This game will wear out the "W" on a keyboard.  Wisconsin-Whitewater Warhawks versus Whitman College of Walla Walla, Washington in Spokane, Washington.  UW-Whitewater, ranked third in the latest D3hoops.com poll, upped its record to 12-0 with an 89-87 win over Whitman College, 6-3, on a neutral court in Walla Walla, Washington Monday.  

box score

UW-W senior forward Mike Bendall (Oconomowoc/Oconomowoc) tied the game at 16-16 with 11:24 left in the first half, hitting his eighth point in the early going as UW-W came back from a four point deficit.  After a brief three point Whitewater lead, the game was knotted again at 24 at 7:24.  Bendall broke in to double figures, laying in points nine and ten to make it 26-26, and his next basket netted another tie at 28-28.  Bendall ended the half with 18 points and seven rebounds, leading both teams.  Whitman, ala Grinnell (with defense), fended off Bendall by hitting 8-18 three point shots in the first twenty minutes.  The game was tied 42-42 at halftime.

Something had to give in the second half.  UW-W was riding the school's longest win streak in Pat Miller's nine years on the bench.  Whitman came in with a five game win streak.  

Whitman grabbed its largest lead of the game 54-49 at 15:47 on a free throw by Daniel Davidson.  Back to back baskets by Dupree Fletcher (Milwaukee/Rufus King) closed the gap to 54-53 with fifteen minutes left.  But the Missionaries capitalized on a turnover and a blocked shot on the next two possessions quickly turned that around to a 60-53 advantage for Whitman.  At 12:52 it was up to 64-55, and at 11:36 it finally reached double figures at 67-57 on a Peter Clark three.  A Bendall three point play, his first points of the second half, concluded an 11-0 run that put UW-W in front 68-67 at 8:56.  The Warhawks eventually built a 78-71 lead, but the momentum changed again and Whitman went up by three 84-81, on a pair of free throws by Brandon Shaw.  Bendall struck again at 2:00, giving UW-W an 85-84 lead with a layup.  A Dupree Fletcher (Milwaukee/Rufus King) driving layin at 0:24 made it 87-84 Whitewater, but Shaw cut made one of two free throws to make it 87-85 with 15 seconds left.  Fletcher made two free throws with four seconds left for the winning margin, as Whitewater allowed Whitewater to lay the ball in as the buzzer sounded for the 89-87 win.

Bendall ended the game with 26 points and 13 rebounds.  Dustin Mitchell (Lac Du Flambeau/Lakeland) added 16 points and nine boards, with DJ Dantzler (Joliet, IL/Joilet Township West) scoring 17 and Fletcher 13.  Davidson and Shaw scored 18 and 17, respectively, for the Missionaries, who had five players in double figures.  

Whitewater shot 54% from the field to 45% for Whitman, but Whitman hit 12-30 from three point range to just 1-9 for the Warhawks.  The other side of that long range shooting stat is Whitewater out-scored Whitman 56-30 in the paint. 

UW-W will face Whitworth University in Spokane Tuesday for a 9:00 p.m. Central tip off.  Monday's game against Whitman was played at Whitworth, also a member of the Northwest Athletic Conference.  Whitworth was gracious enough to allow UW-W to save time and expense and play both games in Walla Walla.  The next home game for the Warhawks will be Saturday, January 9 at 7:00 with UW-River Falls visiting Kachel Gym in Williams Center.

For additional information:  Pat Miller, UW-W coach