Titans, Eagles Meet In WIAC Tournament Opener

UW-Oshkosh will be the guest of UW-La Crosse when the two teams meet in an opening round contest of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Women's Basketball Tournament on Wednesday (Feb. 23) in Mitchell Hall.

UW-Oshkosh enters the 7 p.m. contest with a 12-13 record. The Titans obtained the tournament's sixth and lowest seed after posting a 7-9 conference record during the regular season.

The best free-throw shooting team in the NCAA Division III at 78.9 percent, UW-Oshkosh boasts the league's top three individuals. Shelby Churchill (Sr. • Sheboygan) paces the WIAC with 84.1 percent shooting from the free-throw line, while Katie Kitzke (So. • South Milwaukee) and Megan Wenig (So. • Oshkosh) each hit better than 83 percent of their foul shots. Four Titans average at least eight points, led by the 10.8 of Michelle Boeder (Sr. • Oshkosh). Churchill also ranks fourth in the conference with an average of 8.6 rebounds per game.

UW-La Crosse, which had its six-game winning streak snapped with Saturday's (Feb. 19) 63-49 loss to UW-Stevens Point, owns a 19-6 record. The Eagles went 12-4 in conference play during the regular season to earn the tournament's third seed.

Inside scoring from Danielle Frank (11.8 points per game) and Dana Churchill (10.9) has led UW-La Crosse this season. Frank also averages 12.4 rebounds and 3.5 blocks per contest to lead the WIAC in both categories. Lindsey Litrenta averages 3.6 assists to rank third in the league.

Wednesday's game is the 71st between UW-La Crosse and UW-Oshkosh. The Titans hold a 40-30 advantage in the all-time series, but have lost their last 10 contests to the Eagles. Earlier this season, UW-La Crosse tallied wins of 73-68 (overtime) and 56-44 over UW-Oshkosh. The teams have only one previous WIAC Tournament meeting, a 66-49 victory for UW-Oshkosh on Feb. 23, 1999.

UW-Oshkosh owns a 14-9 WIAC Tournament record, including a 7-3 mark in quarterfinal/first round action. The Titans defeated UW-Eau Claire, 79-60, to capture the 1999 WIAC Tournament.

UW-La Crosse is just 2-11 in WIAC Tournament contests. The Eagles, who haven't won a WIAC postseason game since 2006, are only 1-9 in quarterfinal/first round competition.

Another opening round contest on Wednesday has fifth-seeded UW-River Falls (15-10) visiting fourth-seeded UW-Eau Claire (15-10).

The WIAC Tournament will be re-seeded for Friday's (Feb. 25) semifinal round. Those games feature the lowest remaining seed playing at top-seeded and three-time defending tournament champion UW-Stevens Point (23-2) and the highest remaining seed playing at second-seeded UW-Whitewater (20-5). The championship game is scheduled for Sunday (Feb. 27) at the site of the highest remaining seed. The winner of the WIAC Tournament receives the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Championship.