The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater women's basketball team plays in the third round of the 2022 NCAA Division III Championship Friday against Smith (Mass.) at Kachel Gymnasium.

The Warhawks earned an at-large bid to the national tournament after claiming the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference regular season championship and won the Whitewater Regional title, while the Pioneers claimed an automatic bid by virtue of winning the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference championship and won two games to come out of the Northampton (Mass.) Regional.

Fans can purchase tickets at the door starting 60 minutes prior to tipoff for each game. Cost is $10 per game for adults, $7 for students and seniors and free for children aged 3 and under. The first 50 UW-W students in attendance at Friday's game will receive free admission courtesy of UW-W Housing.

All three of this weekend's games, regardless of Friday's outcomes, can be watched live on UWW-TV on channel 100.1 on campus, Spectrum channel 989 for customers in the Whitewater area or online at uwwtv.org. UW-Whitewater's game(s) can be heard live in KIX 106.5 FM WKCH in the Whitewater area or online at kix1065.com.

Last Time Out

UW-Whitewater outscored Illinois Wesleyan 35-22 in the second half on its way to a 72-54 victory in the second round of the NCAA Tournament last Saturday at Kachel Gymnasium on the second day of the Whitewater Regional. Aleah Grundahl (DeForest, Wis./DeForest) posted a game-high 18 points to go with eight rebounds and Yssa Sto. Domingo (Streamwood, Ill./St. Edward) registered 10 points and five steals to lead the Warhawks, who held the Titans to 36.2 percent shooting from the floor, including 29 percent in the second half. UW-W grabbed 17 offensive rebounds for 18 second-chance points. 

In The Rankings

The Warhawks are ranked 12th in both the D3hoops.com Top 25 and the Women's Basketball Coaches Association NCAA Division III Top 25 Coaches Poll, and are third in the NCAA Region IX rankings. During the regular season and WIAC Tournament, UW-Whitewater racked up four wins against teams ranked in Region IX, including No. 2 UW-Eau Claire, No. 4 UW-Oshkosh (2x) and No. 6 Loras as well as victories against Illinois Wesleyan and Calvin, which are ranked in other regions. Smith is ranked No. 1 in Region II, 16th in the D3hoops.com Top 26 and 17th in the WBCA Coaches Poll. UW-Oshkosh is fourth in Region IX and receiving votes from D3hoops.com, and Baldwin Wallace is fifth in Region VII, 10th in the D3hoops.com Top 25 and 14th in the WBCA poll.

About Smith

Smith topped Brooklyn (N.Y.) by a 76-58 score last Saturday in Northampton, Mass., to punch its ticket to the Sweet 16 for the second straight season. The Pioneers outscored the Bulldogs 25-12 in the fourth quarter and shot 52.1 percent from the floor and 11-of-25 (44 percent) from 3-point range. Morgan Morrison led a group of four Pioneers in double figures with 16 points to go along with 10 rebounds.

Series

Friday's game is the first-ever meeting between UW-Whitewater and Smith.

Up Next

The winner of Friday's contest advances to Saturday's fourth round against the winner of Friday's other third round game featuring Baldwin Wallace (Ohio) and UW-Oshkosh. Tipoff of Saturday's affair is scheduled for 7 p.m.

UW-Whitewater dropped its lone meeting against Baldwin Wallace by a 72-44 score on Dec. 28, 2002, in San Diego, Calif. Amy Morris led UW-W with 15 points and seven rebounds. The Warhawks claimed their most recent meeting against fellow WIAC member UW-Oshkosh on Feb. 23, 2022, by a 67-59 score in the semifinals of the WIAC Tournament. Aleah Grundahl (DeForest, Wis./DeForest) led UW-W with 19 points.

To view the entire edition of UW-Whitewater's sectional game notes, click here.