The No. 8 University of Wisconsin-Whitewater women's basketball team hits the road this week for a pair of Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference games as it crosses the halfway point of the league slate.
The Warhawks (15-1, 6-0 WIAC) take on UW-La Crosse Wednesday at 7 p.m. in La Crosse before wrapping up the week with a trip to No. 11 UW-Eau Claire Saturday at 5 p.m.
Both games will be broadcast live online and Wednesday's game will air live locally on KIX 106.5 FM WKCH or online at
kix1065.com. Check the team's
schedule page for all live coverage links.
On Saturday, UW-Whitewater shot a season-high 52.5 percent from the floor and held UW-River Falls to 34.4 percent shooting in an 86-62 triumph at Kachel Gymnasium. Nine players scored between six and 12 points, including
Veronica Kieres (Chicago, Ill./Resurrection), who tallied a team-high 12 points to go with six rebounds and three assists. UW-W outrebounded the Falcons by a 48-28 margin.
Earlier in the week, the Warhawks traveled to UW-Platteville and ended regulation on an 11-2 run for a 62-53 victory.
Aleah Grundahl (DeForest, Wis./DeForest) scored a game-high 24 points, while
Rebekah Schumacher (Whitewater, Wis./Whitewater) and
Abby Belschner (Grafton, Wis./Cedarburg) contributed eight points apiece. UW-W forced 21 turnovers and held the Pioneers to 39.6 percent shooting.
Wednesday, Jan. 19, 7 p.m. – at UW-La Crosse (Radio: KIX 106.5 FM WKCH)
UW-La Crosse (10-6, 2-3) split two games last week, topping UW-River Falls 68-39 on Wednesday before falling 53-48 on Saturday at UW-Eau Claire. The Eagles were held to 26.7 percent shooting from the floor and were unable to overcome a 10-point deficit heading into the fourth quarter despite allowing only three points in the final period.
Emma Gamoke enters the week as UW-La Crosse's top scorer, averaging 10.8 points per game. Other top performers include Kyah Steiner (8.6 points per game, 6.8 rebounds per game), Lexie Higgins (7.8 ppg, 5.9 rpg) and Lauryn Milne (6.5 ppg, 50.0 FG%). UWL ranks second in the WIAC in scoring defense, allowing 52.6 points per outing.
The Warhawks claimed both meetings between the two teams during the 2019-20 season, including a 73-47 victory on Jan. 29, 2020, in Whitewater. Four players finished in double figures in scoring for UW-W, including Kieres with 16 points, Schumacher with 14, Grundahl with 11 and
Courtney Oomens (Lake Geneva, Wis./Badger) with 11.
UW-Whitewater leads the all-time series between the two teams by a 62-31 margin.
Saturday, Jan. 22, 5 p.m. – at UW-Eau Claire
UW-Eau Claire (12-4, 3-2) lost two straight games before posting a 53-48 win at UW-La Crosse on Saturday. The Blugolds overcame 28.1 percent shooting from the floor by knocking down seven 3-pointers and holding the Eagles to 26.7 percent shooting on the other end.
Four players average double figures in scoring for UW-Eau Claire, including Jessie Ruden (17.3 ppg), Tyra Boettcher (13.9 ppg), Courtney Crouch (11.0 ppg) and Bailey Reardon (10.6 ppg). Crouch and Reardon each shoot 50 percent or better from the floor, and all four shoot better than 75 percent from the free-throw line.
In the first meeting this season between the two teams, UW-Whitewater outscored the Blugolds 40-8 in the paint and Grundahl registered a career-high 28 points in UW-W's 73-64 victory on Jan. 8 at Kachel Gymnasium. Schumacher hit 4-of-5 from 3-point range for 14 points, and
Johanna Taylor (Wauwatosa, Wis./East) posted 11 points for the Warhawks, who finished with 25 assists on 29 made baskets.
UW-Eau Claire hosts UW-River Falls Wednesday at 7 p.m. before welcoming UW-Whitewater to Zorn Arena on Saturday.
