Box Score



A strong first half propelled the No. 20 ranked (ESPN/USA Today Coachs' Poll) Falcon women's basketball team past overmatched UW-Oshkosh, 71-46, at Karges Center on Saturday afternoon. 

The Falcons (19-4, 11-3 WIAC) held the Titans (7-16, 1-13 WIAC) scoreless the opening 11:46 to take control of a game that was never in doubt.  The win was River Falls' fifth straight as they improved to 8-1 at home for the season.
 
The Falcons used a balanced attack to put points on the board, with senior forward Alise Holst leading the way with 10 points while also dishing out five assists and snagging five boards.  Senior Maranda Dohrn tallied nne points and grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds as well, leading the Falcons for the fifth straight game.  Junior forward Brittany Gregorich added nine points as well, while freshman Jamie Kenealy netted eight.  The Falcons also showed an unselfish style of play, tallying 22 assists on 29 made field goals.
 
Oshkosh simply could not find the basket in the first half.  The Falcons held the Titans to a glacial 9.5 percent (2-21) shooting and just six points.  The Titans had more turnovers than baskets, rebounds and assists…put together, 14 to 13.  River Falls used the Oshkosh drought to open the game with a 16-0 run, and ended the first half with a 15-0 run to make it 35-6 at the half.  The early run was highlighted by a three-point play by Holst.  While Holly Riesselman powered the half-ending run with five of her seven points for the game coming during a 25 second span.
 
The Falcons continued pouring it on early in the second half.  A 28-5 run, capped by a Kenealy layup, gave the Falcons a 35 point lead, their largest of the night, at the 9:34 mark.  The Titans would narrow it to 25 at the end..  Katie Kitzke provided a bright spot for Oshkosh, pouring in a game-high 20 points for the Titans.
 
The win keeps the Falcons tied for second in the WIAC with UW-Eau Claire at 11-3 with two conference games remaining, both teams laying one game back of idle UW-Stevens Point. 

The 19 wins posted by the Falcons thus far are the most for a Coach Cindy Holbrook team, and the 11 WIAC victories matches her inaugural 2000-01 team for the most wins since the 1988-89 team that captured the WIAC Championship.

The Falcons close out the season with two home games, La Crosse visits Karges on Wednesday with tip-off at 7 p.m.  Then Whitewater comes calling to cap-off the regular season, with a 3 p.m., game on Saturday.

Box Score