The No. 3 UW-Whitewater women's basketball team defeated Simpson 79-63 on Sunday at Mitchell Hall in the Gunderson Hotel & Suites Thanksgiving Classic in La Crosse Sunday afternoon.

UWW led Simpson 19 to 10 after the first quarter, demonstrating strong rebounding and capitalizing on turnovers. The Warhawks dominated the boards with 16 total rebounds, including 10 offensive, which contributed to 8 second-chance points. UW-Whitewater's stifling defense forced nine Simpson turnovers, resulting in 13 points off those turnovers.

In the second quarter, UWW outscored Simpson 22-17, enhancing their performance in several key areas. The Warhawks succeeded in converting 8 of 16 shots, including two 3-pointers, and capitalized on four of five free throws. UWW showed a strong defensive effort with two blocks and five steals, while maintaining a lower turnover count than the Storm. The team also scored 12 points in the paint and generated four fast-break points.

Simpson cut into the Warhawk advantage in the third, but UW-Whitewater held off the comeback in the fourth outscoring the Storm 20-16 in the final period. 

Kacie Carollo (Whitewater, Wis./Whitewater) led UWW with 19 points on 7 of 11 from the floor including a perfect 2-2 from beyond the arc. Bri McCurdy (St. Croix Falls, Wis./St. Croix Falls) contributed significantly with 15 points and displayed versatility by leading the team with 5 assists and adding 2 steals. Mallory Oloffson (Normal, Ill./Normal Community) was a defensive force, recording 4 steals while also contributing 8 points and 5 rebounds. Renee Rittmeyer (Winnebago, Ill./Winnebago) was a key defensive player as well, securing 3 steals and adding 7 points. Katie Hildebrandt (McFarland, Wis./McFarland) was effective both offensively and defensively, scoring 15 points, securing 5 rebounds, and blocking 2 shots.