OSHKOSH, Wis. (Duhawks.com) – The Loras College women's basketball team fell to #5 UW-Oshkosh on Wednesday in a tough road match. Turnovers and missed free throw opportunities ultimately led to the Duhawks' defeat. Junior Lori Obendorf finished with a double-double, scoring 12 points and adding 13 rebounds.

TURNING POINT
With 5:50 remaining in the second quarter the Titans (7-0) executed a 10-0 scoring run to create an 18-point deficit against the Duhawks (4-3). Loras was never able to come back despite their defensive efforts in the paint.

HOW IT HAPPENED
First Quarter
The Duhawks jumped out to an early 4-0 lead against the Titans with junior Lori Obendorf scoring first off the opening tip. For the next five minutes of the quarter the teams exchanged baskets until the score was tied, 8-8. UW-Oshkosh efficiently executed their perimeter play, draining three 3-pointers to extend their lead.

The Loras defense held the Titans from scoring in the final two minutes of the quarter. Two layups on consecutive possessions by juniors Terese McMahon and Kat Cabrera closed the gap on UW-Oshkosh's lead. After 10 minutes of play, Loras trailed 17-12.  

Second Quarter
Determined to lessen the deficit before the Titans gained a substantial lead, Loras entered the second quarter with a fast-paced offense. Obendorf, Cabrera and senior Megan Jones each contributed two points in the first four minutes of the quarter. Despite the Duhawks' efforts, a 10-0 scoring run started by Eliza Campbell gave UW-Oshkosh the ultimate edge they needed to pull away for good.

The Duhawk defense did a sufficient job of guarding the Titans in the paint as they forced UW-Oshkosh to move the ball outside the perimeter. Obendorf recorded five blocks on the night and was a strong presence in the frontcourt. Unfortunately, the Titans executed well from behind the 3-point line, shooting 46.7 percent behind the arc to lead 39-22 at halftime.

Third Quarter
UW-Oshkosh continued to pull ahead in the second half by capitalizing on Duhawk errors. Loras committed 24 turnovers in the game which the Titans converted into 23 points. The Duhawks also struggled at the free throw line only shooting 53.3 percent from the line. This is far below Loras' season free throw percentage of 76.5.

Despite holding the Titans to 15 points in the third quarter, the Duhawks could not mount a comeback and trailed 54-37 entering the final 10 minutes.

Fourth Quarter
The teams exchanged baskets to start the fourth quarter, barring Loras from gaining any ground. With five minutes remaining in the game, Kat Cabrera sunk a baseline jumper. This was followed by consecutive layups from Obendorf and sophomore Miranda Chapman to give Loras a 6-0 run, bringing the score to 63-46.

These efforts were not enough as the final minutes of the quarter saw baskets from each team. The large hole created by turnovers eventually caused the Duhawks to fall 69-52 to UW-Oshkosh.

FRIEDMAN GROUP PLAYER OF THE GAME
Lori Obendorf | Obendorf tied McMahon as leading Duhawk scorer of the night with 12 points. Her impressive defensive performance which forced the Titans out of the paint included game-highs of 13 rebounds and five blocks.

UP NEXT
The Duhawks return home to face No. 10 Wheaton on Saturday, December 12. The Thunder (5-1) collected their most recent victory in a 88-50 win over Pomona-Pitzer.