It isn't meant to downplay the serious nature of the recent severe weather in San Diego, but the UW-Whitewater women's basketball team stormed back from an early deficit to defeat Point Loma Nazarene University 70-55  Tuesday night in San Diego in the Surf n' Slam Tournament hosted by PLNU.

(Note: If you look at the season statistics on Warhawk website they do not include this game. The season stats will be updated when necessary files are received.)

The Sea Lions scored the first points and held the lead early in the first half.  Junior guard Brianna Colon scored seven of PLNU's first nine points, with the Sea Lions leading 9-3 at the 16:26 mark. 

UW-W missed its first seven field goal attempts, with Mary Merg hitting the first shot at 14:44 to make it 14-5.  Point Loma continued to build its lead, to 30-15 with 8:47 in the half. 

And that's when the good folks of San Diego should have sensed the storm approaching.  UW-W scored six points in ten seconds at the beginning of a 20-0 run to close out the half with a 35-30 lead.  During the streak Whitewater forced five turnovers that led to eleven points and the Warhawk defense made the Sea Lions miss their final nine shots.  Six Warhawks scored in the streak.

PLNU did not attempt a free throw in the first half.  Whitewater did not shoot well from the line, but did make 7-13.  UW-W came back to shoot 50% (14-28) from the field in the half, which means that after missing the first seven the Warhawks shot 75% the rest of the way in the first twenty minutes.

Whitewater didn't let up in the second half.  The Sea Lions were still within five, 43-38, when another system (in meteorological terms) moved in.  The Warhawks went on a 10-0 run that ended with Cortney Kumerow's jumper at 12:26.  That streak was part of a larger 18-3 bulge that gave the Warhawks their largest lead of the game, 61-41 on an Emily Bestor three-pointer with 7:58 left in the game. 

The closest Point Loma came the rest of the way was 64-52 with 4:45 remaining.  Whitewater did not score in the last 3:21 of the game, and PLNU scored just three points in that span.

Whitewater, which shot 47%, held the Sea Lions to 35% from the field.  The Warhawks wound up with an advantage at the line, 12-21 to 3-5 for Point Loma, and UW-W had a 46-31 rebound margin.

Senior center Dana Thompson notched her fourth double double of the season, leading both teams with 24 points and 11 rebounds.  She moved in to ninth place in the UW-W record book in career rebounds (534), passing Tracy Moate (1979-82, 532).  Sophomore forward Cortney Kumerow was the only other Warhawk in double figures, with ten points.  Kaitlyn Thill, UW-W's freshman point guard, led both teams with four steals, and Bestor tied for game honors with five assists.

The Sea Lions were led by junior guard Crissa Jackson's 13 points, five assists and three steals.  Freshman guard Callie Rhoads scored 12, Colon ended up with 11, and junior forward Lindsey Hill added ten points and a team high seven rebounds. 

The win is Whitewater's third in a row, and seventh in their last eight outings. UW-W is 8-2.  Point Loma is 6-4.  The Warhawks will play Bethany Lutheran College (MN) Wednesday at 9:00 p.m. (Central) in the Surf n' Slam Tournament. Bethany, 2-5, lost 72-47 to Point Loma Monday in the tourney's opening night.  The tourney will conclude play Thursday. 

For additional information: Keri Carollo, UW-W coach, carollok@uww.edu