The No. 9 University of Wisconsin-Whitewater women's basketball team hits the stretch run of the regular season looking to maintain its place atop the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference standings as it plays two more league games this week.
 
The Warhawks (18-2, 8-1 WIAC) host UW-La Crosse this Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Kachel Gymnasium. Wednesday's game can be viewed live on UWW-TV on channel 100.1 on campus, Spectrum channel 989 for subscribers in the area or online at uwwtv.org.
 
UW-W visits UW-River Falls Saturday at 3 p.m. Check out the team's schedule page for links to follow live online.
 
On Sunday, UW-Whitewater wrapped up its non-conference slate with a 99-49 victory against Lake Forest (Ill.) on Parents Day at Kachel Gymnasium. A total of 19 different players saw action in the contest for UW-W, which shot 48.1 percent from the floor and forced 34 turnovers on the other end. Veronica Kieres (Chicago, Ill./Resurrection) and Aleah Grundahl (DeForest, Wis./DeForest) recorded 13 points apiece, and Johanna Taylor (Wauwatosa, Wis./East) finished with 10 points and eight rebounds.
 
Earlier in the week, the Warhawks erased a fourth-quarter deficit to force overtime and ended the second overtime on a 6-1 run to emerge with a 74-69 victory against UW-Stevens Point. Taylor scored a career-high 24 points and, with four blocks, moved past Vanessa Rieder for No. 1 all time in career blocks in program history. Kacie Carollo (Whitewater, Wis./Whitewater) tallied a double-double with 20 points and 11 rebounds for UW-W, which outscored the Pointers 50-26 in the paint.
 
Wednesday, Feb. 2, 7 p.m. – vs. UW-La Crosse (TV: UWW-TV)
 
UW-La Crosse (12-7, 4-4) has won its last two games, including a 64-53 victory against UW-Platteville on Wednesday in La Crosse. The Eagles limited the Pioneers to 34.5 percent shooting from the floor and outscored UWP 21-12 in the third quarter to take control of the contest.
 
Emma Gamoke leads UW-La Crosse in scoring with 10.6 points per game and is shooting 33.7 percent from 3-point range. Kyah Steiner has appeared in eight games and is shooting 56.8 percent from the field with 8.1 points and 6.8 rebounds per contest. UWL ranks second in the league in scoring defense, allowing only 52.8 points per affair.
 
On Jan. 19, the Warhawks stymied the Eagles defensively, holding them to 28.8 percent shooting and forcing 24 turnovers in a 60-48 triumph on the road. Rebekah Schumacher (Whitewater, Wis./Whitewater) collected a game-high 13 points, and Grundahl finished with 10 points and six rebounds. UW-W outscored UWL 34-12 on points in the paint and 18-11 on points off turnovers.
 
UW-Whitewater holds a 63-31 advantage in the all-time series against UW-La Crosse, including a 30-10 mark under head coach Keri Carollo, and has won the last five meetings.
 
Saturday, Feb. 5, 3 p.m. – at UW-River Falls
 
UW-River Falls (9-9, 2-6) has won two of its last three games, dropping its most recent contest by a 79-42 score at UW-Oshkosh. The Falcons were held to 35.6 percent shooting in the game while the Titans shot 52.7 percent, including 12-of-27 from 3-point range, on the other end.
 
Entering the week, Macy Nilsen leads UW-River Falls with 14.9 points per game and is a 41.1 percent shooter from 3-point range. Jenna Zeman (12.9 points per game) and Colie Justice (11.2) also average double figures in scoring for UWRF, which leads the WIAC with 147 three-point field goals made.
 
The Warhawks shot 52.5 percent from the floor and 9-of-21 from 3-point range back on Jan. 15 in an 86-62 triumph against the Falcons at Kachel Gymnasium. Kieres totaled a team-high 12 points with six rebounds, and Grundahl and Maggie Trautsch (Sun Prairie, Wis./DeForest) each added 11 points for UW-W, which held UWRF to 34.4 percent shooting from the floor.
 
UW-Whitewater leads the all-time series, 58-28.
 
UW-River Falls hosts UW-Eau Claire Wednesday at 7 p.m. before welcoming the Warhawks to Don Page Arena on Saturday.