RV Wisconsin Lutheran (25-2)
vs.
#22 Wis.-Whitewater (21-6)

Game #28 | NCAA Tournament First Round | Friday, March 1, 2013 | 7:30 p.m.
Kachel Gymnasium (2,300) | Whitewater, Wis.

Live Audio | Live Stats | Live Video

IT'S TOURNAMENT TIME: Wisconsin Lutheran College will face Wis.-Whitewater in the first round of the 2013 NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Championship Tournament Friday, March 1 at 7:30 p.m. in Whitewater, Wis. Thomas More (27-1) and Carthage (23-4) will meet in the other first round matchup at 5:30 p.m. The winners of the two first round games will meet in the second round Saturday, March 2 at 7 p.m. Tickets to the game are $8 for adults, $3 for students, and $3 for senior citizens. Tickets can be purchased ahead of time by calling (262) 472-2222 or prior to the game at Kachel Gymnasium.

LIVE COVERAGE: Fans can listen to the Warriors' NCAA Tournament First Round game via live webcast at wlcsports.com. Jon Henseler (play-by-play) and Sam Siemers (color analyst) will call the action courtside. The pregame show begins 15 minutes prior to tip-off. Wis.-Whitewater will provide live stats and live video for the game and all links can be found at wlcsports.com.

WISCONSIN LUTHERAN UPDATE: The Warriors enter their fifth NCAA Tournament in program history having won a school-record 17 straight games and 28 straight games against conference opponents. WLC won its third consecutive Northern Athletics Conference Tournament championship to earn the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament by defeating Concordia Wisconsin, 75-52, Saturday, February 23. Wisconsin Lutheran also posted a perfect 17-0 conference record – the first women's basketball team to achieve an unblemished mark in conference play -- and a fifth straight Division title. Senior guard Shavon Dillon (Milwaukee, Wis./Hope School), the NAC Player of the Year, leads the Warriors averaging 14.3 points per game. Sophomore Kristen Schulz (Safford, Ariz./Arizona Lutheran), who was named to the All-NAC Second Team, and junior Rachel Hoft (Germantown, Wis./Germantown) contribute 8.4 and 8.1 points per game, respectively.

HEAD COACH KLAY KNUEPPEL: Klay Knueppel is in his ninth season as head coach of the Wisconsin Lutheran College women's basketball program. He enters Friday's game with an overall collegiate coaching record of 167-79. Knueppel, the third head coach in program history, spent 12 seasons (1992-2004) as an assistant with the Warriors before being named head coach in 2004. He has guided WLC to five consecutive NAC division titles and is 104-22 in conference games since joining the league in 2006-2007. Knueppel has led the Warriors to conference tournament titles in 2008, 2011, 2012, and 2013. He was recently named the NAC Co-Coach of the Year.

WINNING STREAKS: The Warriors are in the midst of some impressive winning streaks. After winning the conference tournament championship last Saturday, WLC has won a program-record 17 straight games, with its last loss coming December 29 against 15th-ranked Williams. Wisconsin Lutheran also owns a 28-game winning streak over conference opponents. Its last loss against a conference opponent came February 1, 2012 at home against Lakeland, 77-62.

IN THE RANKINGS: The Warriors have been mentioned in the 'others receiving votes' category of the D3hoops.com Top 25 poll for the last six weeks. WLC received a season-high 16 points to stand alone in 32nd-place in the 'others receiving votes' category of the week 13 poll. Statistically, Rachel Hoft leads the country in three-point percentage (45.9), and the Warriors are ranked in the top 15 in four statistical categories. WLC is 12th in both scoring margin (20.2) and blocked shots per game (5.6), 13th in win-loss percentage (92.6), and 15th in field-goal percentage (43.6).

NAC SUCCESS: Wisconsin Lutheran has experienced great success since the NAC formed in 2006-2007. In seven seasons, the Warriors have compiled a 104-22 record in conference play. WLC has won five straight division titles (2008-2013) and four conference tournament championships (2008, 2011, 2012, 2013). Wisconsin Lutheran has won 55 of its last 56 games against conference opponents.

2012-2013 – 17-0
2011-2012 – 17-1
2010-2011 – 16-2
2009-2010 – 12-6
2008-2009 – 15-3
2007-2008 – 14-4
2006-2007 – 13-6

NCAA TOURNAMENT HISTORY: Wisconsin Lutheran will be making its fifth NCAA Tournament appearance in school history. The Warriors won their first-ever NCAA Tournament game two years ago by defeating Wis.-La Crosse, 73-59, in the first round. Last season, WLC fell to fifth-ranked Calvin, 59-47, in the first round in Grand Rapids, Mich.

03/02/12 – Calvin 59, Wisconsin Lutheran 47
03/05/11 – Illinois Wesleyan 84, Wisconsin Lutheran 69
03/04/11 – Wisconsin Lutheran 73, Wis.-La Crosse 59
03/05/03 – Wis.-Eau Claire 70, Wisconsin Lutheran 49
03/01/00 – Wis.-Oshkosh 64, Wisconsin Lutheran 38

NAC IN THE NCAA'S: Wisconsin Lutheran (2011, 2012, 2013) is one of only three teams to represent the NAC in its brief history at the NCAA Tournament, with Lakeland (2010) and Concordia Wisconsin (2007, 2009) being the others. The Warriors won the 2008 NAC Tournament, but did not advance to the NCAA Tournament because the league did not have an automatic bid. The NAC is 2-5 all-time in NCAA Tournament games.

03/02/12 – Calvin 59, Wisconsin Lutheran 47
03/05/11 – Illinois Wesleyan 84, Wisconsin Lutheran 69
03/04/11 – Wisconsin Lutheran 73, Wis.-La Crosse 59
03/05/10 – DePauw 79, Lakeland 46
03/07/09 – Wis.-Stevens Point 78, Concordia Wisconsin 58
03/06/09 – Concordia Wisconsin 76, Concordia Moorhead 72
03/02/07 – Luther 72, Concordia Wisconsin 51

SERIES HISTORY: Friday's tournament matchup marks the 12th all-time meeting between the Warriors and Warhawks, with UWW holding a 10-1 lead in the series. However, WLC won the last meeting between the two teams, a 79-68 triumph November 20, 2010 at the Recreation Complex. Prior to their most recent matchup, the two teams hadn't played each other since 2004.

WLC VS. THE WIAC: Wisconsin Lutheran's history against Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference opponents dates back to 1990. The Warriors have faced six of the nine WIAC members, excluding Wis.-Platteville, Wis.-River Falls, and Wis.-Superior during its 30-year history. WLC has faced Wis.-Stevens Point more times (12) than any other WIAC opponent. Friday's opponent, Wis.-Whitewater, has squared off with the Warriors 11 times. Entering Friday's tournament contest, the Warriors are 4-33 all-time against WIAC opponents.

SCOUTING WIS.-WHITEWATER: The Warhawks (21-6), ranked 22nd in the latest D3hoops.com Top 25 poll, received an at-large bid to the tournament after falling to Wis.-Stevens Point, 76-71, in the WIAC Tournament championship game last Sunday. Wis.-Whitewater is making its sixth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance and 13th in school history. UWW, which won the WIAC regular season championship with a 14-2 league record, is led by Cortney Kumerow as the senior center is averaging 13.3 points per game. Junior guard Kaitlyn Thill averages 11.9 points per game, while Kumerow pulls down 7.7 rebounds per contest. Kumerow (First Team/All-Defensive Team), Thill (First Team/All-Defensive Team), and junior guard Mary Merg (Honorable Mention) were recently selection to the All-WIAC Team.

WIS.-WHITEWATER HEAD COACH KERI CAROLLO: Keri Carollo is in her 11th season as head coach of the Warhawks women's basketball program. The 2010 WIAC Coach of the Year has guided UWW to six straight NCAA Tournament appearances. Carollo, who was previously an assistant on the Wis.-Stout coaching staff (1999-2002), enters Friday's game with a 202-101 career coaching mark.

WLC'S ROAD TO THE NCAA TOURNAMENT: The Warriors punched their ticket to the 2013 NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Championship Tournament by earning the Northern Athletics Conference's automatic bid. WLC defeated eighth-seeded Lakeland, fourth-seeded Benedictine, and second-seeded Concordia Wisconsin en route to the conference tournament title. The Warriors won each of their tournament games by an average of 23.6 points.

WLC'S LAST GAME: The Warriors jumped out to a commanding 25-6 lead over Concordia Wisconsin at the 8:19 mark of the first half and never looked back on their way to winning their third straight conference tournament championship. Dillon tied for a game high with 17 points, while Schulz added 16 points. WLC shot an impressive 50.9 percent from the floor in the game.

WIS.-WHITEWATER'S ROAD TO THE NCAA TOURNAMENT: The Warhawks received an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament after falling in overtime in the WIAC Tournament championship game to Wis.-Stevens Point, 76-71. UWW had a first round bye in the six-team tournament and then defeated Wis.-Superior, 80-71, in the semifinals. The Warhawks had won a season-high nine straight games before falling to UWSP Sunday.

WIS.-WHITEWATER'S LAST GAME: UWW scored the first 10 points of the game and held the lead until the 5:51 mark of the first half. The Warhawks never took the lead again, but overcame a 15-point deficit in the second half to send the game into overtime. The Pointers shot 7-for-8 from the free throw line in the extra session to claim the league's automatic bid to the tournament. Lisa Palmer recorded a double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds, while Mary Merg also scored 13 points.

STUDYING THE LIKELY STARTERS:

WISCONSIN LUTHERAN
#10 Krissy Day, 5-5, Sr., G, West Allis, Wis./Wisconsin Lutheran
3.4 ppg, 1.4 rpg, 1.4 apg
#12 Alyssa Allister, 5-3, Sr., G, Lake Mills, Wis./Lakeside Lutheran
5.3 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 2.4 apg
#32 Shavon Dillon, 5-6, Sr., G, Milwaukee, Wis./Hope School
14.3 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 4.0 apg
#43 Melanie Laete, 5-11, Jr., F, Spokane, Wash./Evergreen Lutheran
6.8 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 0.6 bpg
#45 Kristen Schulz, 6-3, So., C, Safford, Ariz./Arizona Lutheran
8.4 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 2.4 bpg

KEY RESERVES
#11 Rachel Hoft, 5-8, Jr., G, Germantown, Wis./Germantown
8.1 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 1.6 apg
#24 Brittanny Bahr, 5-9, Sr., G, Caledonia, Wis./Shoreland Lutheran
4.8 ppg, 1.6 rpg, 1.1 apg
#33 Kelli Johnson, 5-10, Jr., F, Milwaukee, Wis./Wisconsin Lutheran
4.4 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 0.5 bpg
#50 Carrie Thoma, 6-1, Sr., C, Richfield, Wis./Hartford Union
5.6 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 0.5 bpg

WIS.-WHITEWATER
#5 Kaitlyn Thill, 5-5, Jr., G, Belgium, Wis./Ozaukee
11.9 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 3.4 apg
#14 Megan Theune, 5-10, Sr., G, Whitewater, Wis./Whitewater
5.8 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 1.5 apg
#20 Mary Merg, 5-7, Jr., G, Greendale, Wis./Greendale
9.6 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 2.2 apg
#40 Lisa Palmer, 5-11, Fr., F, Bartlett, Ill./Bartlett
6.1 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 0.4 bpg
#50 Cortney Kumerow, 6-1, Sr., C, Bartlett, Ill./South Elgin
13.3 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 1.4 bpg

KEY RESERVES
#10 Abbie Reeves, 5-9, Fr., G, Salem, Wis./Westosha Central
5.5 ppg, 1.2 rpg, 0.5 apg
#12 Katie Burton, 5-10, Jr., G, Crystal Lake, Ill./South
6.4 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 1.2 apg
#13 Sam Quandt, 5-6, Sr., G, Hayward, Wis./Hayward
4.3 ppg, 1.0 rpg, 0.4 apg