The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater women's basketball team opened up its 2017-18 exhibition season with a game at Division I UW-Green Bay, a perennial NCAA Tournament team and the favorite to win the Horizon League this season.
 
The Warhawks hung with the Phoenix on Thursday night at the Kress Center, but were defeated 71-34.
 
Senior guard Malia Smith (Bolingbrook, Ill./Neuqua Valley) led UW-Whitewater with a game-high 16 points to go along with six steals in 18 minutes of action.
 
UW-Whitewater trailed 10-6 at the first media timeout of the contest, but the Phoenix scored eight straight points to take a 12-point lead with 2:24 left in the first quarter.
 
The Warhawks drew to within 21-14 after a pair of free throws by senior guard Brooke Trewyn (Whitewater/Whitewater) with 46 seconds left in the first quarter, but the team would get no closer throughout the rest of the half despite knocking down 10-of-12 at the free-throw line.
 
UW-Green Bay continued to build on its lead early in the fourth quarter, taking a 53-29 advantage with 4:58 left in the third quarter.
 
Junior forward Olivia Freckmann (Milwaukee, Wis./Pius XI) broke a Warhawk field goal drought with a 3-pointer at the 2:37 mark of the third. The Phoenix held a 55-32 lead heading into the fourth.
 
The Phoenix started the fourth quarter on a 14-0 run before a pair of free throws by freshman center Bailee Eggers broke the spurt.
 
UW-Whitewater opens the 2017-18 regular season Nov. 15 at Elmhurst (Ill.).