Kori Vernon (Madison/Memorial) and Myles McKay (Menomonee Falls/Menomonee Falls) established the tone in the first half as sixth-ranked UW-Whitewater defeated LeTourneau University (TX) 69-58 Monday evening in the Cru Holiday Classic hosted the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor in Belton, Texas.
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After trading baskets for the first five minutes, Whitewater managed its first double digit lead, 22-12, wtih 9:26 left in the half on a three point play by Vernon. Vernon, a senior forward who came in to the game with an 11.6 scoring average for a game, scored 14 points in the first half. The Warhawks continued to add on to the lead, with it reaching twenty points, 32-12, at 6:11 on an alley-oop dunk by McKay off a Matt Goodwin (Milwaukee/King) pass. McKay matched Vernon's 14 points in the first twenty minutes.
Yellowjacket junior forward Dale Vanwright, who came in averaging 19.5 per game, scored just four points in the half.
Whitewater closed the half with a 41-20 lead, the fewest points UW-W has allowed in a half this season. The previous low output by an opponent was 22 by UW-Stevens Point December 6, which probably gave UW-W head coach Pat Miller his halftime talk since the Pointers came back to win that game.
That talk turned out to be justified. LeTourneau jumped off to a 10-3 start in the second half to whittle Whitewater's lead to 44-30 with less than four minutes gone in the half. The Yellowjackets got one more point back, pulling within thirteen twice in the next couple of minutes. The trend continued with LeTourneau closing within 54-42 on a Zac Majors three-pointer at 9:47, then 57-46 on a steal and layup by Dewones Smith at 7:27.
Still the Yellowjackets weren't done. They got it back to ten, 65-55 at 2:01, eight at 65-57 at 1:01, and then just seven, 65-58 with 0:50 left on a free throw by Dusty Evers. But LeTourneau was forced to foul to get the ball back, and on successive possession Dustin Mitchell (Lac Du Flambeau/Lakeland) made one free throw and Tyson Kingsby (Milwaukee/Custer) hit the final two points to end the game at 69-58.
Whitewater's 39-19 rebound advantage helped offset a 50% shooting night by LeTourneau. Goodwin was the game's leading rebounder with nine and topped both teams with four assists, adding eleven points. McKay led both teams with 19 points, followed by Vernon's 18. McKay also had a game high four steals.
The Yellowjackets were led by guard J.J. Rockmore's 12 points, followed by Dusty Evers' 11 and Vanwright's 10.
UW-W, 10-1, will play the winner of Monday night's second game between Lake Forest College (IL) and host Mary Hardin-Baylor at 5:00 Tuesday. LeTourneau, now 7-2, will play the loser of Monday's second game at 3:00 Tuesday.
For additional information: Pat Miller, UW-W coach
