Whitewater managed its second highest output of the season with just one scorer over the twenty point mark, compensating with all starters in double figures in a 91-73 win over the University of Saint Thomas Friday night in a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III tournament first round game at Kachel Gym in Williams Center in Whitewater, Wisconsin. It was the most points given up by Saint Thomas this season, topping the previous high of 77 by Gustavus Adolphus College January 13. Whitewater, 21-7, will face Carthage College, 23-4, in the second round of the regional Saturday at 7:00 in Whitewater. Link to UW-Whitewater Championship Central site.
Box Score
Photo Gallery (courtesy of Tim Gumz)
It was a tale of two halves. The Warhawks and Tommies traded the lead thirteen times in the first half, with a five point margin by Whitewater, 11-6 at 16:30, the largest by either team in the half.
Whitewater came out of the locker room with seven straight points, making it a 9-0 run counting the last basket of the first half, to lead 48-39 with 18:31 left. Saint Thomas bounced back with a 7-0 run, five by sophomore forward Ali Johnson. to put the Tommies in front 61-60. But Whitewater put the pedal down, closing out the final eight minutes with runs of 7-0, 7-0 and ending the game with a 6-0 spurt.
Whitewater scored 14 points off turnovers and 20 points in the paint, while the Tommies combined for ten in those categories. Whitewater also took, and made, more shots from the floor, hitting 35-71 to 27-57 for UST. In that field goal margin Whitewater also had four more threes than UST.
Sophomore forward Chantel Burg (Hartford/Hartford Union) had her best game of the season, combining 17 points and 11 rebounds. For good measure she added five steals and five assists. Senior guard Nicole Bundy (Fredonia/Ozaukee) led all scorers with 25, going 4-7 from beyond the arc and 7-8 from the line. Senior guard Kelsey Hendrickson (Monroe/Monroe) had 15 points a game high eight assists, and freshman center Cortney Kumerow (Bartlett, IL/South Elgin) scored 14, and senior guard Heidi Sonntag (Milwaukee/Wisconsin Lutheran) had 10. Senior guard Sarah Moran (Waukesha/South) came off the bench to grab seven rebounds and dish out five assists.
Saint Thomas was led by junior center Rachel Booth's 19 points and eight rebounds. Johnson scored 16 points and sophomore center Sarah Smith and sophomore guard Jordan Sears contributed 11 and 10, respectively.
Saint Thomas ends the season with a 21-8 mark.
