WIAC Tournament (presented by Culver's)
La Crosse, Wis. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse women's basketball team is set to host UW-Platteville Friday, February 18 in the first round of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Championship (presented by Culver's). Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. in Mitchell Hall. The Eagles (13-11) are the tournament's fifth-seed while UW-Platteville (10-14) is the eighth-seed.
The winner advances to the second round Monday, February 21. UW-River Falls (#7 seed) plays at UW-Stevens Point (#6) in the other first round game February 18. UW-Eau Claire (#3) and UW-Oshkosh (#4) will host second round contests February 21.
UW-Whitewater is the tournament's top-seed and will host a semifinal Wednesday, February 23 while UW-Stout, the second seed, will host the other semifinal.
The semifinal winners advance to the WIAC Championship game Friday, February 25 at the highest remaining seed. The winner of the WIAC Championship earns an automatic bid to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III Championships.
UWL is making its 18th appearance in the WIAC Tournament, which began in 1999. The Eagles have advanced to the WIAC Semifinals the last five seasons, all coming under sixth-year head coach
Karen Middleton. UWL also advanced to the championship semifinals in 2006 and 2011. UWL is aiming for its first appearance in the league championship game in school history.
UWL is 6-18 all-time in conference tournament play, including 6-3 at home. The Eagles earned a 59-53 win over UW-Stevens Point in the quarterfinals last season before falling 67-59 at UW-Oshkosh in the tournament semifinals.
This is the first-ever meeting between UWL and UW-Platteville in the WIAC Tournament. The Pioneers are 3-13 all-time in the league tournament.
UWL leads the all-time series, 49-32, with UW-Platteville. The teams split its two regular-season meetings this year with each winning on its home court. The Pioneers earned a 64-48 win December 1 while the Eagles earned a 64-53 victory January 26.
The Eagles, 5-5 at home this year, are averaging 61.8 points overall while allowing 54.8. UWL is shooting 39.3% from the field, including 33.5% from three-point range, and 73.4% at the free throw line.
Emma Gamoke leads UWL with 11.8 points per game while
Paige Schumann is second (6.9),
Kyah Steiner third (6.8) and
Lexie Higgins fourth (6.5). Steiner leads the team in rebounding (5.9) with Higgins second (5.7).
UW-Platteville, 3-9 on the road, average 61.0 points while allowing 62.6. The Pioneers are shooting 41.6% from the field, including 29.2% from three-point range, and 69.4% at the line. Maiah Domask leads the team in scoring (17.3) and rebounding (11.1). Sarah Mueller is second in scoring (8.7) and Taylor Gilbert third (8.2).
