Titans Survive Scare From Eagles

Taylor Schmidt's jump shot with 2.5 seconds remaining in overtime lifted the nationally ranked UW-Oshkosh women's basketball team to a thrilling 51-49 victory over UW-La Crosse on Wednesday (Jan. 25) in Kolf Sports Center.

Following a UW-Oshkosh timeout with 9.4 seconds to play in overtime, Schmidt dribbled to her left and drilled the game-winning pull-up jumper near the free throw line. UW-La Crosse's heave from midcourt at the overtime buzzer was off the mark, sending the Titans to their fifth straight win over the Eagles.

Paired with UW-Whitewater's 70-57 loss at UW-Stevens Point on Wednesday, UW-Oshkosh moves into to a tie atop the WIAC standings with seven games to play.

UW-Oshkosh, ranked 15th in the NCAA Division III by D3hoops.com, and 17th-ranked UW-Whitewater both concluded Wednesday's action with 16-2 overall records and 6-1 marks in the WIAC while UW-La Crosse (10-8, 4-3 WIAC) and UW-Stevens Point (12-6, 4-3) are among a three-way tie for second place in the league standings.

UW-La Crosse, which trailed UW-Oshkosh by as many as 13 points during the third quarter, took its first lead at 36-35 with just over six minutes left in regulation. The Eagles then sent the game into overtime tied at 44 on a 6-foot runner from Rachel Atchison with less than two seconds left in the fourth quarter.

Schmidt scored 10 of her team-high 12 points over the final 10 minutes of play. She had six points during a two-minute span in the fourth quarter and tallied four of the Titans' seven points in overtime. Schmidt added three assists while shooting 5-for-12 from the field.

Schmidt also moved into 10th place on the school's career scoring list with 1,160 points, surpassing former Titan Katie Kitzke's total of 1,156 from 2010-13.

Kylie Moe had 10 points and two steals off the UW-Oshkosh bench as 11 Titans scored. Reserve Isabella Samuels contributed six points while starter Eliza Campbell chipped in five points and a team-best nine rebounds.

UW-La Crosse held significant advantages in field goal percentage (.373 to .304) and rebounds (45-34), but UW-Oshkosh had more assists (10-5) and steals (7-3) and committed fewer turnovers (15-6). The Titans, who held their 15th opponent to less than 56 points, entered the contest leading the country by averaging just 12 turnovers per game.

UW-Oshkosh scored the first six points of the game on layups from Schmidt, Campbell and Alex Richard, who finished with four points, six rebounds and two blocks. Moe beat the first-quarter buzzer with a 3-pointer that provided the Titans an 18-10 lead.

UW-La Crosse missed nine of its first 12 shots of the game and committed four turnovers during the first eight minutes.

Both teams recorded just seven points during the second quarter as they combined to shoot 26.1 percent (5-19) from the floor, including 22.2 percent (2-9) by UW-Oshkosh. The Titans built a 21-10 lead with 4:57 left in the first half before the Eagles trimmed their deficit to 25-17 at intermission.

A 3-pointer by Emma Melotik increased UW-Oshkosh's advantage to 13 points at 30-17 with 8:34 to go in the third period, and the Titans owned a 35-27 lead entering the fourth quarter after Olivia Campbell's layup scored before the horn.

UW-La Crosse tallied the first nine points of the fourth quarter, including seven by MaKenzie Miller, to claim a 36-35 lead. Schmidt snapped the Titans' five-minute scoring drought with a basket, and her 3-pointer on the next UW-Oshkosh possession provided the Titans with a 40-38 lead.

Schmidt split a pair of free throws to give UW-Oshkosh a 41-40 lead with 2:47 to play in regulation, and a layup from Campbell increased the Titans' advantage to 43-40.

UW-La Crosse's Delaney Schoenenberger drove for basket to cut UW-Oshkosh's lead to 43-42 with less than two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, and both teams missed field goal attempts on their next two possessions.

Moe split two free throws with eight seconds to go in the fourth period, giving the Titans a 44-42 lead before Atchison hit her game-tying shot from the right side to send the game into overtime.

The Eagles took their largest lead of three points at 47-44 as Taylor Nelson drained a 3-pointer from the left corner to open the overtime scoring. Campbell split a pair of free throws, and Morgan Kokta sank two shots at the foul line to knot the score at 47 with 2:12 left.

A basket by Schmidt gave UW-Oshkosh a 49-47 lead with 79 seconds to play. Following a turnover by UW-La Crosse and a missed jumper by UW-Oshkosh, Miller pulled the Eagles even at 49 with a layup with 23 seconds left.

Miller paced UW-La Crosse with 12 points, 13 rebounds and two blocks. Elise DeNoyer added 10 points and eight rebounds for the Eagles, who also received nine points from Schoenenberger and seven apiece from Atchison and Nelson.

UW-Oshkosh travels to UW-Eau Claire on Saturday (Jan. 28). The Titans defeated the Blugolds by a 77-65 score on Jan. 14 in Oshkosh.