The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater women's basketball team looks to extend its current eight-game winning streak as it closes the regular season with Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference games at UW-Platteville and UW-River Falls.
 
The Warhawks (16-7 overall, 9-3 WIAC), who are 7-2 in true road games this season, visit UW-Platteville Wednesday at 7 p.m. before closing the regular season Saturday at 3 p.m. in River Falls.
 
UW-Whitewater enters the week one game behind first-place UW-Oshkosh in the conference standings and tied for second with UW-La Crosse. With two wins this week, the Warhawks ensure themselves of at least the No. 2 seed and a first-round bye to the semifinals in next week's WIAC Championship. The team has already assured itself of at least one home game in the conference tournament.
 
Should UW-Whitewater end up tied with UW-La Crosse and/or UW-Oshkosh, the Warhawks own tiebreakers over both UW-Oshkosh (head-to-head) and UW-La Crosse (cumulative W-L record vs. teams placed higher in the conference standings).
 
After inclement weather moved games on Jan. 30, UW-Whitewater played three games last week and posted a 3-0 record, besting the 11th-ranked Titans 78-70 in overtime on Monday before closing the week with wins at UW-Stevens Point (70-58) and at home over UW-Stout (74-60).
 
The Warhawks closed regulation on a 6-0 run as junior guard Camri Conley (Sugar Grove, Ill./Kaneland) hit the game-tying jumper with 36 seconds left, and opened the extra period with an 8-0 spurt on their way to a big victory. Sophomore guard Emily Schumacher (Waukesha, Wis./Waukesha South) tallied 22 points, eight rebounds and two steals, and senior forward Olivia Freckmann (Milwaukee, Wis./Pius XI) collected 14 points, 13 rebounds and four assists.
 
On Wednesday, UW-Whitewater held a 16-point lead after three quarters and hit 7-of-8 free throws in the fourth to hold off the Pointers. Freckmann registered a career-high 27 points to go with six rebounds, and Schumacher totaled 17 points and three assists.
 
The Warhawks celebrated Freckmann and fellow seniors Becky Deichl (Libertyville, Ill./Libertyville), Sarah Schumacher (Whitewater, Wis./Whitewater) and Juliette Vainisi (Prospect Heights, Ill./John Hersey) Saturday as they defeated the Blue Devils. Emily Schumacher (Waukesha, Wis./Waukesha South) finished with 17 points and three assists, junior guard Camri Conley (Sugar Grove, Ill./Kaneland) contributed 14 points and four rebounds and Freckmann added 11 points and 10 rebounds for her ninth double-double of the year.
 
Wednesday – at UW-Platteville, 7 p.m. (Platteville, Wis.)
 
UW-Platteville (10-13, 4-8) currently stands in a three-way tie for fifth place in the WIAC and will be playing for a postseason berth this week. The team has lost two straight entering the weekend, including a 73-71 setback in overtime against UW-River Falls on Saturday. Morgan Horstman totaled 22 points and 15 rebounds.
 
Horstman and Maiah Domask lead the Pioneers in scoring with 13.8 and 13.4 points per contest, respectively. Domask pulls down a team-best 9.7 rebounds per affair, and Rachel Emendorfer leads the team in both assists (59) and steals (48).
 
UW-Platteville and UW-Whitewater last played on Jan. 23 in Whitewater, where the Warhawks hit 10 three-pointers and made 13-of-14 from the free-throw line in the second half during a 71-55 triumph. Freckmann posted a double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds for UW-W, which outscored the Pioneers 24-12 in the third quarter.
 
Saturday – at UW-River Falls, 3 p.m. (River Falls, Wis.)
 
UW-River Falls (8-15, 2-10), which needs two wins and some help to qualify for the WIAC Championship, stayed alive for a postseason bid with a 73-71 victory in overtime at UW-Platteville on Saturday. Taylor Paulsrud posted 23 points and Tessa Hubbard hit a 3-pointer with eight seconds left to give the team the lead for good.
 
Paulsrud (10.7 ppg) and Jenna Zeman (10.4 ppg) lead the Falcons in scoring. Zeman paces the team in steals (49), and Brianna Leahy owns team highs in rebounds per game (6.6) and blocked shots (32).
 
UW-Whitewater bested UW-River Falls 62-34 back on Jan. 19 in Whitewater. Freckmann led the Warhawks with 17 points, 11 rebounds, six assists and four steals, and Sarah Schumacher (Whitewater, Wis./Whitewater) added 10 points, six assists and three rebounds.
 
The Falcons host UW-Eau Claire Wednesday before taking on UW-Whitewater Saturday.