The No. 18 University of Wisconsin-Whitewater women's basketball team made its trademark third-quarter push and executed in the final minute of the game Saturday in a 61-58 triumph at UW-Eau Claire in a Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference showdown in Eau Claire, Wis.
The Warhawks (16-3 overall, 6-2 WIAC), who are outscoring their opponents by nearly 100 points in the third quarter this season, turned a 33-33 tie into a 46-35 advantage late in the third and hit 6-of-6 from the free-throw line over the final 46 seconds of regulation.
Senior guard Malia Smith tallied a team-high 17 points and hit 8-of-8 at the free-throw line, including four in the final minute of the contest. She added two assists, three rebounds and three steals.
Senior forward Andrea Meinert posted 12 points, two assists and three steals, and sophomore guard Camri Conley registered 10 points. Senior guard Brooke Trewyn totaled a game-high four blocks and added two steals to help UW-Whitewater force 26 turnovers.
In the first half, the two teams combined for 24 turnovers, but the Warhawks knocked down five 3-pointers to hold a four-point halftime advantage.
The Blugolds (13-6, 5-3) jumped out to a 9-5 lead past the midway point of the first quarter, but Smith hit 3-pointers on back-to-back possessions to bring UW-Whitewater within one with 2:09 on the clock. Junior forward Olivia Freckmann hit a jumper with 19 seconds left to break a 15-15 tie and give the Warhawks the lead heading into the second.
UW-Whitewater started the second on an 8-2 run, including 3-pointers by Smith and sophomore guard Becky Raeder, to take a 23-15 advantage with 8:33 remaining. The Warhawks led by 10 after a layup by junior forward Becky Deichl at the 4:31 mark, but UW-Eau Claire closed the quarter on an 8-2 run to narrow its deficit to 31-27 by halftime.
The two teams traded the lead over the first three minutes of the second half. Junior forward Sarah Schumacher started UW-Whitewater's 13-2 run with a jumper, and Conley capped it with a layup at the 1:19 mark of the third.
The Warhawks remained by 11 early in the fourth before the Blugolds narrowed their deficit to 51-47 midway through the period.
UW-Eau Claire ripped off a 7-0 run starting with 3:01 to play to take a 56-55 advantage with 1:14 remaining. On the next possession, Smith hit two free throws to give the team the lead back, and UW-Whitewater forced a turnover on the other end.
The Blugolds needed to foul three times to send the Warhawks to the free-throw line, where Meinert hit a pair with 19 seconds left to make it 59-56.
After a layup on the other end, Smith made it a three-point game again with two free throws. UW-Eau Claire missed a potential game-tying 3-pointer at the buzzer.
UW-Whitewater returns home to face UW-Stevens Point Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Kachel Gymnasium.