The UW-River Falls women's basketball team is headed back to the postseason with some momentum on its side. Fresh off a 65-57 upset of No. 14 UW-Whitewater on Saturday night, the Falcons secured the No. 4 seed in the 2026 WIAC Tournament and the right to host a first-round game for the first time since 2016.

UWRF (15-10, 8-6 WIAC) will welcome No. 5 seed UW-Platteville to Don Page Arena on Monday, Feb. 23 at 7 p.m. 

The Falcons enter postseason play having won three of their last four contests, including wins over nationally ranked foes in Platteville (No. 17) and Whitewater (No. 14). Monday night marks a significant moment for the program, as it will be the first home WIAC Tournament game in River Falls since the 2016 season, when the Falcons advanced to the conference championship game.

#4 UW-RIVER FALLS (15-10, 8-6 WIAC) VS #5 UW-PLATTEVILLE (18-7, 8-6 WIAC)
Date: Monday, Feb. 23
Time: 7 p.m.
Site: River Falls, Wis. // Don Page Arena
 
WIAC PAY-PER-VIEW COVERAGE

• The WIAC announced a new pay-per-view model for its 2025-26 championships and tournaments, including the women's basketball postseason. Fans can purchase single-game passes to stream live tournament broadcasts through the conference's streaming platform. For pricing details and viewing access, visit the official WIAC release: WIAC Pay-Per-View Information.

THE SERIES

UW-River Falls and UW-Platteville have met twice this season, with the Falcons sweeping the season series in tightly contested matchups.

On Jan. 24 in Platteville, UWRF earned a 62-60 road victory over the then No. 18 ranked Pioneers. Emily Anderson dropped 17 points, delivering the clutch three-pointer in the final minute to seal the win. The Falcons shot 37.7 percent from the field and controlled the glass, 41-37. Zoey Buchan and Olivia Boily both added 13 points while Jocelyn Plonski contributed eight points and seven boards in the win. 

The teams met again on Feb. 14 in River Falls in an overtime thriller. The Falcons outlasted No. 17 UW-Platteville, 69-65, behind 20 points from Zoey Buchan and clutch free-throw shooting down the stretch. UWRF went 23-for-33 from the free-throw line and outscored the Pioneers 9-5 in overtime to secure the sweep.
 
 WIAC TOURNAMENT HISTORY 

In 2016, the Falcons, as the No. 1 seed, defeated UW-Eau Claire in the semifinals before falling 65-64 to UW-Oshkosh in the championship game at home. That season marked the last time River Falls hosted a WIAC Tournament contest.

Since 1999, UWRF has advanced to the semifinals seven different times. Most recently, the Falcons earned a first-round road victory in 2022 over UW-Stevens Point before falling in the second round to UW-Oshkosh. 

Monday's contest presents the chance for the program to add another chapter to its postseason history and defend home court in front of the Falcon fans. 

FALCON NOTES

• UWRF enters the tournament with a 15-10 overall record and an 8-6 mark in WIAC play with four wins over top-25 ranked teams. 
• The Falcons average 59.5 points per game while allowing just 57.8, holding a +1.7 scoring margin.
• Senior guard Zoey Buchan leads the team with 15.0 points per game and 374 total points this season, shooting 43.2 percent from the field and 38.3 percent from three-point range.
• In conference play, Buchan elevates her production to 16.1 points per game while shooting 48.2 percent from the floor.
• Emily Anderson adds 9.1 points per game and has knocked down 44 three-pointers this season.
• Jocelyn Plonski and Olivia Boily both anchor the paint with 4.7 rebounds per game and combine for 226 total boards this season.
• The Falcons average 7.4 made three-pointers per game and force nearly 16 turnovers per contest, creating key scoring opportunities in transition.