DUBUQUE, Iowa- The UW-Oshkosh women's basketball team kicked off the 2024-25 campaign with a 64-55 win over Coe College (Iowa) in the first day of the Loras College (Iowa) Tip-Off Classic in Dubuque on Friday night (Nov. 8).
 
The Titans (1-0), ranked No. 8 in the nation by D3hoops.com and No. 13 by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association, outscored the Kohawks (0-1) in the first three quarters. They also led shooting 41.8 percent (23-of-55) to 41.2 percent (21-of-51) from the field and 42.9 percent (nine-of-21) to 38.5 percent (five-of-13) from three. The Kohawks led 66.7 percent (eight-of-12) to 60 percent (nine-of-15) from the line, 24-10 in bench points, 32-24 in points in the paint, and 13-4 in fast break points.
 
Sarah Hardwick (Jr. • Green Bay) was UW-Oshkosh's top scorer with 20 points. She shot seven-of-11 from the field, a perfect three-of-three from three and three-of-four from the line. Hardwick also recorded eight rebounds (four offensive), three blocks, and three assists.
 
Kayce Vaile (Fifth • Greendale) recorded a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds (three offensive). She shot five-of-11 from the field, including one-of-two from three and added three steals.
 
UW-Oshkosh's third double-digit scorer was Avery Poole (Jr. • Cottage Grove), who recorded 10 points on four-of-eight from the field, including two-of-five from three.
 
Paige Seckar (Fr. • Oshkosh) recorded three blocks with seven points and five rebounds.
 
Vaile scored a layup, followed by a 3-pointer from Alex Rondorf (Grad. • West Bend) and a free throw by Harwick for the first six points of the game. Oshkosh maintained a lead of at least two points for the rest of the quarter, leading 12-10 at the break.
 
Coe quickly tied the game at 12-12 on a jump shot in the first minute of the second quarter and fended off two Titan ties before Oshkosh retook the lead at 23-20 when Hardwick connected on a 3-pointer with just under four minutes left in the period. Vaile and Poole extended the edge to seven points, the Kohawks made a three and Hardwick converted two free throws, putting Oshkosh up 29-23 as Abbey Inda (Fr. • Cottage Grove) blocked a last-second 3-point shot as time expired.
 
The Kohawks cut the deficit to four points out of halftime before Poole, Hardwick, and Vaile made consecutive threes, pushing the Titans ahead by 13 points. Coe stayed around 10 points down until Rondorf scored five points on a 3-pointer and two free throws, making the score 51-36 with just over a minute in the third quarter. Coe's Caydee Kirkham converted two attempts from the line to set the score at 51-38 headed into the final period.
 
Seckar made a layup and a succeeding free throw in the first minute of the fourth quarter before the Kohawks scored their first points. Oshkosh led by as much as five points on the heels of a 5-0 run, however Coe registered the final 11 points of the game over the last three minutes, cutting the Titans lead to nine points as the final buzzer sounded.
 
The Titans will play their second game of the Loras Tip-Off Classic on Saturday (Nov. 9) at 2:30 p.m. as they face the host Duhawks (0-1), who are receiving votes in the D3hoops.com poll.