The UW Oshkosh women’s basketball team secured at least a share of the WIAC regular season title with a 64-55 win over UW-La Crosse on Wednesday night (Feb. 14) at the Kolf Sports Center.
UWO (20-4, 11-2 WIAC), ranked No. 15 in the nation by D3hoops.com, has now won 15 WIAC regular season titles, winning their first in 1985 and most recently in 2021. Four of those titles have come under head coach Brad Fischer, who became the winningest coach in program history earlier this season in the Titans’ 67-41 win over Benedictine University (Ill.) on Nov. 27. Oshkosh has now recorded 20-plus win seasons in each of the last 11 full seasons, all under Fischer.
Oshkosh outshot the Eagles (11-13, 4-9 WIAC) with 46.2 percent (24-of-52) from the field and 80 percent (eight-of-10) from the line. La Crosse shot 40 percent (10-of-25) from the three over the Titans 34.8 percent (eight-of-23). Oshkosh also outscored the Eagles in points in the paint (30-16), points off turnovers (14-12), and second chance points (10-1).
Bridget Froehlke led the Titans with 22 points shooting six-of-11 from three. Kayce Vaile scored 18 points and 11 rebounds for her sixth double-double of the season. Kennedy Osterman also collected 11 points with eight rebounds and five assists.
The Titans started the game off with a layup from Sarah Hardwick before the Eagles gained the lead with a free throw and three-pointer. Osterman quickly tied the game at 4-4 until La Crosse was able to take the lead again with a layup. With 4:21 left in the first quarter, UWO’s Kate Huml tied the game again with a layup. The Eagles ended the quarter on an eight-point spree to secure the lead.
The second quarter opened with a layup from Osterman and three-pointer from Froehlke to shorten La Crosse’s lead. A pair of free throws from the Eagles extended the lead to five before another three-pointer from Froehlke made it a two-point lead. Two consecutive threes from the Eagles pushed their lead back to eight points. Vaile secured two layups to once again shorten the lead and the Eagles made a jump shot and Vaile a pair of free throws to make it a four-point game going into halftime.
The teams started the third quarter by exchanging layups before the Titans went on a 10-0 run to pick up the lead. The Eagles counted a free throw leading to another 11-point spurt from the Titans for a score of 43-27. La Crosse responded with its own eight-point run to make the score 43-35.
Vaile opened the scoring in the fourth quarter with a layup followed by an Eagle layup. The teams traded points for a majority of the fourth quarter and the Titans held a consistent lead of at least five points. The game ended with five made free throws from Osterman to secure the win.
The Titans will return on the road at UW-Stevens Point on Saturday (Feb. 17). The game is scheduled for a 3 p.m. tip-off. The teams first met this season on Jan. 20, where Oshkosh defeated the Pointers 67-37 at the Kolf Sports Center.
