The No. 6 ranked University of Wisconsin-Whitewater women's basketball team remained undefeated Wednesday night with a 72-60 triumph over UW-Stout in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference opener for both teams at Kachel Gymnasium.
 
Three players in the frontcourt scored in double figures for the Warhawks (12-0 overall, 1-0 WIAC), who are in the midst of their best start to a season since 2007-08, when the team began with 14 straight victories.
 
UW-Whitewater shot 44.1 percent from the floor and held the Blue Devils (6-6, 0-1) more than 17 points below their season average. The Warhawks held a 43-31 rebounding advantage, including 14-7 on the offensive boards for a 17-9 edge in second-chance points.
 
Senior forward Lisa Palmer (Bartlett, Ill./Bartlett) tallied team highs in points (14) and rebounds (9). Senior forward Maddie Bare (Fort Atkinson/Fort Atkinson) contributed a career-high 12 points to go along with three rebounds, three assists and three steals, while sophomore forward Andrea Meinert (West Bend/Kettle Moraine Lutheran) collected 10 points and seven rebounds.
 
Senior guard Abbie Reeves (Salem/Westosha Central) knocked down three 3-pointers en route to a nine-point effort. Junior guard Reilly Stewart (Wheaton, Ill./Wheaton North) added seven points and five rebounds.
 
UW-Stout jumped out to a 10-7 lead midway through the first quarter, but five different players scored for UW-Whitewater during a 12-2 run over the next four minutes to make it 19-12 with 1:36 left.
 
The Blue Devils tied the affair at 28-28 with 6:02 remaining in the second. The Warhawks responded with an 8-0 run, highlighted by four points from Meinert, and led 39-31 at the half.
 
UW-Whitewater extended its lead to double digits early in the third quarter and took control of the contest with a 10-0 run, including back-to-back 3-pointers by Bare, for a 55-36 advantage with 3:56 on the clock.
 
UW-Stout cut its deficit to nine just over 30 seconds into the fourth, but sophomore guard Malia Smith (Bolingbrook, Ill./Neuqua Valley) hit a jumper on the ensuing possession, and Reeves hit a 3-pointer two minutes later to make it 65-51 at the 6:45 mark.
 
The Warhawks have now won 12 straight games against UW-Stout.
 
UW-Whitewater continues WIAC play this Saturday at No. 24 UW-Stevens Point. Tipoff is scheduled for 3 p.m.