Box Score WHITEWATER, Wis. (1/11/2014)- Quardell Young (Kenosha/Bradford) led all scorers with 25 points as the University  of Wisconsin-Whitewater men's basketball team defeated Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference opponent UW-Eau Claire, 90-51, Saturday night at Kachel Gymnasium.
 
Young was 10-10 from the field and 4-5 from the line and KJ Evans (Beloit/Beloit Memorial) and Steve Egan (Omro/Omro) both scored 12 points for UW-W. The Warhawks shot 55.7% (34-61) from the field and 8-18 from behind the arc. Patrick Souter (Racine/St. Catherine's) was the leading rebounder with seven.
 
Whitewater went up by six, 15-9, less than five minutes into the game after Evans drained a three off an Alex Merg (Greendale/Greendale) pass. The Blugolds battled back to within four, 15-11, at the 14:07 mark, but that was as close as they got.  After UW-EC's Adam Hjelter hit a jumper the Warhawks went on a 20-0 run in the next six minutes to stretch its lead to 35-11 with 7:38 left in the half.
 
The teams traded baskets for the rest of the half and went into the locker rooms with UW-W leading by 23, 43-20.
 
In the first half Whitewater shot 52.9% (18-34) from the field to Eau Claire's 34.8% (8-23). The Blugolds had trouble holding onto the ball with nine turnovers to the Warhawks' four, and UW-W controlled the glass with an eight-point edge in rebounds (21-13).
 
In the second half, UW-EC pulled to within 21 points, 51-30, in the first 3:15 but that was as close as it got the remainder of the game. UW-W stretched its lead out to 39 twice, the first when Steve Egan (Omro/Omro) converted on a three-point play and then again when Alex LeGault (Green Bay/Southwest) put back a rebound with just 0:23 seconds to play in the game.
 
Whitewater shot 59.3% from the floor in the second half and 57.1% (4-7) from downtown. Egan led all scorers in the second with 11 points and all rebounders with four.
 
UW-Whitewater had a 38-22 advantage in points in the paint and had a 10-point advantage in second chance points. UW-W was able to score 22 points off of UW-EC's 18 turnovers.
 
Other top performers for the Warhawks included Evans with 12 points and four rebounds and Egan's 12 points off the bench. Souter had five points off the bench to add to his game-high seven boards and both Alex Merg (Greendale/Greendale) and Reggie Hearn (Milwaukee/Marshall) added seven points to the Warhawk total.
 
UW-Whitewater improves to 12-2 (3-2 WIAC) and UW-Eau Claire falls to 8-7 (1-5 WIAC). The Warhawks will hit the hardwood again when they host UW-Platteville Wednesday with tip scheduled for 7:00 pm in the Kachel Gymnasium.
 
PMP