La Crosse, Wis. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse women's basketball used a hot shooting first half and never trailed as they defeated #20 UW-Whitewater in the semifinals of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament (presented by Culvers) on Wednesday night. 

THE BASICS 
Final Score: #2 seed UW-La Crosse 77, #3 seed UW-Whitewater 54
Location: Mitchell Hall, La Crosse, Wis.
Records: UWL 17-9, UW-Whitewater 19-8
WIAC Tournament History: With the win, UWL advances to the programs first ever WIAC Championship game. UWL now owns a 1-8 record all-time in the WIAC Tournament semifinals. 
National Rankings: UW-Whitewater is ranked 20th while UWL is 24th on this weeks D3hoops.com Top-25 poll. Coming into tonight's matchup, the Warhawks were ninth on the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III National Power Index while the Eagles were 21st. 
Next Up: UWL will now face WIAC regular season champion UW-Oshkosh on Friday, February 27 in Kolf Sports Center. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. The Titans swept the regular season  match-up with the Eagles as they won 55-48 in La Crosse and then 61-35 at Oshkosh. 

                    
HOW DID IT HAPPEN

• UWL would get off to a hot start as they shot 13-of-15 (86.7%) from floor including four-of-four from the three-point line in the first quarter. On the first possession of the game, Molly Janke would hit a three-pointer to start a 10-2 run. UWL would extend that lead to 16-4 (6:47) Lily Newton would hit a three-pointer for the Warhawks. Three straight layups for the Eagles would extend the Eagles lead to 22-7 with 5:18 left in the first quarter. The Warhawks would cut their deficit to 22-16 with 2:36 on the clock in the first quarter; however, UWL would score the final 10 points of the first quarter to lead 32-16. Ali Sprangers and Madisyn Kilboten would each hit a three-pointer to spark the ten point run. 
• UWL would continue the run to start the second quarter as Grace Knupp scored five straight points to make it 37-21. The Eagles would take its largest lead of the first half after Aaliyah Hamilton and Kilboten hit a pair of free throws each (5:14). UWL would lead 47-26 at halftime. 

 

• The Warhawks would open the second half with an 8-2 run to force a UWL timeout and cut their deficit to 49-34 with 5:22 left in the third quarter. After two Bri McCurdy free throws for the Warhawks made it 51-36, UWL scored six of the final eight points to lead 57-38 after three quarters. 
• The Eagles would put the game out of reach as they scored the first 11 points of the fourth quarter to take its largest lead of the game at 68-38 with 5:56 remaining in the game. Lindsey Knuth would score seven of the 11 points for the Eagles. The Warhawks would not get any closer than 23 (74-51, 1:26) the rest of the way. 

FROM THE BOX SCORE

• As a team, the Eagles finished 27-of-52(51.9%) from the floor including seven-of-20 (35.0%) from the three-point line. UWL was also 16-of-20 (80.0%) from the free throw line.
• Knupp led the Eagles with 14 points and seven assists while Janke added 13 points, eight rebounds and three assists. 
• Knuth came off the bench to add 10 points for the Eagles.
• Janke's game high eight rebounds helped the Eagles have a 38-33 advantage on the glass. 
• UW-Whitewater shot 22-of-65(44.0%) from the floor including seven-of-30 (23.3%) from the three-point line. The Warhawks were also three-of-six(50.0%) from the free throw line. 
• The Warhawks were led by Maddie Andersen and Kaitlyn Sedillo with nine points each.