The No. 1 University of Wisconsin-Whitewater men's basketball team picked up its first victory of the 2014-15 season in a tough road environment Tuesday, defeating Hope 82-80 in a non-conference affair at Holland, Mich.
 
The Warhawks (1-1 overall) shot 57.1 percent from the field as all five starters finished with between 12-18 points.
 
In a back-and-forth affair, UW-Whitewater got just enough stops in the final two minutes of regulation to hand the Flying Dutch (0-1), who are receiving votes in the D3hoops.com Top 25, a loss in their season opener.
 
"One of the things we talked about was making improvements from our first game to our second game," UW-Whitewater coach Pat Miller said. "Offensively, our shot selection was better, but I'd like to see more tenacity on defense.
 
"I told them I think we have the potential to be good, but we're a work in progress. Our roles are getting more defined and our guys need to start developing chemistry."
 
After senior guard Cody Odegaard (Poynette, Wis./Poynette) tied the game at 72-72 with just under four minutes to play, Hope knocked down a pair of free throws on the ensuing possession to take a two-point advantage.
 
After four empty possessions, the Warhawks took the lead for good at 75-74 on a 3-pointer by sophomore guard Drew Bryson (Elkhorn, Wis./Elkhorn) with 2:06 on the clock.
 
From there, UW-Whitewater forced a turnover and generated a pair of missed shots, and Odegaard made it 77-74 with two free throws at the 1:15 mark.
 
Hope missed a game-tying 3-pointer on the ensuing possession, and Bryson came through again with another three to make it a two-possession game at 80-74 with 38 seconds to play.
 
Senior wing KJ Evans (Beloit, Wis./Beloit Memorial) iced the game with a pair of free throws to make it a four-point game with seven second left.
 
Senior guard Quardell Young (Kenosha, Wis./Bradford) paced the Warhawks' balanced attack with 18 points on 8-of-10 shooting from the floor to go along with a team-best five assists. He also tied a season high with five steals.
 
Evans totaled 17 points and a team-high six rebounds, while Bryson knocked down four 3-pointers en route to 14 points.
 
Odegaard and senior forward Steve Egan (Omro, Wis./Omro) posted 12 points apiece, and junior forward Ron Patten (Milwaukee, Wis./Whitefish Bay) registered seven points, all in the first half, and five rebounds.
 
In the first half, the Flying Dutchmen jumped out to a 21-12 lead midway through the first half before the Warhawks closed to within one at the 9:07 mark thanks to an 8-0 run.
 
UW-Whitewater took its first lead of the period since 2-0 with 5:32 on the clock following a lay-up by Evans. The Warhawks increased their advantage all the way to seven before Hope closed the half on an 8-1 run to tie the contest at 39-39 heading into the locker room.
 
Neither team held a lead of more than five points in the second half until Bryson's 3-pointer with under a minute to play.
 
UW-Whitewater was outscored 18-2 on second-chance points, but held a 19-10 advantage in points off turnovers.
 
"This was a critical game for us against a team that's going to do well in its conference and into the postseason," Miller said. "It was important for us to come in here and get a win."
 
The Warhawks continue non-conference play this weekend at the North Central College Tournament. UW-Whitewater takes on Bluffton (Ohio) Friday at 2:30 p.m. in Naperville, Ill.