If this had been a NHRA event the vehicles at the starting line would have been a needle-nosed drag racer and a Pinto.  UW-Whitewater hit six of its first seven shots to lead 14-0, expanded that to 24-3 and eventually 32-6 in the first half as the Warhawks defeated UW-Superior 86-55 at Kachel Gym in Williams Center in Whitewater, Wisconsin Saturday afternoon.  Both teams came into the game with five game winning streaks.  UW-W is 12-4 overall and 4-3 in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.  UW-S is 9-6 and 3-4.

Senior guard Jamie Swanson and sophomore guard Mary Merg scored five points apiece in Whitewater's 14-0 start.  Junior guard Connie Urmanski hit a three at 15:47 to give UW-Superior its first points.  Back-to-back threes by sophomore guard Kaitlyn Thill made it 24-3 Whitewater, and Superior's next points came with 11:27 left in the half, when it was 24-5.  UW-W's lead eventually ballooned to 32-6 before the Yellowjackets righted the ship and cut the margin to 43-26 at the half. 

Whitewater shot 48% in the half, Superior 33%, and the Warhawks led in rebounds (21-17), steals (8-4) and turnovers (8-14).  Junior center Cortney Kumerow, who came into the game averaging 10.1 points per game, scored 16 points on 5-9 field goals and 6-7 free throw shooting.

In the secoond half if was, as Yogi Berra said, "déjà vu all over again".  Whitewater opened with a 14-4 burst and the lead eventually reached 30 points, 62-32, with 13:04 on the clock and later, 31 points. 

The win marked the fourth time this season UW-W has won by at least 30 points, the largest margin 33  in a 75-42 win over East Texas Baptist University December 30 in San Antonio, Texas.  UW-W registered a season high 27 assists (19 twice this year), and equaled their season best with 14 turnovers.  UW-W shot 53% from the floor, Superior 36%.  Superior had a good afternoon from long range, making 5-10, while Whitewater was 5-13 on threes.

Kumerow led five Warhawks in double figures, finishing with 22 points.  Thill and Merg scored 13 apiece and Swanson 10.  Thill, UW-W's point guard, dished out seven assists and did not have any turnovers, and Kumerow led both teams with nine rebounds.  Junior center Stephanie Glynn was high in the game with three steals for UW-W.  Senior forward Bri Davis topped the Yellowjackets with 12 points, hitting 5-6 from the floor, while senior forward Hailey Hart grabbed eight boards for UW-S and freshman guard Deandra Vavra passed for four assists.

UW-W will host UW-Oshkosh Wednesday at 7:00 in Kachel Gym in Williams Center.

For additional information:  Keri Carollo, UW-W coach