Box Score UW-Whitewater defeated Millsaps College 83-70 Sunday in the Big Easy Challenge in New Orleans.  UW-W, eighteenth in the D3hoops.com poll, improved to 10-3.  Millsaps is 4-7.

UW-W opened with a 9-0 lead that extended to 13-2 with 17:27 in the first half.  The lead dropped back into single digits, as low as five, 15-10 at 15:07, and 17-12 at 13:28.  From that point the Warhawks ran off a 13-2 advantage to 30-14 lead at 7:39.  UW-W also led by the same margin at 32-16, but Millsaps closed the half with a 12-4 rush to make the score 36-28 going into the lockerrooms.

Whitewater out-scored Millsaps at the line, going 5-8 to 1-2 for the Majors, while Millsaps countered with 3-7 from three point range to 1-8 for the Warhawks.  UW-W senior center Cortney Kumerow (Bartlett, IL/South Elgin) led both teams with 11 points in the half.

Junior guard Katie Burton (Crystal Lake, IL/Crystal Lake South) scored the first basket of the second half to give UW-W its double digit lead back.  With Whitewater leading 47-32 the Majors reeled off nine straight points to close within 47-41 with 13:08 left.  After an exchange of baskets the Warhawks grabbed control of the game, putting 23 points to four for Millsaps over the next five minutes to surge in front 66-47.  Whitewater's lead never dropped below double digits the rest of the way.

Whitewater shot 53% for the game, 57% in the second half.  UW-W went 16-20 at the line, Millsaps 11-14.  The Warhawks also earned a 36-27 advantage on the boards.

Warhawk junior guard Kaitlyn Thill (Belgium/Ozaukee) led both teams with 20 points, 17 coming in the second half.  Thill went 7-9 from the field, including 2-4 behind the arc and 4-5 at the free throw line.  She also had eight of Whitewater's 14 steals, closing within fifteen of the school career record, currently held by her sister, Trisha, who accumulated 269 steals 2004-2008.  Burton added 16 points, going 6-6 from the charity stripe, Kumerow had 15, and freshman guard Abbie Reeves (Salem/Westosha Central) scored 12.  Freshman center Lisa Palmer (Bartlett, IL/Bartlett) led the Warhawks with seven rebounds.  Senior guard Lovie Love scored 14 for Millsaps and freshman backcourt mate Makayla Roberson was also in double figures with 11.  Majors freshman center Miah Brooks took game honors with nine rebounds.

UW-W will return to Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play Saturday, January 5 at UW-River Falls.  The Warhawks' next appearance in Kachel Gym in Williams Center will be January 9, with UW-Platteville in town for a 7:00 tipoff.