WIAC, MIAA are a three-for-all

More news about: Albion | Kean | Trinity (Texas) | UW-Oshkosh
Feb 01, 2023
Kayce Vaile stood tall down the stretch for UW-Oshkosh, which has surged back into the WIAC title picture.
File photo by Steve Frommell, d3photography.com
 

UW-Oshkosh and Albion created three-way ties for first place atop the WIAC and MIAA standings by beating No. 17 UW-Eau Claire and No. 12 Trine on Wednesday night. Elsewhere, No. 1 Trinity (Texas) opened a big week with a road win at Schreiner and Kean stayed one game ahead of the NJAC pack.

UW-Oshkosh continued its surge back into the WIAC title picture with a 65-57 win at No. 17 UW-Eau Claire. After the teams battled to a 47-all tie midway through the fourth quarter, Kayce Vaile converted a three-point play and hit a three-pointer on consecutive possessions to put UW-Oshkosh in front for good. Jessie Ruden made three 3-pointers down the stretch for UW-Eau Claire, but that was the Blugolds only offense, and the Titans pulled away by converting their free throws.

Vaile had a dozen points and a dozen rebounds for UW-Oshkosh (16-5, 6-4 WIAC), which is now just one game out of first place after losing four of its first five conference games. Ruden tallied 25 points for UW-Eau Claire (16-5, 7-3 WIAC), which now shares first place with UW-Whitewater and UW-Stout.

No. 23 UW-Whitewater rallied past UW-Stevens Point in the fourth quarter for a 73-64 victory at Berg Gymnasium. The Warhawks outscored the Pointers 25-14 in the final period to flip a two-point deficit to yet another win over their WIAC rival. UW-Whitewater has not lost to the Pointers since February 8, 2017. Aleah Grundahl posted 24 points and seven rebounds for the Warhawks (16-5, 7-3 WIAC).   

UW-Stout defeated UW-River Falls 70-55 behind 19 points and five 3-pointers from Raegan Sorensen.

Albion created a three-way tie for first place in the MIAA by defeating No. 12 Trine in a thriller, 63-62. The Britons opened the fourth quarter with a 51-41 lead, but Trine cut the deficit to two points on Makayla Ardis’ three-pointer with 36 seconds left. Albion turned the ball over, and Ardis hit another three to put the Thunder in front, 62-61, with six seconds left. Albion raced down the court and found Riley Davis whose made jumper capped the exciting finish and the Britons’ victory.

Daniah Beavers and Lolo Reed combined for 35 points and 25 rebounds for Albion (143-7, 8-4 MIAA), which sits one game behind Trine, No. 6 Hope and No. 21 Calvin.

The Knights had their hands full with Alma, but Sydney Cleary scored nine of her game-high 25 points in the fourth quarter and Calvin got past the Scots, 77-68. Gabby Timmer had a double-double for the Knights (17-3, 9-2 MIAA) who will play Hope and Trine back-to-back later this month.

No. 1 Trinity (Texas) opened a tough week with a 71-60 victory at Schreiner. The Tigers only led by four at the break, but held the Mountaineers to seven points in the third quarter. Ashlyn Milton led Trinity (20-0, 11-0 SCAC) with 18 points and four rebounds. Trinity travels to second-place Colorado College for a road game on Saturday afternoon.

No. 25 Millikin kept rolling through the CCIW with a 70-50 win over North Park. The Big Blue (17-3, 11-0 CCIW) opened the game on a 19-4 run and never looked back. Elyce Knudsen reached the 20-point plateau for the 14th time this season, this time scoring 23 points in 27 minutes.

All-American Shannon McCoy scored 26 points in a full 40 minutes, and Kean beat TCNJ, 57-52, for the Cougars' seventh win in a row. Kean (13-8, 11-3 NJAC) will put its winning streak and first place on the line when the Cougars drive south to Rowan on Saturday afternoon. The Profs breezed past Rutgers-Camden, 83-43, and remain one game back of Kean. New Jersey City is also one game behind Kean after the Gothic Knights edged Ramapo, 68-66.

Bridgewater (Va.) held Washington and Lee to 23 percent shooting (16 for 69), and the Eagles upended the Generals, 52-45. Bridgewater only attempted five 3-pointers, but they got 11 points apiece from Riley Corcoran and Erika Nettles. The Generals' loss drops them into a two-way tie for first in the ODAC with Randolph-Macon, which was idle on Wednesday night.