• Clinch the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship
• Earn a first round bye in the WIAC Tournament next week
• Give coach Keri Carollo her 200th victory at UW-Whitewater

Celebration Photos (courtesy of Amanda Ong; all photos are for sale) 
Game Action Photos (courtesy of Amanda Ong; all photos are for sale) 
Play4Kay Pink Photos (courtesy of Amanda Ong; all photos are for sale) 
feature photo of Cortney Kumerow (Bartlett, IL/South Elgin) courtesy of Bob Mischka (Bob's smugmug photo site)

UW-Whitewater, ranked twenty-fourth in the D3hoops.com poll, upped its record to 19-5 overall and 13-2 in the WIAC.  As the number one seed in the league's postseason tourney, UW-W will have a bye Wednesday in the first round, and will play the lowest remaining seed in Whitewater Friday in a second round game.  UW-W, if it wins Friday, is assured of hosting the tournament title game Sunday at 2:00. 

Carollo, in her eleventh year at Whitewater, is 200-100, a .667 winning percentage.  She is the eighth women's basketball coach in WIAC history to reach the 200 win mark.  Carollo has directed the Warhawks to three titles (2008, 2010, 2013), half of the six that the school has earned since the league began in 1972.

Wednesday's game was the annual Play4Kay night where the teams wear pink to raise awareness and funds for cancer research.

Oshkosh opened the game with four points, and Whitewater the next eight.  With 3:46 left in the first half UW-W managed a 19-13 lead on Cortney Kumerow (Bartlett, IL/South Elgin)'s jumper, for the largest lead by either team in the first twenty minutes.  With the Warhawks in front 21-16 at 2:35, Oshkosh ended the half with a 10-0 run, with five points from senior guard Megan Wenig, to take a 26-21 lead into intermission.

UW-W shot 24% in the half, Oshkosh 36%, but the Titans had just one more field goal in the first.  Wenig totaled 13 points, including 3-3 on threes and 4-4 from the line.

The second half demonstrated why just one game separated these teams before tipoff.  The teams were tied seven times, and the lead changed hands eleven times, over the final twenty minutes.  With Oshkosh leading 37-35 Whitewater reeled off the next six, including four free throws by freshman guard Abbie Reeves (Salem/Westosha Central), to take the lead 41-37.  Oshkosh replied with a layup and three point play to regain the lead 42-41 at 7:24.  After a steal by Kaitlyn Thill (Belgium/Ozaukee), and her three point play UW-W took the lead back, 48-46 with 4:08 on the clock. 

Nobody scored for more than two minutes, when Oshkosh senior guard Katie Kitzke made a three-pointer to give the Titans a 49-48 lead with 1:58 left -- but that was the Titans' last mark on the scoreboard.  UW-W scored the last ten points, including 6-7 from the free throw line.

UW-W shot 31% for the game, but countered that by going 21-23 at the line.  UW-Oshkosh shot 32% for the game, but the Titans were 10-12 on their free throws. 

Kumerow tallied a double double for UW-W, scoring 15 points and grabbing a game high ten rebounds.  Reeves added 11 points, hitting all eight of her free throw attempts.  Oshkosh was led by Wenig's game high 17 points, four of those in the second half.  Wenig also shared her team lead in rebounds, 8, with sophomore guard Katelyn Kuehl.  Kitzke chipped in with 11 points.

UW-W will host UW-River Falls Saturday at 6:00 in Kachel Gym of Williams Center.



TF/ak