers and missed 5 of 6 shots from the floor and both free throws.
The Titans shot 60 percent (15-25) from the field and committed just three turnovers during the second half. The period featured an 11-minute stretch where UW-Oshkosh converted 10 of 13 shots from the field.
Campbell led UW-Oshkosh with 13 points, while Schmidt and Marissa Selner added 12 and nine points, respectively. Alex Richard contributed eight points, and game-high totals of 10 rebounds, three steals and two blocks.
UW-Oshkosh (18-3, 10-2 WIAC), ranked 21st in the NCAA Division III by D3hoops.com, maintained sole possession of first place in the league standings. UW-River Falls (8-13, 3-9 WIAC), which lost its sixth straight game to the Titans, remained in ninth place.
The Titans ran their season winning streak to five games by shooting 44.2 percent (23-52) from the field, 35.7 percent (5-14) from beyond the 3-point arc and 58.3 percent (14-24) from the free throw line.
UW-River Falls opened the scoring with a three-point play by Katie Messman and led for the first 5:11 of the contest. The first of two straight layups by Campbell gave UW-Oshkosh its first lead at 6-5, and another layup by Richard pushed the Titan advantage to 10-5. The Falcons responded with six unanswered points to reclaim an 11-10 edge midway through the first half, increased their lead to 22-16 with 2:25 to go and went into halftime with 25-19 advantage.
The teams exchanged three baskets to begin the second half before two free throws by Katelyn Kuehl cut UW-Oshkosh's deficit to 29-25 with 17:38 left. UW-River Falls matched its largest lead of the game with two free throws of its own for a 31-25 lead.
UW-Oshkosh's lead reached double figures for the first time on a jumper by Ashley Neustifter that made the score 49-39 with 7:39 remaining. Two free throws by UW-River Falls trimmed the Titans' lead to 51-42, but UW-Oshkosh held an advantage of at least 11 points for the remainder of the game following a layup by Campbell at the 5:36 mark.
UW-Oshkosh, which has won 35 of its last 44 WIAC games, improved to 7-1 at home this season.
Cassy Saxton paced UW-River Falls with nine points. Taylor Karge added eight points, five rebounds and two blocks for the Falcons, who ended the game shooting 36.5 percent (19-52) from the floor, 11.1 percent (2-18) from behind the 3-point line and 62.5 percent (10-16) from the charity stripe.
UW-River Falls held a slim advantage in rebounds (37-36).
The Titans remain at home to face UW-La Crosse on Wednesday (Feb. 11) in Kolf Sports Center. UW-Oshkosh defeated the Eagles, 57-48, on Jan. 21 in La Crosse.