Box Score WHITEWATER, Wis. - Six Warhawks posted double figures in scoring as UW-Whitewater, ranked third in the latest D3hoops.com poll, topped Illinois Wesleyan 96-79 in their first home game of the season. UW-W is 5-0 and IWU falls to 3-2.

The Titans led three times in the game. The first time was recorded at 18:09 after a 5-0 run gave IWU a 5-3 lead. Mary Merg (Greendale/Greendale) tied the game for the Warhawks in the next Whitewater possession and a jumper for the Titans gave Illinois Wesleyan their second lead. A 7-2 run capped by two Samantha Ellsworth free throws put IWU up 14-13 at 13:17 but it was all Whitewater the rest of the way. The Warhawks put together a 12-2 run stretching from 13:04 to 11:18 to take a nine point lead, 25-16. Then a 9-0 spurt capped by a Katie Burton (Crystal Lake, IL/Crystal Lake South) three-pointer extended the gap into double figures with the Warhawks ahead 34-22 with 6:27 left in the half.

The UW-W advantage would hit 16 points at the 2:28 mark before the Titans came back with a five point run to narrow the gap to 11, 44-3 with 1:22 left. Whitewater scored five of the final six points of the half to head into the locker room with a 16 point lead, 52-36. 

UW-W shot 61% in the half making 19 of their 31 attempts. The Warhawk defense held the Titans to just 38% from the field in the first half. Two Warhawks were in double figures after the first twenty minutes. Katie Burton (Crystal Lake, IL/Crystal Lake South) led UW-W with 11 including 3-4 from long range and Andrea Olsen (East Troy/East Troy) was 5-7 from the field with 10 points. 

UW-Whitewater's lead dipped below double digits just once in the second half. A layup by Gabrielle Holness brought the score to 74-65 at the 8:18 mark. Abbie Reeves (Salem/Westosha Central) pushed the advantage back into double figures with a three-pointer with 6:50 remaining. UW-W put together a 10-3 run after Reeves' three to put the game out of reach extending the gap to 19, 87-68 with 4:05 showing on the scoreboard. The Titans finished the game on a 9-2 run but the Warhawks had built a cushion. The final margin was 17, 96-79. 

The Warhawks shot 57% from the field in the game compared to 47% for IWU. Merg tied for game high honors with 19 points adding five assists. Burton finished with 15 points and Amy Mandrell (Forsyth, IL/Maroa-Forsyth) added 13. Kaitlyn Thill (Belgium/Ozaukee), Reeves and Olsen each had 12 in the game with Thill leading UW-W on the boards with six. 

Whitewater will go back on the road to take on Wheaton College Saturday, November 30. Tipoff is scheduled for 6:00. 


AK