Box Score A record three point shooting exhibition propelled UW-Whitewater to 92-55 win over UW-Superior Tuesday night in a Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament first round game at Kachel Gym in Williams Center in Whitewater.  UW-W, ranked twenty-third in the national Division III poll, advances to the second round Thursday at 7:00 where the Warhawks, 21-5 and the number three seed in the WIAC tourney, will face UW-Eau Claire, the number two seed and sixteenth in the national poll with a 20-5 record, in Eau Claire.

Photo Gallery (courtesy of Leah Thyne and Pazy Yang; all photos are for sale)

The Warhawks set the tone in the first couple of minutes, rolling to a 13-2 lead on Mary Merg (Greendale/Greendale)'s three pointer at 16:33.  Emily Bestor (North Fond du Lac/Horace Mann) hit a three-pointer, making Whitewater 6-6 on three point field goal attempts, to put UW-W up 23-10 at the 12:17 mark.  With the lead 27-14 Whitewater ran off ten straight to increase the margin to 37-14 as Kaitlyn Thill (Belgium/Ozaukee) hit a pair of free throws with 7:13 on the clock.  Leading 39-16 UW-W reeled off another 10-0 and took a 50-18 lead into halftime.

Whitewater cooled off to 7-11on three point attempts, shooting 52% from the field in the half.  Superior shot 30% from the field, and went 2-2 from the line.  UW-W was 11-13 on free throws, and led in the turnover column 10-17 and in rebounding, 21-13.  Merg topped all scorers with ten first half points, and senior forward Chantel Burg (Hartford/Hartford Union) had six assists and five steals. 

The number one scoring team in the WIAC averaging 71.0 points per game, UW-W reached its average on a Sam Quandt (Hayward/Hayward) three point play with 10:47 left, with Whitewater up 72-33.  With the Warhawks leading 72-33, the Yellowjackets put together an 11-0 run to cut the margin under thirty points.  Connie Urmanski's three-pointer made it 72-44 with 6:53 left. 

But there were too many points and not enough time, and UW-W went had the margin back over 30 on the way to the 92-55 final.

Whitewater made 14 of 25 three point field goal attempts, breaking the WIAC Tournament record for three's made, which had been 12 by UW-Stout versus UW-River Falls in a 2000 tourney game.  The 14 made three's also tops the UW-W record, previously 11 accomplished seven times, most recently February 18, 2009 against UW-Oshkosh.  The 25 attempts and .560 accuracy are both Warhawk highs for the 2011-2012 season.

Merg led three Warhawks in double figures, with 18, including 3-3 from beyond the arc.  Jamie Swanson (Fox Lake, IL/Grant Community) added 17 points, 4-6 on three's, and Sam Quandt (Hayward/Hayward) had 10, 1-2 three-pointers.  Bri Davis and Hailey Hart led UW-S with eight point apeice.

UW-Superior ends the season 12-14.

Fourth seeded UW-River Falls, 21-5, defeated number five seed UW-La Crosse 62-55 in the other first round game Tuesday.  UW-RF will travel to league champion and number one seed UW-Stevens Point, 21-4, for a second round game Thursday.  The winners of Thursday's semifinals will meet at the home of the top remaining seed Saturday.


For additional information:  Keri Carollo, UW-W coach