53-31.  Although that was UW-River Falls' rebound margin and not the final score, it was a big set of numbers in the Falcons' 73-69 overtime win over UW-Whitewater.

Whitewater led 9-4 with 16:08 left in the opening half.  With the score 13-12 at 11:50 the Warhawks went on a 9-1 run to make it 22-13 with 8:08 left.  River Falls closed the half with an 8-2 run that closed Whitewater's lead to 33-29 at the half.  Both teams scored 12 field goals in the half, the difference being that three of the Warhawks' were three pointers.  UW-RF junior forward Maranda Dohrn had nine points and eight rebounds in the first twenty minutes.

River Falls caught the Warhawks at 35-35 with 17:52 left in the game.  After a period of back and forth scoring, UW-RF forged a 56-51 lead with 6:47 left.  The Warhawks nibbled away at the margin until junior forward Chantel Burg made the first of two free throws to tie the game at 63-63 with 0:46 remaining, where the half ended after each team missed opportunities to end the game in regulation.

The Warhawks and Falcons traded baskets on each of their first two possesions in the extra session for a 69-69 tie with 1:16 left.  Junior guard Tiffany Gregorich (who scored 31 points for the Falcons in their 72-63 loss to Whitewater January 8) scored on a layup to put the Falcons in front 71-69 with 0:26 on the clock.  The Warhawks turned the ball over on their next possesion, and Dohrn was fouled with six seconds left, missed both, but (here comes that number again) the Falcons grabbed the rebound and Alise Holst was immediately fouled.  Holst made both free throws to end the scoring.

River Falls used its advantage on the boards for second chance points, scoring 14 themselves and limiting Whitewater to 6, and shooting 43% to Whitewater's 36%.  The Warhawks kept the game close because they made four more three point shots (7-24) than UW-RF (1-8).

River Falls junior center Taylor House was the game's leading scorer with 19 points and she led both teams with five assists, but her numbers paled in comparison with teammate Dohrn, who scored 17 and pulled down 19 rebounds -- the most by a Warhawk opponent this year (in fact, five more than the previous high by Danielle Frank of UW-La Crosse December 1).  Holst was also in double figures with 12 points.  Theune and freshman guard Mary Merg scored 12 apiece for UW-W, with freshman guard Kaitlyn Thill adding ten and a team high four steals.  The freshman guard led Whitewater with four assists.

The overtime was Whitewater's first of the season, and UW-W's first since a 69-63 win over Coe College November 25, 2009. 

UW-W, 16-4 overall and 8-3 in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, are ranked eleventh and sixteenth in the two national Division III polls.  The Warhawks will host UW-Platteville Wednesday at 7:00.  The game will feature UW-Whitewater's recognition ceremony for the UW-W women who earned all-America honors during the 2010 calendar year.  That ceremony will take place at halftime.

UW-River Falls is 14-7 overall and 6-6 in the WIAC.