Hailey Hart recorded a double-double and scored the game-winning point from the free-throw line as UW-Superior held on for a 53-52 victory over the UW-Oshkosh women's basketball team on Saturday (Feb. 4) in Superior.

The Yellowjackets tied the score and then went ahead on Hart's two foul shots with 1:03 remaining. UW-Oshkosh committed a turnover on its next possession, but two missed free throws by Hart with 11 seconds left gave the Titans another opportunity. UW-Oshkosh passed the basketball around for the next nine seconds and got the shot it wanted, but Heather Conroy's (Fr. • Wisconsin Dells) lay-up missed the mark as time expired.

UW-Oshkosh (7-14/1-1 WIAC) had seven different players account for its first 15 points of the contest. After Kelsey Myklebust (Sr. • Wisconsin Dells) buried a jump shot, Katie Kitzke (Jr. • South Milwaukee) drove for a lay-up to give the Titans an 11-6 lead. The Yellowjackets later grabbed a 13-11 advantage when Keely Deadrick sank consecutive jumpers.

The shooting percentages began to drop for both teams, but Connie Urmanski finally made a three-pointer to put the Yellowjackets up, 18-13. The largest margin of the first half came when Mariah Marcol converted a lay-up to give UW-Superior a 24-17 lead with 4:29 to play before intermission.

UW-Superior (10-11/4-9 WIAC) held a 27-22 lead at the break and quickly expanded its advantage to 35-24 on two baskets from Carly Chell. Megan Wenig (Jr. • Oshkosh) sank a pair of jumpers around the 16-minute mark to pull the Titans to a 35-28 deficit. After the squads traded baskets, Marcol converted a free throw to give the Yellowjackets a 47-37 lead.

Finding its groove, UW-Oshkosh tallied 12 of the next 14 points. Nichole Paisar (Fr. • Leopolis) started things with a hoop from behind the arc and drilled another three-point shot to slice the Titans' deficit to 49-45. UW-Oshkosh then pulled even at 49 on a lay-up by Shelby Sarafin (Fr. • Amherst) with 4:41 left.

Hart scored 13 points and grabbed 15 rebounds, including seven on the offensive end. Deadrick added 14 points and five rebounds while Bri Davis contributed nine points and 10 rebounds.

Wenig paced UW-Oshkosh with 11 points and eight rebounds. The Titans also received 10 points and six rebounds from Conroy, eight points and eight rebounds from Paisar and four points and eight rebounds from Kitzke.

UW-Oshkosh was held to 28.8 percent (19-66) shooting from the field. The Titans made just 4-of-20 three-point shots (20 percent) and 10-of-16 free throws (62.5 percent). UW-Oshkosh marked a 50-42 rebounding advantage while committing 10 turnovers.

UW-Superior shot 33.9 percent (19-56) from the field, but just 18.8 percent (3-16) behind the three-point arc. The Yellowjackets shot only 46.2 percent (12-26) from the free-throw line while turning the basketball over 11 times.

UW-Oshkosh visits 13th-ranked UW-Stevens Point on Wednesday (Feb. 8).

UW-Eau Claire bolted to a 17-2 lead and pulled away for a 68-49 women’s basketball victory over UW-Oshkosh on Wednesday (Feb. 1) in Eau Claire. The Blugolds (17-4/10-2 WIAC) entered the game ranked 16th in the NCAA Division III by D3hoops.com.

The trio of Nicole Christianson, Ellen Plendl and Callie Halama combined for 54 points and 23 rebounds in the contest. Christianson tallied 20 points, while Plendl totaled 18 points and nine rebounds and Halama 16 points and 10 boards. It was the sixth double-double of the season for Halama.

After missing three of its first four shots, UW-Eau Claire began rolling with a Christianson three-point basket. The Blugolds then made their next five shots, with Plendl sinking a lay-up to give the host squad a 17-2 lead with 13:55 left in the opening period.

Megan Wenig (Jr. • Oshkosh) drove for a lay-in and Megan Lund (Sr. • Reedsville) buried a three-point shot to pull UW-Oshkosh to within 17-9. UW-Eau Claire took advantage of a trio of UW-Oshkosh turnovers with successive Halama baskets to stretch its advantage to 25-11 at the 8:28 mark. The Blugolds then went back to their inside game, getting two hoops apiece from Halama and Plendl to take a 34-21 lead to intermission.

The margin remained in the teens for the majority of the second half. Katie Kitzke (Jr. • South Milwaukee) swished a jumper and a three-pointer in one minute to make it 41-28. After another Kitzke basket and Nichole Paisar’s (Fr. • Leopolis) deep conversion, the Titans trailed 44-33 with 10 minutes remaining.

UW-Oshkosh (7-13/1-10 WIAC) registered seven of its final 13 points on free throws. Wenig and Sarah Stecker (So. • Menasha) each sank a pair before Kitzke drilled three foul shots with a lay-up in between.

Kitzke counted 15 points and Wenig 11 to lead UW-Oshkosh in scoring. Both players led the Titans with five rebounds. UW-Oshkosh also received six points and two rebounds from Heather Conroy (Fr. • Wisconsin Dells) and five points from Stecker.

UW-Oshkosh shot 36.2 percent (17-47) from the field and 90.9 percent (10-11) from the free-throw line. The Titans made five of their 12 three-point shots for 41.7 percent accuracy.

UW-Eau Claire shot 48 percent (28-58) from the field, 45.5 percent (5-11) behind the three-point arc and 58.3 percent (7-12) from the free-throw line. The Blugolds won the rebounding battle, 34-28, while committing just 10 turnovers. UW-Oshkosh turned the basketball over 17 times.

UW-Oshkosh continues its five-game road swing at UW-Superior on Saturday (Feb. 4).

UW-La Crosse posted a double-digit rebounding advantage and allowed just 25.9 percent (14-54) field goal shooting to earn a 67-48 win over the UW-Oshkosh women's basketball team on Saturday (Jan. 28) in La Crosse.

Kassie Robinson scored season-high 20 points and contributed three blocked shots on the defensive end for UW-La Crosse. The Eagles (14-5/7-3 WIAC) also benefitted from the 10 points and five rebounds from Briana Radowicz, nine points and nine rebounds from Mallory Cramer and five points, eight rebounds and four assists from Katie Ehlen.

UW-Oshkosh (7-12/1-9 WIAC) was led by the 13 points and three assists from Megan Wenig (Jr. • Oshkosh), 10 points, two rebounds and three steals from Katie Kitzke (Jr. • South Milwaukee) and four points and five rebounds from Heather Conroy (Fr. • Wisconsin Dells).

Never trailing in the contest, the Eagles got their first six points from Robinson. UW-Oshkosh came back with three-point baskets by Alicia Tollefson (Fr. • Crystal Falls, Mich.) and Wenig to get an 8-6 deficit. Kelsey Myklebust (Sr. • Wisconsin Dells) later earned a lay-up to pull the Titans to within 15-14.

Robinson converted an inside bucket to start a string of 12 straight points for UW-La Crosse. Alyssa Streck made a long-range jumper, and Cramer hit a lay-up to give the Eagles a 27-14 lead with 4:03 left in the first half.

UW-La Crosse owned a 31-21 lead at halftime and came out firing in the second period. Robinson tallied two field goals, turning one into a three-point play. A Radowicz three-point basket later extended the Eagles' lead to 43-25.

Kitzke accounted for two three-point baskets midway through the second half, but the Titans had five empty possessions in between. Wenig eventually swished four consecutive shots at the foul line to make it a 57-39 deficit with 6:02 remaining.

UW-Oshkosh retrieved 36 rebounds and committed 15 turnovers. The Titans shot 26.7 percent (4-15) behind the three-point arc and 80 percent (16-20) from the free-throw line.

UW-La Crosse registered shooting percentages of 44.4 (24-54) from the field, 42.9 (3-7) behind the three-point line and 50 percent (16-32) from the free-throw stripe. The Eagles grabbed 49 rebounds and turned the basketball over 16 times.

UW-Oshkosh visits UW-Eau Claire on Wednesday (Feb. 1) for the second of five straight road games.

Kim Wellnitz tallied eight of her 23 points in the final 3:12 to give UW-Platteville a 68-63 victory over the UW-Oshkosh women’s basketball team on Wednesday (Jan. 25) in Kolf Sports Center.

The contest was tied at 54 when Wellnitz broke the Titans’ momentum with a three-pointer. She then added another long-range jumper at the 1:04 mark to stretch UW-Platteville’s lead to 64-58. The Pioneers (8-11/4-6 WIAC) drained four free throws to close out the game.

Katie Kitzke (Jr. • South Milwaukee) led three UW-Oshkosh (7-11/1-8 WIAC) players who tallied career-high scoring totals. Kitzke marked 21 points and six rebounds, while Heather Conroy (Fr. • Wisconsin Dells) posted 13 points and Nichole Paisar (Fr. • Leopolis) 12. The Titans shot 59 percent (16-27) during the second half to come back and take their first lead in 32 minutes.

As UW-Oshkosh opened the night with 1-for-9 shooting, the Pioneers amassed a 14-3 lead. Ashley Henry supplied her team’s first seven points, with Jordan Johnson booking the next five.

The margin remained around 10 points for the rest of the first half. UW-Platteville misfired on five straight shots before Wellnitz swished a pair of jumpers to go ahead, 25-13. Conroy and Paisar combined for UW-Oshkosh’s last nine points of the period to pull within 27-22 at halftime.

After allowing eight offensive rebounds during the first 20 minutes, the Titans surrendered just two the rest of the way. An 11-2 scoring run was capped by Alicia Tollefson’s (Fr. • Crystal Falls, Mich.) three-point play to tie the score at 39 with 12:55 remaining.

The game would be deadlocked three more times before the Pioneers grabbed control. Liz Lawinger sank a jumper with the foul, and Henry did the same moments later to gain a 52-50 cushion with 5:15 left.

Henry totaled 17 points and a game-high seven boards, as Lawinger tacked on 11 points and four assists for UW-Platteville. The Pioneers converted 13-of-15 foul shots (87 percent), all in the second half, to go with 42 percent (25-60) shooting and 26-percent deep accuracy (5-19).

The Titans committed 14 turnovers, compared to just nine for the Pioneers. UW-Oshkosh, playing its only home game in a span of 35 days, finished with 48 percent (24-50) shooting, 28-percent marksmanship (5-18) behind the arc and 10-of-16 success (63 percent) on free throws.

A five-game WIAC road trip begins at UW-La Crosse on Saturday (Jan. 28).

Kaitlyn Thill made 3-of-3 shots behind the arc, including one for the lead, during UW-Whitewater’s 70-56 women’s basketball triumph over UW-Oshkosh on Wednesday (Jan. 18) in Whitewater.

The Titans (7-10/1-7 WIAC) held a 45-43 advantage with 13 minutes left before the Warhawks (13-4/5-3 WIAC) posted a 27-9 scoring run to take over. With 10 minutes remaining, Thill buried a triple to go in front, 47-45. Chantel Burg later added two inside hoops as UW-Whitewater stretched the margin to 59-49 with 4:54 to play.

UW-Oshkosh managed 50 percent (23-46) shooting, including 8-of-14 accuracy (57 percent) from deep, but was slowed by 20 turnovers. Megan Wenig (Jr. • Oshkosh) paced the Titans with 17 points, five assists and three rebounds. Kelsey Myklebust (Sr. • Wisconsin Dells) contributed 14 points and Alicia Tollefson (Fr. • Crystal Falls, Mich.) 11 points.

Cortney Kumerow topped four Warhawks in double figures with her 13 points. Thill marked 12 points and four assists, while Burg and Mary Merg each totaled 10 points. UW-Whitewater, which shot 54 percent (26-48) overall, took advantage of five steals by Burg and five boards from Steff Glynn.

The contest featured four ties in the opening 16 minutes. Wenig accounted for seven straight Titan points to gain an early 9-7 lead. UW-Oshkosh then tallied nine unanswered points, using Katie Kitzke’s (Jr. • South Milwaukee) three-ball to go ahead 18-12 at the 11:17 mark.

Facing that six-point deficit, the Warhawks bounced back with a 22-6 streak. Thill started things with a lay-in before Katie Burton nailed a jumper to take the 24-22 lead. Thill counted two triples before halftime to make it a 34-26 margin.

Tollefson swished a pair of three-pointers during the second half to tie the score at 39. After a few minutes where both teams struggled to convert, Nichole Paisar (Fr. • Leopolis) connected from downtown and Wenig followed with a triple to gain the 45-43 cushion.

The Warhawks held a 10-point advantage at the foul line after hitting 12-of-16 attempts (75 percent), compared to the Titans’ 2-of-6 success (33 percent). UW-Whitewater sank six of its 15 long-range tries (40 percent) to capture its seventh straight victory.

UW-Oshkosh returns home to face UW-Platteville on Wednesday (Jan. 25) in Kolf Sports Center.

UW-Oshkosh made a season-high 11 three-pointers to bring down the UW-Stout women's basketball team, 74-61, on Saturday (Jan. 14) in Menomonie.

Megan Wenig (Jr. • Oshkosh) paced the Titans (7-9/1-6 WIAC) to their first conference win of the season by tying a career best with 23 points. Wenig converted on seven of her 13 shots from the field, including 5-of-10 attempts behind the three-point arc. She also dished out four assists and grabbed two rebounds.

Katie Kitzke (Jr. • South Milwaukee) added 18 points, including four three-point baskets, and four rebounds, while Kelsey Myklebust (Sr. • Wisconsin Dells) contributed nine points and four rebounds. The Titans also received six points and six rebounds from Heather Conroy (Fr. • Wisconsin Dells) and five points, four rebounds and three assists from Alicia Tollefson (Fr. • Crystal Falls, Mich.).

During the game’s opening nine minutes, all of the Titans' field goals came from three-point range. Four different players swished a long jumper, as Wenig’s hoop put UW-Oshkosh in front 14-10 with 12:28 on the clock.

UW-Stout (4-12/0-7 WIAC) turned up the defense and converted eight free throws to come back. A jumper and foul shot by Shannon Campbell gave the Blue Devils a 25-21 lead. UW-Oshkosh then scored nine unanswered points and used Shelby Serafin’s (Fr. • Amherst) jump shot to go ahead, 30-25.

There were seven lead changes in the first half, and the Titans took a 34-28 lead to intermission. Wenig and Kitzke stretched that difference with two more three-point baskets to give UW-Oshkosh a 40-31 lead with 17:16 left.

A traditional three-point play from Kayla Windt started a 10-0 scoring run for UW-Stout. Following consecutive jumpers by Whitney Rawdon, Windt sank one attempt at the charity stripe to give the Blue Devils a 41-40 advantage with 11:39 to go.

Wenig responded with a mid-range jumper and a three-point basket to put the Titans back on top. UW-Oshkosh outscored the home squad, 13-1, during a four-minute span to take control. Kitzke capped the scoring run with a three-point basket to extend the Titan lead to 53-42 with 7:44 remaining.

After another Kitzke three-point basket with 4:05 on the clock, the Titans led by 10-plus points the rest of the way.

Rawdon scored 11 points and grabbed nine rebounds for UW-Stout, while Ronnie Moltzau added 12 points and two steals and Katelynne Folkers 10 points, four rebounds and three assists.

UW-Oshkosh, which won in Menomonie for the first time since the 2002-03 season, finished the game shooting 41.3 percent (19-46) from the field. The Titans posted a 38-26 rebounding advantage while shooting 50 percent (11-22) behind the three-point arc and 86.2 percent (25-29) from the free-throw line.

UW-Stout compiled shooting percentages of 38.6 (17-44) from the field and 59 (23-39) from the free-throw line. The Blue Devils made just four of their 14 (28.6 percent) three-point shots.

UW-Oshkosh has its next contest at UW-Whitewater on Wednesday (Jan. 18).

Callie Halama’s 11 rebounds and Ellen Plendl’s seven blocks helped UW-Eau Claire come away with a 52-47 women’s basketball win over UW-Oshkosh on Wednesday (Jan. 11) in Kolf Sports Center. The Blugolds (13-3/6-1 WIAC) entered the night ranked 25th in the NCAA Division III by D3hoops.com.

The frontcourt duo impacted the outcome, as Halama scored a game-high 17 points and Plendl marked 10 points and nine rebounds. UW-Eau Claire posted a 43-32 edge in boards for the contest.

Plendl and Halama converted five straight free throws, following two offensive rebounds, to go ahead 50-37 with 4:39 remaining. The Titans (6-9/0-6 WIAC) then rallied with 10 unanswered points to make it a three-point margin. Kelsey Myklebust (Sr. • Wisconsin Dells) counted three foul shots to pull within 50-47 with 31 seconds left.

Nicole Christianson iced the victory with two shots at the charity stripe. Christianson totaled nine points and six rebounds for the Blugolds, who made 14-of-19 free throws (74 percent). UW-Eau Claire added 35 percent (18-52) overall shooting, including 33 percent from long range (2-6).

Both teams struggled to score early on, with just five total points in five minutes. UW-Oshkosh made 1-of-10 field goals before Katie Kitzke (So. • South Milwaukee) converted inside to pull within one (6-5). The Titans later tied the score at 10 on a lay-in by Shelby Serafin (Fr. • Amherst) at the eight-minute mark.

Down 17-14, the Blugolds went on a 25-8 scoring run over the next 12 minutes. Halama registered the last seven UW-Eau Claire points before halftime to gain a 24-23 lead. At the buzzer, Megan Wenig (Jr. • Oshkosh) nailed a half-court shot to close the period with a bang.

The visitors continued to roll, posting a 15-2 advantage to open the second half. Courtney Lewis finished a three-point play and Christianson buried a triple to make it 35-23. The Titans hit their first shot of the period after 6:42 had elapsed.

Kitzke sank a lay-up with the foul to obtain a 41-31 deficit at the 11:32 mark. Consecutive jumpers by Alicia Tollefson (Fr. • Crystal Falls, Mich.) and Ashley Winterfeldt (Jr. • Hortonville) then made it 45-37 before UW-Eau Claire extended its cushion.

The Titans compiled 31 percent (16-51) shooting, including 42 percent (5-12) behind the arc, and 10-of-16 accuracy (63 percent) at the foul line. Kitzke topped the squad with 12 points, as Myklebust gained 10 points, eight rebounds and three steals.

UW-Oshkosh plays seven of its next eight games on the road, beginning at UW-Stout on Saturday (Jan. 14).

Rachael Salata scored six points in the final 99 seconds as UW-La Crosse earned a 63-54 triumph over the UW-Oshkosh women’s basketball team on Saturday (Jan. 7) in Kolf Sports Center.

UW-La Crosse (11-3/4-1 WIAC) outscored UW-Oshkosh (6-8/0-5 WIAC) by a 14-4 margin to end the game. Down 50-49, Kassie Robinson sank two free throws to give the Eagles the lead. Salata then drilled a three-point shot to give UW-La Crosse a 54-50 advantage. The Eagles sealed their win by making 9-of-10 free throws. The Titans had four turnovers and three missed field goal attempts in the Eagles' game-ending scoring run.

Robinson totaled 16 points, seven rebounds and four assists for UW-La Crosse. The Eagles also received 12 points, 13 rebounds and five steals from Katie Ehlen, 12 points and five rebounds from Salata and 10 points and three steals from Briana Radowicz.

UW-Oshkosh got an impressive performance from Megan Wenig (Jr. • Oshkosh), who scored 19 points, grabbed five rebounds and dished off five assists. Wenig had the shot of the game as she banked in a first-half underarm shot from 35-feet out with one second left on the shot clock. The three-point basket was one of four made by Wenig in the contest.

The Titans also acquired eight points and 12 rebounds from Kelsey Myklebust (Sr. • Wisconsin Dells), eight points from Katie Kitzke (So. • South Milwaukee) and five points and one assist from Nichole Paisar (Fr. • Leopolis).

The two squads were separated by five points or less for the first 38 minutes of play. Following ties at 6, 11 and 13, the Titans mounted an 8-2 scoring run to pull ahead. Wenig finished off a three-point play and Kitzke made two free throws to give UW-Oshkosh a 21-16 lead. The Titans went to intermission with a 28-27 advantage.

UW-La Crosse went up early in the second half and fought off numerous UW-Oshkosh advances. Robinson and Mallory Cramer each made a basket to give the visitors a 35-30 lead. UW-Oshkosh answered with eight of the next 10 points, using two Melissa Franken (So. • St. Francis) foul shots to take a 38-37 lead with 10:28 left.

For a span of six minutes, the Titans missed all six of their shots while making four free throws. UW-Oshkosh's defense held UW-La Crosse scoreless during that span as the Titans tied the score at 47 with 3:18 remaining. Wenig then drained her fourth three-point shot to give UW-Oshkosh its final lead at 50-49.

UW-Oshkosh shot 37 percent (17-46) from the field and 77.8 (14-18) from the free-throw line. The Titans made 6-of-15 (40 percent) three-point shots while grabbing 36 rebounds and committing 24 turnovers.

UW-La Crosse shot 37.3 percent (22-59) from the field, 12.5 (2-16) behind the three-point arc and 63 (17-27) from the free-throw stripe. The Eagles collected 38 rebounds, including 17 on the offensive end, and committed 11 turnovers.

UW-Oshkosh has its third straight home game when it battles UW-Eau Claire on Wednesday (Jan. 11) in Kolf Sports Center.

UW-Superior had five players score at least nine points during its 74-66 women’s basketball win over UW-Oshkosh on Wednesday (Jan. 4) in Kolf Sports Center.

The Yellowjackets (8-5/2-3 WIAC) were guided by Hailey Hart, who tallied 12 points, 10 rebounds and five assists. UW-Superior also received 16 points and five rebounds from Sally Linzmeier, 15 points and seven rebounds from Bri Davis, 13 points from Connie Urmanski and nine points from Carly Chell.

UW-Superior got its first victory in Oshkosh on 50.9 percent (29-57) shooting from the field, including 46.7 (7-15) behind the three-point arc. The Yellowjackets made 9-of-14 free throws, collected 30 rebounds and committed just eight turnovers.

UW-Superior dominated the opening 15 minutes and the final 15 minutes of the contest. Hitting 5-of-6 shots to start the game, the Yellowjackets took an 18-9 lead on two jumpers from Davis. She then sank two inside shots to put UW-Superior in front 27-14 with eight minutes left in the first half.

Trailing 35-22, UW-Oshkosh (6-7/0-4 WIAC) showed life by scoring 12 unanswered points. Megan Wenig (Jr. • Oshkosh) and Katie Kitzke (Jr. • South Milwaukee) made back-to-back three-point shots to pull the Titans within 35-34. Hillary Peterson then sank a jump shot at the horn to give UW-Superior a three-point halftime margin.

Nichole Paisar’s (Fr. • Leopolis) three-point basket and Kelsey Myklebust’s (Sr. • Wisconsin Dells) lay-in gave UW-Oshkosh its first lead at 43-42. The Yellowjackets responded with a 17-4 scoring run to go up for good. Hart converted two baskets and a free throw to stretch the Yellowjackets' lead to 61-51 with nine minutes remaining.

UW-Superior’s lead never shrunk below seven points (67-60) as it extended its winning streak to a school-record tying four games. It was just the Yellowjackets third win over UW-Oshkosh in 59 meetings.

Wenig made all eight of her free throws to lead UW-Oshkosh in scoring with 17 points. Kitzke added 15 points and three assists, Myklebust 10 points, six rebounds and three assists and Alicia Tollefson (Fr. • Crystal Falls, Mich.) nine points and three rebounds.

UW-Oshkosh, which made 10 of its last 15 shots from the field in the first half, finished the contest with 44.9 percent (22-49) accuracy. The Titans shot 43.8 percent (7-16) behind the three-point line and 88.2 percent (15-17) from the free-throw stripe. UW-Oshkosh grabbed 28 rebounds and committed 10 turnovers.

UW-Oshkosh welcomes a visit by UW-La Crosse to Kolf Sports Center on Saturday (Jan. 7).

Westminster College (Mo.) allowed just three points in the opening 13 minutes as it notched a 55-41 victory over the UW-Oshkosh women’s basketball team on Friday (Dec. 30) in Waverly, Iowa.

The Blue Jays (7-2) used three-point baskets by Kenna Cornelson, Leigh Ann Lutz and Rachel Backes to take a 15-3 lead after 4:23 of play. The Titans (6-6) were unable to make their second field goal until 6:11 remained in the first half. Westminster College kept a comfortable lead, with its smallest advantage being 43-33 with 8:37 left in the game.

Cornelson and Lutz each scored 13 points for the victors, while Backes tallied 10 points and six rebounds. The Blue Jays also received eight points and nine rebounds from Liz Klaffenbach.

UW-Oshkosh was led by the 17 points, three rebounds and two steals of Katie Kitzke (Jr. • South Milwaukee), 13 points and three rebounds of Megan Wenig (Jr. • Oshkosh) and the two points, six rebounds and two steals of Shelby Sarafin (Fr. • Amherst).

From the 15:37 mark to the 6:29 mark of the first half, the teams combined to miss all 22 of their shots from the field. Lutz ended that scoring drought with a three-pointer and a jumper to put the Blue Jays ahead 20-5. Backes drained another shot behind the three-point arc to give Westminster College a 25-9 advantage at intermission.

UW-Oshkosh found its offensive rhythm during the second half and scored 12 unanswered points. The first six came at the charity stripe, with Wenig converting four attempts. Kitzke and Alicia Tollefson (Fr. • Crystal Falls, Mich.) then buried consecutive three-point shots to cut the Titans' deficit to 35-25 with 14:47 left.

Kitzke recorded a traditional three-point play before her long-distance jump shot pulled the Titans within 43-33. Westminster College posted five field goals after that, while yielding just one in the final eight minutes, to capture the first meeting between these two schools.

UW-Oshkosh shot 19 percent (4-21) from the field in the first half and finished the contest at 26.8 (11-41). The Titans converted 14-of-15 (93.3 percent) free throws and 5-of-16 (27.8 percent) three-point shots. UW-Oshkosh committed 22 turnovers and was outrebounded, 40-34.

Westminster College recorded shooting percentages of 34.5 (20-58) from the field, 60 (9-15) from the free-throw line and 40 (6-15) behind the three-point line. The Blue Jays turned the basketball over 11 times.

UW-Oshkosh returns to conference action against UW-Superior on Wednesday (Jan. 4) in Kolf Sports Center.

Washington University (Mo.) bolted to a 10-0 lead and cruised to a 61-48 women’s basketball win over UW-Oshkosh on Thursday (Dec. 29) in Waverly, Iowa. The Bears, who have won 89 of their last 104 games, entered the contest ranked 10th in the NCAA Division III by D3hoops.com.

Claire Schaeperkoetter and Bethany Morrison each converted an early three-point shot to give Washington University (9-1) a double-digit lead after four minutes of play. Schaeperkoetter finished the contest with a team-high 17 points, including five three-point baskets.

Sarah Stecker (So. • Menasha) and Megan Wenig (Jr. • Oshkosh) were the only UW-Oshkosh players to score in the game’s opening 15 minutes. A three-pointer by Wenig made it a 20-9 deficit with 9:43 on the clock. Washington University then staged a 15-4 scoring run, featuring three three-point baskets by Schaeperkoetter, to take a 35-13 halftime lead.

UW-Oshkosh chipped away with long-range jumpers by Nichole Paisar (Fr. • Leopolis) and Alicia Tollefson (Fr. • Crystal Falls, Mich.) to make it a 41-25 deficit with 14:33 remaining. Down by 20 points, the Titans posted a 14-3 scoring run to make their deficit 53-44 with 3:25 left. Washington University, which captured the 2010 NCAA Division III national title, then scored eight of the next 12 points to seal its fifth straight win.

UW-Oshkosh (6-5) received 18 points and three rebounds from Wenig, 12 points and three rebounds from Stecker and six points and eight rebounds from Kelsey Myklebust (Sr. • Wisconsin Dells).

The Titans shot 28.8 percent (15-52) from the field after shooting just 12.5 percent (3-24) in the first half. UW-Oshkosh made 62.5 percent (15-24) of its free throws and 37.5 percent (3-8) of its three-point shots. The Titans collected 38 rebounds, including 17 on the offensive end, and committed 15 turnovers.

Washington University had two other double-figure scorers in Annie Sayers and Melissa Gilkey. Sayers contributed 15 points and four rebounds, while Gilkey added 10 points, nine rebounds and four blocked shots.

The Bears shot 45.7 percent (21-46) from the field and 76.5 percent (13-17) from the free-throw line. Washington University, which grabbed 34 rebounds and lost the basketball 14 times, made 35.3 percent (6-17) of its three-point shots.

UW-Oshkosh lines up against Westminster College (Mo.) on Friday (Dec. 30) in Waverly, Iowa.

Katie Kitzke’s (Jr. • South Milwaukee) 10-foot runner trickled in at the buzzer to give UW-Oshkosh a 65-63 women’s basketball victory over St. Norbert College on Tuesday (Dec. 20) in Kolf Sports Center.

The Titans tied the score at 63 on the first of Megan Wenig's (Jr. • Oshkosh) two free-throw attempts with 31 seconds remaining. Wenig then retrieved the rebound of her second free throw to set up UW-Oshkosh's winning possession. Following a time out with 12 seconds left, Kitzke drove the lane and tossed up her shot just before the clock expired. The ball circled the rim before falling to end UW-Oshkosh’s four-game losing streak.

In a contest that featured 18 lead changes and nine ties, the squads were even at 57 with 3:23 remaining. Krista Pelky connected from three-point range to put St. Norbert College (7-3) in front. The Titans (6-4) then got two free throws and a three-point play by Kelsey Myklebust (Sr. • Wisconsin Dells) to take a 62-60 advantage. Jamie Kuhl answered with a three-point play to give the Green Knights their one-point margin with 58 seconds left.

Kitzke scored a game-high 17 points, while Wenig totaled nine points and a career-best eight assists. The Titans also received 15 points and five rebounds from Myklebust and 10 points and five rebounds from Nichole Paisar (Fr. • Leopolis).

UW-Oshkosh made 50 percent (21-42) of its shots from the field and 74.1 percent (20-27) of its attempts from the free-throw line. The Titans were 3-of-12 shooting (25 percent) from the three-point area.

Pelky, who tallied all 16 of her points in the second half, led St. Norbert College in scoring. She also grabbed five rebounds and dished off two assists. The Green Knights, who lost for just the 20th time in 115 games, also received 12 points and nine rebounds from Tasha Giese and 10 points and five rebounds from Kuhl.

St. Norbert College finished the game shooting 37.7 percent (23-61) from the field after marking 24.2-percent (8-33) accuracy in the first half. The Green Knights made 14-of-18 (77.8 percent) free throws and 3-of-10 (30 percent) three-point shots. St. Norbert College, a NCAA Division III postseason tournament qualifier the past two seasons, committed just seven turnovers while winning the rebounding battle, 34-32.

UW-Oshkosh opened the game with stifling defense, holding the Green Knights to just 3-of-17 shooting from the field. The Titans went on a 12-2 scoring run to take a 14-7 lead midway through the half. Four different players made a basket during the stretch, including a long-range connection by Paisar.

Giese helped St. Norbert College remain within striking distance. She buried two lay-ups and three free throws to cut the Green Knights' deficit to 23-20 with 1:36 left in the opening half.

St. Norbert College took a 28-27 lead with 17 minutes to play. Pelky increased that advantage to 35-31 with a three-point basket. The game was tight the rest of the way, as Kitzke and Paisar hit clutch three-point bombs to put UW-Oshkosh ahead, 41-39, with 11:38 left.

St. Norbert College played without head coach Connie Tilley, who missed her first game in 35 years at the helm of the women's basketball program - a span of 822 games. Tilley had surgery earlier Tuesday in Green Bay to repair a broken wrist suffered in an icy fall Dec. 10 while on a road trip in Galesburg, Ill.

UW-Oshkosh clashes with 10th-ranked Washington University (Mo.) on Dec. 29 in Waverly, Iowa.

UW-Platteville hit seven straight shots to close the first half and gain a 78-66 women’s basketball victory over UW-Oshkosh on Saturday (Dec. 17) in Platteville.

The Pioneers (5-6/2-2 WIAC) trailed 21-17 with five minutes left in the opening period. UW-Platteville then went on a 16-7 scoring run to go ahead 33-28 at intermission. Kim Wellnitz converted two jump shots before Liz Lawinger sank a pair of lay-ups and a free throw in the final 58 seconds of the opening period.

Wellnitz topped UW-Platteville with 22 points, as Lawinger totaled 19 points, four assists and three steals. Ashley Henry posted 17 points and 10 rebounds for the Pioneers, who shot 46 percent (29-63) from the field and 78.9 percent (15-19) from the free-throw line. UW-Platteville made 5-of-17 (29.4 percent) three-point shots.

UW-Oshkosh (5-4/0-3 WIAC) rebounded from an early 13-9 deficit with a 12-4 scoring run. The streak featured five field goals from five different players, as Ashley Winterfeldt (Jr. • Hortonville) buried a jump shot to give the Titans a 21-17 advantage.

Henry converted a lay-in and jump shot after halftime to put the Pioneers up 37-28. The Titans then went to their outside game, swishing four three-point shots in a span of five minutes. Katie Kitzke (Jr. • South Milwaukee) counted the last two buckets to cut UW-Oshkosh's deficit to 50-43 with 11:05 remaining.

The margin never fell below seven points, and it grew as large as 66-50 when Wellnitz converted inside with 5:17 left. UW-Platteville was successful in the contest because it had just six turnovers, while the Titans committed 14. Claire Poad marked three of the Pioneers’ eight steals.

Megan Wenig (Jr. • Oshkosh) counted a career-high 23 points for the Titans. She also grabbed four rebounds and dished off four assists. The Titans also received 14 points and seven rebounds from Kitzke, nine points from Megan Lund (Sr. • Reedsville) and seven points and five rebounds from Heather Conroy (Fr. • Wisconsin Dells).

UW-Oshkosh marked shooting percentages of 42.9 (24-56) from the field, 44.4 (8-18) behind the three-point line and 55.6 (10-18) from the charity stripe. The Titans lost the rebounding battle, 37-36.

UW-Oshkosh returns to Kolf Sports Center to host St. Norbert College on Tuesday (Dec. 20).

UW-River Falls shot 75 percent (18-24) from the field in the second half to record a 71-44 victory over the UW-Oshkosh women’s basketball team on Saturday (Dec. 10) in Kolf Sports Center. The Falcons (8-0/2-0 WIAC) entered the contest ranked 18th in the NCAA Division III by D3hoops.com.

The Falcons made just 5-of-23 shots (21.7 percent) in the opening 20 minutes, but still managed to post a 23-16 lead at the break. Maranda Dohrn had three baskets as UW-River Falls came out of halftime with an 11-2 scoring run. The Falcons extended their margin to double digits and cruised the rest of the way.

Dohrn, the WIAC’s top rebounder, grabbed 11 boards to go with her game-high 14 points. The Falcons made 24-of-32 free throws (75 percent) while receiving 10 points apiece from Nikki Guhr and Holly Riesselman. UW-River Falls put on a strong defensive effort with 16 steals, including three by Guhr.

After 13 minutes of action, the squads were tied at 8. The teams shot a combined 6-for-30 (20 percent) from the field to begin the contest. UW-River Falls jumped ahead with seven unanswered points, ending with Brittany Gregorich’s three-point play that made it 17-10.

UW-Oshkosh got consecutive three-point baskets by Megan Wenig (Jr. • Oshkosh) and Megan Lund (Sr. • Reedsville) to pull within 34-24 at the 14:19 mark of the second half. Wenig then hit a jumper, got fouled and converted the free throw to cut the Titans' deficit to 40-29.

The Falcons tallied 20 of the next 26 points thanks to their hot shooting. Dohrn drilled four straight foul shots, while Guhr converted a pair of lay-ups. UW-River Falls took a 60-35 advantage on two free throws by Riesselman with 4:26 left.

Never finding their rhythm, the Titans finished with 29.4 percent (15-51) accuracy from the field. They also recorded 28.6 percent (2-7) marksmanship behind the three-point arc and 54.5 percent (12-22) success on free throws.

UW-Oshkosh was led by the eight points and four assists of Katie Kitzke (Jr. • South Milwaukee). The Titans also received seven points and three rebounds from Sarah Stecker (So. • Menasha) and five points, six rebounds and three steals from Heather Conroy (Fr. • Wisconsin Dells). Lund and Nichole Paisar (Fr. • Leopolis) contributed five points each.

The Falcons concluded the game shooting 48.9 percent (23-47) from the field, but were just 16.7 percent (1-6) behind the three-point circle. UW-River Falls tops the WIAC in rebounding, and it captured that category by a 42-31 figure.

The Titans have a road game at UW-Platteville next Saturday (Dec. 17).

Nationally ranked UW-Stevens Point forced 20 turnovers and allowed 26.4-percent shooting en route to a 56-40 victory over the UW-Oshkosh women’s basketball team on Wednesday (Dec. 7) in Kolf Sports Center.

The Pointers (2-0 WIAC), ranked seventh in the NCAA Division III by D3hoops.com, have now won all seven of their games by at least 16 points. Their stifling defense held UW-Oshkosh (5-2/0-1 WIAC) to 14-of-53 accuracy from the field, including 20.7 percent (6-29) during the opening half.

UW-Stevens Point never trailed in the contest. The Pointers led 33-30 and then went on a 16-4 scoring run to take a 49-34 advantage with 4:03 remaining. Ashley Averkamp posted seven points during the streak, while Sam Barber counted four.

Barber recorded four steals and totaled all 12 of her points in the second half. Averkamp paced everyone with 15 points and grabbed six rebounds. UW-Stevens Point, which had 10 turnovers, also used nine points and six rebounds from Brooke Allen.

The game saw just 11 total points scored in the first nine minutes. Brooke drained a three-pointer during the opening 20 seconds to put the Pointers ahead for good. The Titans later made it a 7-6 score on Heather Conroy’s (Fr. • Wisconsin Dells) jumper with 11:07 left in the first period.

UW-Oshkosh went scoreless for the next five minutes, as the Pointers extended their lead to 15-6. Averkamp knocked down back-to-back shots to get that scoring run going. Helping the Titans creep closer, Nichole Paisar (Fr. • Leopolis) connected on two long-distance jumpers to make it 19-16 at intermission.

Allen made another three-point shot early in the second half. Following a pair of baskets by Barber, Alyssa Olp swished a three-pointer to give UW-Stevens Point a 30-22 lead with 14:34 on the clock.

Kelsey Myklebust (Sr. • Wisconsin Dells) topped the Titans with 11 points and nine rebounds, while Katie Kitzke (Jr. • South Milwaukee) tallied nine points and three assists. Paisar also had six points and seven boards for UW-Oshkosh, which earned a win in the rebounding column, 43-35.

UW-Stevens Point nailed 51.6 percent (16-31) of its shots during the second half to finish at 41.4 percent (24-58). The Pointers hit 4-of-18 three-pointers (22.2 percent) and 4-of-7 free throws (57.1 percent). UW-Oshkosh countered with 25 percent (4-16) accuracy beyond the three-point arc and 57.1 percent (8-14) efficiency at the foul line.

The Titans meet another undefeated squad when they host UW-River Falls on Saturday (Dec. 10) in Kolf Sports Center.

Lindsey Brenneman scored 16 points and made the game-clinching free throws as Wheaton College (Ill.) gained a 61-58 win over the UW-Oshkosh women’s basketball team on Saturday (Dec. 3) in Kolf Sports Center.

Leading 59-58 in the final minute, the Thunder committed a turnover. UW-Oshkosh (5-1) then had a chance to go ahead but also turned the ball over. Brenneman was fouled with two seconds remaining and knocked down the foul shots to clinch Wheaton College’s third straight win over the Titans.

The second half featured 13 lead changes in a span of nine minutes. The Titans were up at the break and held a 36-30 lead at the 18:33 mark. Elisabeth Potts then went on a 7-0 scoring run of her own, nailing three field goals, to give the Thunder (3-3) a 37-36 advantage.

Kelsey Myklebust (Sr. • Wisconsin Dells) then drained four jump shots, with her second bucket giving UW-Oshkosh a 45-44 advantage with 9:26 left. The lead exchanged hands four more times before Wheaton College went in front for good at 50-49 with 7:38 to play.

Maris Hovee posted a lay-up to stretch the Thunder’s margin to 57-52. It was Hovee’s only field goal, but she contributed nine rebounds, seven assists and three steals. Lauren Graham paced Wheaton College with 20 points, while Brenneman tacked on 16 points and Potts nine rebounds.

UW-Oshkosh started the contest hitting 11 of its first 13 shots from the field. The Titans went on a 12-1 scoring run, highlighted by deep jumpers from Katie Kitzke (Jr. • South Milwaukee) and Nichole Paisar (Fr. • Leopolis), to take a 28-14 lead midway through the opening half.

Brenneman kept Wheaton College in the game by scoring nine points in the last eight minutes of the first period. The Titans saw their lead shrink to single digits, as they turned the ball over three times in four possessions. Graham sank a hoop with 29 seconds left on the clock to trim the Wheaton College deficit to 34-26 at intermission.

Kitzke scored 17 points and Myklebust 13 to lead UW-Oshkosh. Heather Conroy (Fr. • Wisconsin Dells) contributed eight points and six rebounds and Paisar eight points and five rebounds for the Titans.

UW-Oshkosh finished the game shooting 44.7 percent (21-47) from the field. The Titans, who captured the rebounding battle, 34-29, shot 38.5 percent (5-13) behind the three-point line and 64.7 percent (11-17) from the free-throw stripe.

Wheaton College benefitted from the Titans’ 17 turnovers, while committing just nine of its own. The Thunder struggled at the foul line with 52.6-percent (10-19) accuracy, but they succeeded on 44.2 percent (23-52) of their field-goal and 33.3 percent (5-15) of their three-point attempts.

UW-Oshkosh begins conference play by hosting undefeated UW-Stevens Point on Wednesday (Dec. 7) in Kolf Sports Center.

UW-Oshkosh held its sixth straight opponent below 36-percent shooting to record a 67-57 victory over the Loras College (Iowa) women’s basketball team on Saturday (Nov. 26) in Kolf Sports Center.

The Titans are now 5-0, with all their wins coming by at least nine points. UW-Oshkosh held the Duhawks (3-2) to 16-of-48 accuracy from the field for 33 percent. After leading 28-24 at halftime, the Titans marked the first 10 points of the second period to pull away for good.

Katie Kitzke (Jr. • South Milwaukee) buried a three-pointer just 19 seconds into the final half to take a 31-24 advantage. Following a pair of Megan Wenig (Jr. • Oshkosh) free throws, Kitzke again connected from downtown – while getting fouled. The four-point play made it 37-24, and UW-Oshkosh was up by nine-plus points the rest of the way.

The Titans achieved their largest margin after Wenig tallied four points and Kelsey Myklebust (Sr. • Wisconsin Dells) booked a lay-up for a 54-34 cushion with 8:11 left. Loras College later pulled within 62-53 after four different players contributed during a 9-0 scoring spurt.

UW-Oshkosh took control in the first eight minutes of play, as Myklebust swished three jump shots for a 10-7 lead. Kitzke finished off a three-point play to make it 15-7 with 12:20 on the first-half clock.

Melissa Herrmann posted seven quick points as the Duhawks clawed back. She knocked down three foul shots and two lay-ups to put Loras ahead, 21-19. Kitzke then responded with a hoop in the lane and a jumper to put UW-Oshkosh up for good.

Kitzke topped all players with 19 points and three steals, while Wenig notched 17 points and four assists. UW-Oshkosh also benefitted from 12 points and three rebounds by Myklebust.

The Titans continued their strong free-throw accuracy by sinking 24-of-28 attempts (86 percent). They compiled 44 percent shooting overall (20-45), including 3-of-10 accuracy behind the arc (30 percent). UW-Oshkosh committed 15 turnovers to the Duhawks’ total of 17.

Loras College prevailed in the rebounding category, 30-29. The visitors also took advantage of the foul line with 88-percent efficiency (22-25). Lindsey LaBadie paced her squad with totals of 14 points, six rebounds and three assists. The Duhawks connected on three of their 13 tries from long range (23 percent).

UW-Oshkosh welcomes Wheaton College (Ill.) to Kolf Sports Center on Saturday (Dec. 3).

Megan Wenig (Jr. • Oshkosh) hit 10 free throws and tallied a career-high 22 points in UW-Oshkosh’s 71-55 victory over the Ripon College women’s basketball team on Tuesday (Nov. 22) in Ripon.

The Titans opened the season 4-0 for the first time since 2004. Wenig added five assists for UW-Oshkosh, which hit 53 percent (19-36) of its field goals and 50 percent of its three-point tries (8-16). Kate Kitzke (Jr. • South Milwaukee) tacked on 19 points for the Titans.

Leading the entire game, UW-Oshkosh opened the night with a deep jumper from Kelsey Myklebust (Sr. • Wisconsin Dells). Wenig and Ripon College’s (0-3) Erin Lind then traded three-pointers to make it 8-7.

The Red Hawks would pull within 10-9 before the Titans took over. UW-Oshkosh marked 14 of the next 16 points, forcing Ripon to miss five straight shots. Kitzke, Wenig and Heather Conroy (Fr. • Wisconsin Dells) each made two foul shots to give their squad a 24-11 lead at the 6:42 mark.

The Titans booked the final eight points of the half and held Ripon scoreless for 4:44. Kitzke connected on a two-point jumper and a three-point attempt. Wenig then drained three at the charity stripe for a 34-14 halftime cushion.

With the margin in double digits for the last 27:06, the Red Hawks got as close as 58-48 with 4:48 remaining. That score came after Lind drilled consecutive jumpers and Sia Gonyo buried a three-pointer.

UW-Oshkosh clinched the contest with free throws, where they finished 25-of-30 for 83 percent accuracy. The Titans dominated the rebounding battle (36-21) while receiving seven points, seven rebounds and two steals from Conroy.

The charity stripe hurt Ripon, as it sank just 12-of-26 opportunities (46 percent). The Red Hawks also compiled 36 percent (20-56) shooting, including 25 percent behind the arc (3-12). Lind paced the team with 14 points and seven rebounds, while Gonyo totaled 10 points and Brittany Johnson three steals.

The Titans have their home opener against Loras College (Iowa) on Saturday (Nov. 26).

UW-Oshkosh scored the first 17 points of the game and rolled to a 68-49 victory over the Finlandia University (Mich.) women’s basketball team on Saturday (Nov. 19) in Stevens Point.

The Titans (3-0) did not allow a score until 6:16 into play. Meanwhile, six different players got in the UW-Oshkosh box score. Megan Wenig (Jr. • Oshkosh) finished off a three-point play to make it 7-0. A few plays later, Sarah Stecker (So. • Menasha) buried a lay-up and jump shot to make it 15-0 with 14:37 on the clock.

A trio of mid-range buckets stretched the margin to 26-5 midway through the opening half. UW-Oshkosh then swished five free throws and got a Nichole Paisar (Fr. • Leopolis) three-pointer to lead at the break, 36-9.

After shooting 4-for-25 in the first period, Finlandia (0-3) booked 44 percent accuracy during the second. The Lions’ big spurt featured 12 unanswered points to pull within 54-31. Megan Turunen capped the streak with consecutive triples at the 10:10 mark.

Marissa Burke added some positives for Finlandia by tallying a steal, two lay-ups and two hoops behind the arc during the last four minutes. Her fast-break score with 41 seconds remaining brought the deficit under 19 points. Burke finished with a team-high 13 points, in addition to eight rebounds.

Katie Kitzke (Jr. • South Milwaukee) paced all players with 16 points. The Titans also received 10 points and four assists from Wenig. UW-Oshkosh, which shot 45 percent overall, got a productive nine points, six rebounds and six steals by Heather Conroy (Fr. • Wisconsin Dells). The victors also totaled 2-of-6 long-range shooting (33 percent) and 20-of-27 free throw accuracy (74 percent).

Finlandia compiled 32 percent shooting from the field, including 35 percent (8-23) from three-point range. The Lions also made three of their five foul shots (60 percent). Shaikiera Armstrong recorded a double-double with her 10 points and 10 rebounds.

The Titans, who are 3-0 for the second straight year, won the turnover battle by a 15-20 margin and the rebounding category by a 42-30 figure.

The weekend games with Alverno College and Finlandia University were part of the UW-Stevens Point Tip-Off Classic. Both Kitzke and Wenig were named to the All-Tournament Team.

UW-Oshkosh concludes its four-game road trip at Ripon College on Tuesday (Nov. 22).

UW-Oshkosh held Alverno College to 23-percent shooting during a 56-37 women’s basketball victory on Friday (Nov. 18) in Stevens Point.

The Titans (2-0) jumped out to an early 6-0 advantage and led by double digits for the final 22 minutes. Alverno College (1-1) knocked down 12 of its 52 field goal attempts for the game, including 1-of-11 three-point tries during the opening half.

Kelsey Myklebust (Sr. • Wisconsin Dells) started things with two buckets in the first three minutes. The Inferno kept things close with a pair of jump shots from Kayla Kennedy. With 13 minutes left in the period, Hannah Galstad sank a lay-up to tie the score at 8.

The Titans broke away with a 15-2 scoring run. The first five hoops of the sequence came from five different players, as Katie Kitzke’s (Jr. • South Milwaukee) three-pointer made it 21-10. Amanda Crahan (Fr. • Bancroft) buried another triple before the break for a 26-12 margin.

A defensive battle kept the lead between 10 and 14 points until the final five minutes. UW-Oshkosh upped its cushion to 32-19 with a long-range jumper by Megan Lund (Sr. • Reedsville). Myklebust added three free throws later for a 39-25 lead at the 6:49 mark.

The Titans converted seven more free throws, stretching their margin to as much as 20 points. They finished 14-of-18 at the charity stripe (78 percent), to go along with 40 percent shooting from the field and 31 percent accuracy from deep (4-13).

UW-Oshkosh, which posted a commanding 47-28 edge in rebounds, used a balanced scoring attack. Kitzke and Myklebust each posted nine points, while Heather Conroy (Fr. • Wisconsin Dells) marked eight and Megan Wenig (Jr. • Oshkosh) seven. Conroy paced all players with eight boards and Wenig topped the squad with three assists.

Alicia Kontowski totaled 10 points and four assists for the Inferno. Nine points apiece came from Kennedy and Jamie Hoernke, as Alyssa Jensen pulled down five rebounds. Alverno College finished with 10-of-17 success (59 percent) at the foul line and 3-of-17 marksmanship behind the arc (18 percent).

The Titans match up with Finlandia University (Mich.) on Saturday (Nov. 19).

UW-Oshkosh shot 67 percent (16-24) in the second half to pull away for a 65-56 women’s basketball victory over Lawrence University on Tuesday (Nov. 15) in Appleton. The contest was the season opener for both squads.

Katie Kitzke (Jr. • South Milwaukee) led the Titans with 18 points, eight assists and three steals. Megan Wenig (Jr. • Oshkosh) was next in line with 16 points and five assists, while Heather Conroy (Fr. • Wisconsin Dells) paced the squad with eight rebounds. UW-Oshkosh captured its season opener for the third straight year.

The Vikings dominated the first five minutes, grabbing a 6-0 lead on Presley Neuman’s jumper. Responding with seven unanswered points, the Titans went in front. Wenig hit a mid-range shot before Nichole Paisar (Fr. • Leopolis) drained a three-pointer to make it 6-5.

Lawrence University increased its margin to 15-9 with a pair of buckets from Alex Deshler. Again, the Titans responded. Their 8-0 scoring run featured back-to-back triples by Kitzke and Megan Lund (Sr. • Reedsville). UW-Oshkosh took the lead for good at 18-17 with 6:15 left in the first half.

The Titans were up, 29-26, at intermission. With the cushion at 49-44, Wenig converted a three-point play. Kelsey Myklebust (Sr. • Wisconsin Dells) then finished off the string of nine consecutive points with a lay-up. UW-Oshkosh went in front, 58-44, with 3:42 remaining and led by eight-plus points the rest of the way.

Hitting 16-of-19 two-pointers during the closing period, the Titans finished with 51 percent (26-51) accuracy from the field. They made 4-of-17 tries from long range (24 percent) and 9-of-14 attempts (64 percent) at the foul line.

Lawrence University got a strong showing from Deshler, who totaled 12 points, 11 rebounds, five assists and five steals. The home squad was led by the 17 points from Amber Lisowe. Struggling from the field at 34.3 percent (23-67), the Vikings added 31 percent (4-13) accuracy from deep and 60 percent (6-10) effectiveness on free throws.

UW-Oshkosh plays Alverno College on Friday (Nov. 18) in Stevens Point.