Box Score WHITEWATER, Wis. - The Warhawk men's basketball team, ranked third in the latest D3hoops.com poll, remained unbeaten in Kachel Gymnasium with a 63-45 win over UW-La Crosse Wednesday evening. UW-W, 20-3 overall, secures a first round bye in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference tournament with an 11-3 record in the league. Whitewater is 11-0 in front of its home crowd and have won their last six contests.

Photo Gallery courtesy of Jenny DuPuis || Photo Gallery courtesy of Alex Saager

It was all Whitewater from the start. The Warhawks scored the first bucket of the game with a KJ Evans (Beloit/Beloit Memorial) jumper with 18:36 on the clock and that was the closest margin of the game. UW-W jumped out to a 12-2 lead highlighted by back-to-back three's from Eric Bryson (Elkhorn/Elkhorn) with 14:08 remaining in the half. The Warhawks extended their lead to 21 on another Bryson bucket from long range with 45 seconds left but La Crosse's Skylar Cameron provided the final score of the first twenty minutes with a layup to send the teams into the locker rooms with the score 34-15.

UW-W scored 18 points in the paint in the first half compared to just six for the Eagles. The Warhawks shot 43% (12-28) in the first half and made three of their seven shots from downtown, all three off the shooting hand of Bryson. Whitewater's defense held the Eagles to just 22% (6-27) from the floor and 1-9 from behind the arc. 

UW-L whittled the lead down to 13 with 13:21 left in the half but that was as close as it would come. The margin stayed between 14 and 20 points the rest of the way. La Crosse's Connor De Bruin had the final score of the evening with a free throw with 56 seconds left to make the score 63-45.

The Warhawks shot 46% (22-48) from the floor and were 6-15 from long range. The Eagles ended the night at 28% (16-57) and 3-21 from downtown. Whitewater had a 43-28 advantage on the boards. 

Evans led all players with a double-double performance with 21 points and 14 rebounds. Bryson added 18 on 4-8 from behind the arc and a perfect 4-4 from the charity stripe. Quardell Young (Kenosha/Bradford) posted a game high four assists, three blocks and two steals. 

Calahan Skogman was the lone Eagle to hit double figures with 11 points adding a team high four rebounds and three assists in the game.

The Warhawks will host UW-Oshkosh for their final home game of the regular season Saturday, February 15. Tip is scheduled for 7:00 pm. 


AK/pmp