WHITEWATER, Wis.- Twenty-three of UW-Oshkosh women's basketball's 55 points were scored in the third quarter of Wednesday night's (Jan. 28) road win over UW-Whitewater at the Warhawks' Kachel Gymnasium.
 
UW-Oshkosh (19-0, 8-0 WIAC) is off to the third 19-0 start to a season in program history, joining the 1995-96 and 1998-99 squads. The first team won all 31 games on its way to the only national championship in program history and the second won 20 games in a row before advancing to the NCAA Division III Quarterfinal Round.
 
The Titans, ranked third in the nation by both D3hoops.com and the Women's Basketball Coaches Association, are one of just five remaining Division III women's basketball programs without a loss to their name and one of 13 across the NCAA regardless of division affiliate or gender.
 
Oshkosh, which entered the contest with a Division III-low 9.1 turnovers per game and the third-best scoring defense in the nation (45.1), held the Warhawks (15-4, 5-3 WIAC) to a season-low 43 points while committing 10 turnovers.
 
The Titans went 52.1 percent (25-48) from the field, the highest percentage an opponent has shot against Whitewater this season. They also recorded a 26.1 percent (6-23) from 3-point range and went 11-for-16 (68.8 percent) from the line. Oshkosh led Whitewater from the field and beyond the arc and the Warhawks held a free throw edge at 72.7 percent (8-11).
 
The Titans held additional advantages in points off turnovers (16-4), bench points (11-7), blocks (9-1) and steals (6-4). The Warhawks slightly led in second chance points (8-7) and both teams scored 22 points in the paint.
 
Paige Seckar (Oshkosh/Oshkosh West) recorded her fourth double-double of the season and second of the WIAC slate with game highs of 19 points and 11 rebounds. She shot 7 of 13 from the field, made a 3 and went 4-for-6 at the line while notching two blocks and two steals.
 
Sammi Beyer (Appleton/Appleton East) joined Seckar with double digits, scoring 15 points on 5 of 15 from the field, 3 of 11 from behind the arc and 2 of 2 from the line. She added a trio of assists.
 
Sarah Hardwick (Green Bay/Notre Dame Academy), the owner of 108 career starts in black and gold and two WIAC All-Defensive Team nods, recorded a career-high six blocks, pulled down double-digit rebounds (12) for the third time this season, a notched two steals to go with her five points and two assists.
 
Mia Gillis led the Warhawks with 18 points, shooting 7-for-16 from the field and 4-for-5 from the line. Renee Rittmeyer finished the game with 11 rebounds.
 
Seckar got the Titans on the board first with a layup after knocking the opening tip into Beyer's hands. After Whitewater got on the board and tied the game, Avery Poole (Cottage Grove/Monona Grove) sank a 3 to keep Oshkosh ahead. The Warhawks then scored eight consecutive points across 6:23 to claim a late 10-5 first quarter lead. Abbey Inda (Cottage Grove/Monona Grove) tipped in her own missed layup to end the run, however Logan Lowry sank a deep ball with nine seconds left in the quarter to send the teams to the second with a 13-7 score.
 
The Titans never allowed the Warhawks to scored more than twice in a row in the second quarter and kept the score within nine points throughout the period before two Seckar free throws and a Hardwick layup cut the deficit down to 25-19 at the half.
 
Oshkosh and Whitewater traded baskets at the start of the third quarter and the hosts got four points from Camryn Nies and Gillis to create a 6-point gap with 6:53 to go in the period following back-to-back scores by Beyer and Seckar. That was the largest lead the Warhawks held for the rest of the contest however as the Titans went on a 13-point tear in the last 5:03, featuring three 3-pointers from Beyer, who had missed her first five attempts from range. Her first 3 gave Oshkosh its first lead since early in the first quarter and her third closed out the period with a 42-33 lead in the Titans' favor.
 
Seckar continued Oshkosh's run at the start of the fourth quarter with two free throws and a layup before Whitewater got on the board for the first time in over eight minutes of play. The Titans reached a 16-point lead twice before settling in for the 12-point win.
 
With the win, Oshkosh extends its season-opening winning streak to 19 games
 
After Saturday's (Jan. 31) league-wide bye, the Titans return to Kolf Sports Center for a pair of home contests against No. 24/receiving votes UW-Platteville (15-4, 5-3 WIAC) on Wednesday (Feb. 4) and UW-River Falls (11-8, 4-4 WIAC) next Saturday (Feb. 7).
 
The Titans are 77-19 against the Pioneers and 69-27 against the Falcons since 1974-75. Under head coach Brad Fischer, Oshkosh has won 24 of 27 games against Platteville and each of the last nine matchups while posting a 25-4 record against River Falls with an 8-2 mark in the last 10 games.