UW-Whitewater fell to UW-Stevens Point 73-53 in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament championship game Sunday afternoon in Berg Gymnasium in Stevens Point, Wisconsin.  The Pointers, 25-2 and the league's regular season champions, earn the WIAC's automatic berth in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III tournament.  UW-W, 21-6 and runner-up in the regular season, will await word of a possible at-large berth in the NCAA III tourney, with the announcement of the field set for 3:30 Monday afternoon.

UW-W led 5-4 with 16:26 left in the first half, and it would turn out to be the last time the Warhawks held the upper hand.  Early in the half UW-SP managed seven point margins, then eight, then 31-19 on a three-pointer by junior forward Ashley Averkamp for the Pointers' largest lead of the half.  Point led 33-24 at intermission. 

Whitewater shot just 28% in the half, including 0-7 from three point range.  The Warhawks hung on by making 10-15 free throws, out-scoring UW-SP by five from the line.  Averkamp was the only player to score in double figures at the break, with 11.

Trailing 35-24, UW-W closed the gap with a 7-0 run to make it 35-31 on a layup by senior center Dana Thompson with 15:30 in the second half.  The Pointers went off on an 11-2 streak to up their lead to 46-33 on a three-pointer by Averkamp at 12:04.  A free throw by junior guard Jamie Swanson pulled Whitewater back under a double digit deficit, 54-45 at 6:59.  UW-SP went back to padding their cushion, eventually extending the lead to 73-51 with 1:13 left.

Whitewater never warmed up from the field, ending the game shooting 25%, and just 1-12 from beyond the arc.  Point shot 41%, hitting 8-16 threes.  UW-W went to the line more often, making 26-39.  That total equaled their season high, also attempting 39 free throws against George Fox College December 30. 

Thompson led UW-W with a double double, scoring 18 and pulling down 11 rebounds.  Junior forward Chantel Burg contributed ten rebounds.  Averkamp topped all scorers with 23 points, also grabbing ten rebounds to share the team lead in that category with senior center Britta Petersen, who had a double double, adding ten points.  Sophomore guard Sam Barber contributed 11 points for UW-SP.