Titans' 3-Point Barrage Too Much For Green Knights

Melanie Schneider had a career-high tying 17 points and a team-leading five rebounds, Chloe Pustina added a career-best 14 points and the UW-Oshkosh women's basketball team defeated St. Norbert College, 76-43, on Monday (Nov. 26) in Kolf Sports Center.

UW-Oshkosh (4-0) never trailed St. Norbert College (1-2) as the Titans maintained a double-digit lead for all but the first 4:16 of play. UW-Oshkosh built advantages of 20-2 in the first quarter, 29-6 in the second and 65-26 in the third.

The Titans improved their record to 22-13 against the Green Knights, including victories in the last four meetings. UW-Oshkosh has won its last 20 regular-season non-conference home games since 2011.

Schneider, who added three steals and a block, shot 7-for-9 from the floor and 3 of 3 from beyond the 3-point arc on the way to third career 17-point performance. Pustina connected on 5 of 8 shots from the field, including 4-for-6 from 3-point range, to eclipse her previous career high of 12 points.

All 20 Titans received playing time, 14 contributed points and 13 collected rebounds as no UW-Oshkosh player was on the court for more than 21 minutes.

UW-Oshkosh's Isabella Samuels and Brooklyn Bull had seven points apiece while Emily Miller added five. Samuels, who shot 3-for-5 from the floor, entered Monday ranked fifth in the NCAA Division III with a .789 field goal percentage.

Olivia Campbell led the Titans in assists with a career-high seven while recording a team-leading three steals without committing a turnover. Leah Porath contributed four points as well as two steals and a pair of assists.

UW-Oshkosh owned advantages in rebounds (37-30), assists (22-8), turnovers (14-23) and steals (14-10).

The Titans shot 45.9 percent (28-61) from the field, including 41.9 percent (13-31) from beyond the 3-point arc, and 70 percent (7-10) at the free throw line. UW-Oshkosh's 13 3-point baskets are the program's most in the 147 games since draining 14 against Northland International University on Nov. 18, 2013.

St. Norbert College, which suffered its most lopsided loss since the 1998-99 campaign, shot 31 percent (13-42) from the floor, 14.3 percent (1-7) from 3-point range and 76.2 percent (16-21) at the foul line.

UW-Oshkosh scored the first 12 points of the game and forced turnovers on the first nine St. Norbert College possessions. Ali Hoeft put St. Norbert College on the board with 4:37 to go in the quarter with a layup, but the Titans answered with an 13-4 scoring run to earn a 19-point advantage (25-6) at the end of the opening period. UW-Oshkosh connected on five 3-point shots in the first quarter.

The Titans opened the second period with a two early 3-point baskets from Jessie Rabas and Schneider. The Green Knights recorded their highest scoring quarter in the second with 14 points, including 10 from Hoeft. Pustina hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer that gave UW-Oshkosh a 44-20 advantage at intermission.

UW-Oshkosh held its largest lead of 39 points at 65-26 following a pair of free throws from Miller with 58 seconds to go in the third quarter. The Titans held the Green Knights to 22.2 percent (2-9) shooting from the field during the third period.

The Titans were outscored, 13-9, in the fourth quarter as they played their reserves the entire period.

Hoeft and Olivia DeCleene led St. Norbert College with 12 and 11 points, respectively, in reserve roles. Hoeft accounted for 12 of the Green Knights' 20 first-half points as the five St. Norbert College starters were held scoreless on just three field goal attempts until the 9:38 mark of the third quarter.

St. Norbert College's Macie Zurfluh had a team-leading five steals while Sarah Ratajczyk led the Green Knights with six rebounds. Ratajczyk, who was limited to one point and one field goal attempt in 25 minutes, entered averaging 14.5 points and 11 points per game while ranking seventh in the country with a .786 field goal percentage. Green Knights starters combined for just 11 points and four assists while committing nine turnovers in 88 total minutes.

UW-Oshkosh, which has not trailed or been tied this season, has owned leads for more than 158 of its 160 minutes played on the year. The Titans have maintained advantages after scoring 41 seconds into the season opener, 49 seconds into the second contest, 12 seconds into the third game and 14 seconds into Monday's contest. UW-Oshkosh is outscoring opponents, 80-27, during the first quarter this season.

The Titans travel to Winona, Minn., on Thursday (Nov. 29) to play Saint Mary's University.

Written by Ally Gwidt, UW-Oshkosh Sports Information