By Josh Smith, D3sports.com
| Heather Johns shook off a
slow start to score a career-high 33 points for
Whitman. Photo by Steve Frommell, D3photography.com |
STEVENS POINT, Wis. – Perhaps the most important thing the Whitman women’s basketball team gained during its postseason run a year ago was a sense of composure.
Even though they were making the program’s debut in the Final Four Friday night, the Missionaries showed their mettle Friday by winning the battle inside and finding an answer for every run UW-Whitewater made.
Led by Heather Johns’ 33 points, Whitman defeated the Warhawks, 85-70, at Quandt Fieldhouse to advance to the national championship for the first time.
“I think that’s one thing that this team’s has had this year from the beginning. They have handled the rankings – the pressure – very well. Taking it one step at a time,” said head coach Michelle Ferenz, whose team improved to 31-1 overall and will face FDU-Florham in Saturday’s title game. “For us, composure is key. It’s something that we have to have.
“I think that’s something that we really gained starting at the end of last year. And then having these young ladies come back, they knew what it took to get to this level.”
The seventh-ranked Missionaries out-rebound No. 13 UW-Whitewater 28-15 in the first half to build an 11-point lead at the break.
The Warhawks (26-5) cut the lead to single digits on multiple occasions in the second half – getting as close as seven. But each time Whitman had an answer.
“For us, the key was getting the stops, handling their pressure, but then also continuing to score,” Ferenz said. “They did respond to the run. We knew it was coming.”
Johns was the catalyst of the Missionaries’ offense, leading four scorers in double-figures with 33 points on 12-of-17 shooting.
“I was determined to win, so I kept going at it,” Johns said.
Under the basket, Sarah Anderegg scored 21 points and collected 12 rebounds while Meghan White scored 10 points and grabbed 12 boards. Hailey Ann Maeda added 10 points off the bench for Whitman.
Ferenz credited strong post play to the team’s success in the first half. After Whitewater opened the game on a 7-2 run, the Missionaries rallied for an 11-0 run to take a 27-20. Then the Missionaries posted a 12-2 spurt to extend its lead to 13 points in the final minute of the first half.
“We got it inside and both Meghan and Sarah finished. And they also created some extra opportunities for themselves by going and getting some rebounds,” Ferenz said. “I think that really sparked the run.
“I thought we did get a nice lift off the bench. Hailey Ann Maeda, she was pretty clutch,” Ferenz added. “Hailey has always been so steady for us off the bench, and she really stepped up tonight.”
Whitman shot 49 percent from the floor in the win and went 21-of-25 at the free throw line.
“I didn’t think that we did a very good job defensively,” UW-W head coach Keri Carollo said. “I thought we were very undisciplined – in the half court especially. We didn’t sit down and we didn’t execute our defensive game plan very well.”
Whitewater, last year’s national runner-up, got 30 points and 12 rebounds from Amy Mandrell. Mary Merg added 21 points and seven boards.
Whitman will take on No. 6 FDU-Florham (32-0) in the national championship game Saturday. The Devils – who have not lost since March 1, 2013 – advanced after topping No. 4 Tufts 42-39 in the other semifinal.
“FDU is a good team. We got a chance to see them play earlier. They’re very athletic,” Anderegg said. “They’re not undefeated for no reason. They’re a good team and they’re not just going to hand it to us.”
Saturday’s championship game at Quandt Fieldhouse tips off at 7 p.m. CST.
Whitewater and Tufts will play the third place game at 4 p.m.