Related Links:
2021 WIAC Women's Basketball Championship Web Page
 
For the fourth time in the last five years, the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater women's basketball team will compete in final of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championship (Presented by Culver's) as it takes on UW-Oshkosh Friday at 7 p.m. in Oshkosh.

Visit the UW-Whitewater women's basketball schedule page for links to watch, listen and follow Friday's game.
 
The Warhawks (8-2 overall) seek their third conference tournament title following a 74-62 victory at UW-Eau Claire in Wednesday's semifinal. Emily Schumacher (Waukesha, Wis./Waukesha South) collected a season-high 21 points to lead UW-W, which shot 10-of-24 (41.7 percent) from 3-point range and held the Blugolds to 32.2 percent shooting from the floor.
 
Johanna Taylor (Wauwatosa, Wis./East) totaled 10 points, eight rebounds and six blocks. Rebekah Schumacher (Whitewater, Wis./Whitewater) posted nine points and three rebounds, while Aleah Grundahl (DeForest, Wis./DeForest) registered eight points and seven rebounds. Off the bench, Yssa Sto. Domingo (Streamwood, Ill./St. Edward) and Maggie Trautsch (Sun Prairie, Wis./DeForest) tallied seven points apiece.
 
UW-Oshkosh (8-2) took advantage of a 35-point, 12-rebound effort from Leah Porath and hit four 3-pointers in the fourth quarter on its way to a 67-59 win over UW-La Crosse in Wednesday's other semifinal. The Titans will be making their eighth straight appearance in the WIAC Championship title game.
 
All-Time Series
 
UW-Oshkosh owns a 62-44 advantage in the all-time series between the two teams, but the Warhawks are 25-21 against the Titans under head coach Keri Carollo.
 
UW-Whitewater suffered its only two losses of the season against UW-Oshkosh, falling 73-68 in overtime back on Feb. 10 and by a 69-51 score on Feb. 12 in Oshkosh. Seven players averaged between 5.0 and 10.0 points against the Titans in the two games, including Grundahl, who averaged 10.0 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists per contest. UW-W was held to 35.5 percent shooting in the two games.
 
The Warhawks and Titans have met in the conference tournament championship game three times in the last four years. UW-W won the games in 2017 and 2018, while UW-O took the most recent meeting in 2019.
 
Seniors Stepping Up
 
Since starting together in a 77-52 triumph over UW-Stout on Senior Day last Friday, UW-Whitewater's four seniors are performing at a high level, especially on the offensive side of the floor. Here are the averages for the Warhawks' foursome over the last three games:
 
Emily Schumacher (Waukesha, Wis./Waukesha South) – 16.7 points per game, 17-of-36 shooting (47.2 percent), 11-of-25 3-point shooting (44.0 percent), 2.3 assists per game
Johanna Taylor (Wauwatosa, Wis./East) – 10.7 points per game, 16-of-21 shooting (76.2 percent), 6.7 rebounds per game, 4.7 blocks per game
Adriana Wood (Racine, Wis./Horlick) – 9.7 points per game, 7-of-17 3-point shooting (41.2 percent), 2.5 rebounds per game, 2.3 steals per game
Rebekah Schumacher (Whitewater, Wis./Whitewater) – 9.0 points per game, 7-of-20 3-point shooting (35.0 percent), 3.0 rebounds per game, 2.0 steals per game
 
Wood and Emily Schumacher (Waukesha, Wis./Waukesha South), who are in their final season with the program, have been performing well above their season averages.
 
Wood scored 10 of her 12 points in the first quarter during Friday's win, then hit four 3-pointers on her way to 12 more points in the team's WIAC first-round victory on Monday.
 
Schumacher has recorded season highs in points in each of her last two games, including a 16-point performance in Monday's win and a 21-point showing Wednesday at UW-Eau Claire.
 
Lane Closed
 
Taylor continues to assert herself within UW-W's interior defense, leading the WIAC with 38 blocks (3.80 per game) entering Friday's game at UW-Oshkosh. She's had at least three blocks in each of her last four games, including a season-high eight at UW-Stout on Feb. 24.
 
Taylor recently passed Cortney Kumerow for second on the program's all-time career blocks list, and enters Friday's game with 139 for her career. Her performance is a big reason why the Warhawks rank No. 1 in the conference in scoring defense (57.7 points per game) and field goal percentage defense (35.5 percent).
 
Stealing the Spotlight
 
In addition to leading the conference in blocks, UW-Whitewater also ranks among the league's best in two other key defensive statistical categories.
 
The Warhawks rank second in the WIAC in 3-point field goal percentage defense (28.9 percent) and own a league-best 117 steals, 30 more than the next highest total.
 
Six UW-W players rank among the top 10 in the league in steals – Sto. Domingo, who is fourth with 16m, Veronica Kieres (Chicago, Ill./Resurrection) and Rebekah Schumacher (Whitewater, Wis./Whitewater), who are tied for fifth with 15, Aleah Grundahl (DeForest, Wis./DeForest), who is tied for eighth with 14, and Taylor and Emily Schumacher (Waukesha, Wis./Waukesha South), who are tied for 10th with 13.