Grinnell College is known as the three point shooting team in Division III. Unfortunately, the novelty didn't work as UW-Whitewater blew past the defenseless Pioneers 134-95 in the Commercial Bank Thanksgiving Classic Saturday in Whitewater, Wisconsin.
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Grinnell's strategy worked, for the first nine minutes. The Pioneers led up to the first tie of the game since 2-2, at 30-30 at 12:15. Whitewater used its own scoring prowess to run off a 17-2 run to lead 47-32 with 8:12 left in the first half. UW-W led 67-50 at the half.
The Warhawks blitzed Grinnell again in the second half, blowing up a 74-59 lead into a 97-61 lead with a 23-2 run with DJ Dantzler (Joliet, IL/Joilet Township West) scoring nine. Eventually Whitewater went up by 45, 118-73 with 6:17 left.
UW-W had a season high (a phrase that applies to almost everything in this game) six players score in double figures. Dantzler scored a season high 28 points to lead UW-W, with Dustin Mitchell (Lac Du Flambeau/Lakeland) adding 25, Alex Edmunds (Cedarburg/Cedarburg) 17, Luke Knoble (Boscobel/Boscobel) 14, and Nolan Free (Sheboygan/North) 13. Free, a freshman guard, also led both teams with 11 rebounds, his first collegiate double-double. Lucas Burns (Janesville/Craig) was number six, scoring 12 for UW-W. Phil Negri (Minocgua/Lakeland) dished out eight assists.
UW-W ruled the boards 50-35. Grinnell was whistled for 35 fouls, which put UW-W at the line to make 32-39. Grinnell was 8-14 from the line. Whitewater attempted 66 field goals, just four from beyond the arc. Grinnell attempted 66 three pointers and 96 shots overall.
There were numerous entries in the UW-Whitewater record book, or list of "last time it happened".
* UW-W points scored, 134 tops the 132 vs. MSOE in November 1983
* Largest combined score, 229 tops the 224 with Concordia University in January 1988
* UW-W field goal percentage, .773 tops the .727 versus UW-Milwaukee December 1984
* UW-W tied for third with 51 field goals made
* UW-W tied for tenth with 32 free throws made
* UW-W tied for tenth with 30 assists
* Most threes made by an opponent 21, Grinnell held the former mark of 17 in December 2006
- Last time UW-W scored 100 points was 100 vs. Rockford College December 2007
- Last time shot over 60% in a game, .655 vs. UW-Stout January 2008
- Last time 50 or more rebounds in a game, 55 vs. UW-Superior January 2008
- Last time 30 assists in a game, 37 vs. Grinnell December 2006
- Last time an opponent made 10 or more threes, 14 by Wisconsin Lutheran November 2008
Grinnell had the leading scorer in the game, guard Matt Skelly with 30. Skelly made 8-15 threes. Griffin Lentsch contributed 18 points for the only other double figure scorer for Grinnell. Scott Kaitz handed out six assists for the Pioneers, tied with teammate Matt Chalupa. Chalupa led both teams with four steals.
UW-W is 4-0 overall and Grinnell is 1-4.
UW-Whitewater will open the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference season December 2 at UW-La Crosse. The next home game for the Warhawks will be December 9 at 7:00 with UW-Stevens Point in Kachel Gym in Williams Center.
For additional information: Pat Miller, UW-W coach
