UW-Whitewater, the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference champion and number one seed in the league's postseason tournament, rode a career high 30 points from senior point guard Kelsey Hendrickson (Monroe/Monroe) to defeat sixth seeded UW-Eau Claire 73-68 in a semifinal game Thursday night at Kachel Gym in Williams Center.  UW-W, 20-6, will host UW-Stevens Point, the number two seed and an 82-74 winner over UW-Stout in the other semifinal Thursday, for the tournament championship on Saturday at 3 p.m.  The women's game will be followed by the men's WIAC tournament championship game, featuring the same two schools at 7 p.m.

box score

photo gallery (courtesy of Tim Gumz)

For a while in the first half it looked like neither team would score.  With UW-W ahead 14-11 at 13:36 the teams went almost three minutes without scoring a point.  The drought was broken by Eau Claire freshman forward Sarah Bingea's layup at 10:44.  Whitewater's largest lead of the first half, 32-25, came at 6:03 of the first half on a three pointer by Kelsey Hendrickson (Monroe/Monroe).   Eau Claire surged back to tie the game 34-34 on a pair of Hannah Mesick free throws at 3:20, and Mesick put the Blugolds ahead 36-34 at 2:20 with a layup.  UW-EC led 38-37 at the half.

The second half was a back and forth affair.  The lead changed hands seven times, and the teams were tied six times.  The last of those ties was 65-65 with 2:26 remaining in the game on the first of two free throws by senior guard Sarah Moran (Waukesha/South).  Moran also made the second, and after an EC turnover freshman center Cortney Kumerow (Bartlett, IL/South Elgin) hit two more free throws to put UW-W in front 68-65 with 1:40 left.  Sarah Moran (Waukesha/South) made a Kumerow steal pay off, hitting a jumper to give UW-W a 70-65 lead with 0:47 on the clock.  Mesick made one of two free throws to cut the margin to 70-66 at 0:31, but Hendrickson came through with two more free throws with 0:29 left to make it 72-66.  The Blugolds had two attempts on their next possesion, but after the second miss a foul put UW-W sophomore forward Chantel Burg (Hartford/Hartford Union) at the line, where she made one of two.  An EC layup with five seconds left ended the scoring.

You have to take a hard look at the stats to see how UW-W managed to pull off the win.  The Blugolds made 55% of their field goals, Whitewater shot just 34%.  The Blugolds had a huge margin on the board, 42-24.  The difference maker was turnovers, where UW-W had a season low seven (previous low was nine at La Crosse February 3) and forced UW-EC into 28.  Among those turnovers, Whitewater also had a season high 18 steals, to just one for the Blugolds.  

Hendrickson's 30 points tops her season high, which was 20 against the Blugolds February 13.  Hendrickson went 8-9 at the line.  Moran added 14 points.  Burg was the game leader with six steals.  Eau Claire was led by Bingea's 20 points, with Mesick adding a double double of 15 points and a game high ten boards.  

UW-Eau Clarie ends the season 10-17.

For additional information:  Keri Carollo, UW-W coach