Men’s and women’s basketball teams move up the ranks
By Kevin Cunningham
Sports Correspondent
The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater football team advanced to the quarterfinals – and will play UW-Oshkosh – after defeating Wheaton (Ill.) last Saturday, 31-17. The Warhawks led 31-14 at halftime, and then the defense took over from there.
The ’Hawks’ defense made three fourth-down stands in the fourth quarter to hold off any potential comeback from Wheaton. Senior running back Jordan Ratliffe, who has been a workhorse for the ’Hawks this season, garnered a career-high 38 carries for 192 yards and three touchdowns in the game.
Junior quarterback Chris Nelson completed 16-of-23 passes for 222 yards and a touchdown to Marcus Hudson for the team’s, and game’s final touchdown in the second quarter. The 11-1 Warhawks are now set for a quarterfinal matchup against the only team it has lost to, UW-Oshkosh, at noon on Dec. 5 at UW-Oshkosh.
When the two teams first met earlier in the season, the Titans won a defensive battle, also at UW-Oshkosh, 10-7. Since then, the Warhawks have won seven straight games, including six of which by double-digits.
The Titans, also at 11-1 overall, lost its first game of the season, 23-21. Aside from just winning its last 11 games, the Titans have defeated each of its opponents by at least 11 points outside of UW-Whitewater. In the playoffs, the Titans have won its first two games by a combined score of 90-7.
Men’s basketball 23rd
After not being ranked in the top-25 in the preseason poll, the Warhawks’ men’s basketball team is now ranked No. 23 in the Week 1 poll. The ’Hawks are sporting a 3-1 record overall to this point, and its lone loss was to Davenport (Mich.), NAIA Division II’s third-ranked team, 85-74.
The Warhawks are coming off a 93-73 victory over Ohio Northern on Saturday, a game in which senior forward Trinson White scored 19 points, grabbed 14 rebounds and dished out five assists. The ’Hawks shot 32-of-41 from the line in the game.
The team’s next game is against unanimously No. 1-ranked Augustana. Tip-off was set for 8 p.m. on Wednesday in Whitewater as part of a “white-out”.
Women undefeated, 5-0
Much like the men, the Warhawks’ women’s team was un-ranked in the preseason poll, but now sits at No. 20 after its 5-0 start to the season. The ’Hawks have won each of its five games by at least 13 points and are coming off a 79-55 win over Carroll University.
Only one Warhawk, junior guard Andrea Olsen, scored in double-digits (15), while 12 different players saw at least seven minutes of time during the game. The ’Hawks made six of its 12 3-pointers in the victory, and Olsen made 3-of-4.
The next game for the women was set for 6 p.m., also on Wednesday in Whitewater for the “white-out” against 4-2 Elmhurst College. The Bluejays’ two losses on the season are from a 48-44 defeat in its last game, while the other, was a 108-107 loss to Westminster College in double overtime.
