The No. 12 ranked University of Wisconsin- Whitewater women's basketball team defeated 23rd-ranked UW-Oshkosh, 68-65, in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletics Conference Tournament Championship (Presented by Culver's) final Saturday afternoon at Kachel Gymnasium.

With the victory, the Warhawks earned the conference's automatic bid into the NCAA Division III Tournament for the second straight season.  The tournament selection show will air Monday, Feb. 26, at 1:30 p.m. live on NCAA.com.

UW-Whitewater, which clinched its first-ever sweep of the WIAC regular season and tournament championships, will begin its 17th appearance in the national tournament, including its 10th in the last 11 years.

UW-Whitewater (24-3) and UW-Oshkosh recorded 10 lead changes in the thriller and the Warhawks shot 51.1 percent from the floor and sank six 3-pointers while holding the Titans to just two 3-pointers.

Senior guard Brooke Trewyn and junior forward Sarah Schumacher lead UW-Whitewater with 12 points each.  Junior forward Olivia Freckmann recorded 11 points and four rebounds and senior forward Andrea Meinert tallied 10 points and six rebounds.

The Warhawks and the Titans (21-6) traded baskets to start the game.  A basket from Meinert at 6:26 in the first quarter gave UW-Whitewater the lead 12-10.

Senior guard Malia Smith finished a layup with two and a half minutes remaining in the period to give UW-Whitewater a seven-point lead, which was the largest lead in the game.

Trewyn found Schumacher inside with 1:10 remaining in the quarter and the Warhawks remained on top, 24-18.

The Titans started the second quarter on a 9-4 run and took the lead 29-28 with 6:37 remaining in the second quarter.

UW-Whitewater regained the lead, 32-31, with a basket layup from Trewyn and 4:02 remaining in the half.

The Warhawks remained on top for the rest of the half, and two free throws from Freckmann gave UW-Whitewater a four-point lead.

UW-Oshkosh tied the game, 44-44, with 7:58 left in the third period.  The Titans then took the lead and remained on top for the next six minutes.

With 1:16 remaining in the third, Freckmann finished the layup to account for the final margin of the quarter and put the Warhawks back top, 54-53.

UW-Whitewater recorded a steal by sophomore guard Camri Conley on the first possession of the fourth quarter and capitalized on it on the offensive end when Smith found Meinert inside for a layup.

At 6:59, the Warhawks extended their lead to five on a jumper from sophomore Becky Raeder.

The Titans closed within three with 5:21 remaining in the contest, but UW-Whitewater responded with a basket from Trewyn to make the lead 65-60.

A basket from UW-Oshkosh with 1:50 remaining in play cut the Warhawks' lead to two at 67-65.

With 11 seconds remaining, Trewyn tallied a steal and called the timeout.  The Titans were forced to foul and sent Smith to the line where she sank her first attempt. The Titans called timeout, advanced the ball and missed a 3-pointer just before the buzzer sounded.