Titans Suffer First Loss Of Season

More news about: UW-Oshkosh

Lindsey Brenneman scored 16 points and made the game-clinching free throws as Wheaton College (Ill.) gained a 61-58 win over the UW-Oshkosh women's basketball team on Saturday (Dec. 3) in Kolf Sports Center.

Leading 59-58 in the final minute, the Thunder committed a turnover. UW-Oshkosh (5-1) then had a chance to go ahead but also turned the ball over. Brenneman was fouled with two seconds remaining and knocked down the foul shots to clinch Wheaton College's third straight win over the Titans.

The second half featured 13 lead changes in a span of nine minutes. The Titans were up at the break and held a 36-30 lead at the 18:33 mark. Elisabeth Potts then went on a 7-0 scoring run of her own, nailing three field goals, to give the Thunder (3-3) a 37-36 advantage.

Kelsey Myklebust (Sr. • Wisconsin Dells) then drained four jump shots, with her second bucket giving UW-Oshkosh a 45-44 advantage with 9:26 left. The lead exchanged hands four more times before Wheaton College went in front for good at 50-49 with 7:38 to play.

Maris Hovee posted a lay-up to stretch the Thunder's margin to 57-52. It was Hovee's only field goal, but she contributed nine rebounds, seven assists and three steals. Lauren Graham paced Wheaton College with 20 points, while Brenneman tacked on 16 points and Potts nine rebounds.

UW-Oshkosh started the contest hitting 11 of its first 13 shots from the field. The Titans went on a 12-1 scoring run, highlighted by deep jumpers from Katie Kitzke (Jr. • South Milwaukee) and Nichole Paisar (Fr. • Leopolis), to take a 28-14 lead midway through the opening half.

Brenneman kept Wheaton College in the game by scoring nine points in the last eight minutes of the first period. The Titans saw their lead shrink to single digits, as they turned the ball over three times in four possessions. Graham sank a hoop with 29 seconds left on the clock to trim the Wheaton College deficit to 34-26 at intermission.

Kitzke scored 17 points and Myklebust 13 to lead UW-Oshkosh. Heather Conroy (Fr. • Wisconsin Dells) contributed eight points and six rebounds and Paisar eight points and five rebounds for the Titans.

UW-Oshkosh finished the game shooting 44.7 percent (21-47) from the field. The Titans, who captured the rebounding battle, 34-29, shot 38.5 percent (5-13) behind the three-point line and 64.7 percent (11-17) from the free-throw stripe.

Wheaton College benefitted from the Titans' 17 turnovers, while committing just nine of its own. The Thunder struggled at the foul line with 52.6-percent (10-19) accuracy, but they succeeded on 44.2 percent (23-52) of their field-goal and 33.3 percent (5-15) of their three-point attempts.

UW-Oshkosh begins conference play by hosting undefeated UW-Stevens Point on Wednesday (Dec. 7) in Kolf Sports Center.