Box Score UW-Whitewater, the top offensive team in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference averaging 72 points per game and shooting 44% from the floor, was held to 61 points and 39% shooting by league leader UW-Eau Claire Saturday in Kachel Gym of Williams Center in Whitewater --- but the Warhawks forced the Blugolds into 27% shooting and 26 turnovers as UW-W won 61-41.  The Warhawks are 15-5 overall and 7-4 in the WIAC.  Eau Claire, fourteenth in the D3hoops.com poll, is 16-4 and 9-2.

Photo Gallery (courtesy of Crystal Meyer, available for purchase)

Eau Claire scored the first point of the game, and then Whitewater scored the next eleven to lead 11-1 at 17:05.  Nicole Christianson finally got the Blugolds' first basket at 16:02.  UW-EC pulled within 13-11 at 12:01, and was still within a point, 17-16 after Laura Olson's three-pointer at 9:31, but the Warhawks rebuilt their lead to 35-25, and UW-W led 35-27 going into the lockerrooms.

UW-W shot 52% in the first twenty minutes, UW-EC 33%.  Sophomore guard Mary Merg (Greendale/Greendale), who scored 29 when the teams met in December, led Whitewater with seven points, while Blugold senior center Ellen Plendl led both teams with 12 points, hitting 3-6 shots and all six of her free throw attempts.

Second half, same as the first (apologies to Herman's Hermits).  Whitewater started out 6-0 and Eau Claire scored just one point in the first five minutes of the second half.  With UW-W in front 45-28, Plendl scored the next five points to inch UW-EC closer, 45-33 with 13:57 on the clock.  Whitewater came back, with the help of junior center Cortney Kumerow (Bartlett, IL/South Elgin)'s three point play and a three-pointer from senior guard Emily Bestor (North Fond du Lac/Horace Mann) building a twenty point lead, 53-33 at 12:47.  Whitewater never relinquished its double digit lead.

UW-EC went to the free throw line 22 times, making 13.  UW-W, the top free throw shooting team in the WIAC at 77%, also made 13, out of 16 attempts (81%). 

Whitewater had just two players in double figures, barely, with Kumerow scoring 11 and sophomore guard Katie Burton (Crystal Lake, IL/Crystal Lake South) ten, but four more players scored at least six points and the Warhawk defense took care of the rest.  Sophomore point guard Kaitlyn Thill (Belgium/Ozaukee) dished out four assists and did not have a turnover.  Senior forward Chantel Burg (Hartford/Hartford Union) had a game high four steals.  UW-EC's Plendl earned her league leading fourteenth double double with 19 points, including 9-9 from the line, and 12 rebounds, also leading her team with three steals and six blocked shots.  Plendl, who leads the WIAC and is eighth in Division III at 3.6 blocked shots per game, swatted away six Warhawk shots.

UW-W will host UW-La Crosse Wednesday, February 1 at 7:00 pm in Kachel Gym of Williams Center. 


For additional information:  Keri Carollo, UW-W coach