Related Links:NCAA Division III Men's Basketball StatisticsUW-Eau Claire Men's Basketball Web PageUW-La Crosse Men's Basketball Web PageD3hoops.com The No. 2 University of Wisconsin-Whitewater men's basketball team takes its six-game winning streak into the week with a pair of Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference road games on the slate.
The Warhawks (12-2 overall, 5-0 WIAC) visit UW-Eau Claire Wednesday at 7 p.m. before heading to UW-La Crosse Saturday for a 3 p.m. tip-off.
Since a 96-94 double overtime loss at second-ranked Augustana (Ill.), UW-Whitewater is outscoring its opponents by an average of more than 26 points per contest. The Warhawks are shooting 50.6 percent from the floor during the streak, including a 45.5 percent clip from 3-point range, and are holding opponents to just 36.2 percent from the field.
For the season, UW-Whitewater leads the WIAC in scoring offense (82.0 points per game), scoring margin (+17.7), field goal percentage defense (41.5), rebounding margin (+3.9) and blocked shots (55). The Warhawks also shoot (44.8 percent) and defend (30.4) the 3-pointer better than anyone in the conference.
Senior guard
Quardell Young (Kenosha, Wis./Bradford), who is shooting better than 60 percent from the floor and averaging a team-best 15.8 points per contest over the last six games, currently leads the WIAC in both assists (79) and steals (37). He also ranks among the top five in the league in points per game (15.6), field goal percentage (57.3) and 3-point field goal percentage (48.4).
Senior wing
KJ Evans (Beloit, Wis./Beloit Memorial) leads the team and ranks third in the conference in scoring (16.4 points per game) and averages a WIAC-best 8.3 rebounds per affair.
Other top performers for UW-Whitewater to this point of the season include senior forward
Steve Egan (Omro, Wis./Omro), senior guard
Cody Odegaard (Poynette, Wis./Poynette) and junior wing
Xzavier Moananu (Kansas City, Mo./Raytown South). Egan averages 8.6 points and 5.4 rebounds per game and leads the league with 27 blocks, or just under two per contest. Odegaard is the team's third-leading scorer (10.9 ppg) and is second in the conference in 3-point field goals made. Moananu has started each of the last six games and is averaging 8.1 points and 4.4 rebounds for the year.
Junior forward
Ron Patten (Milwaukee, Wis./Whitefish Bay) and senior guard
Drew Bryson (Elkhorn, Wis./Elkhorn) have been key pieces off the bench for the Warhawks. Patten is fourth on the team in scoring at 9.0 points per affair, while Bryson is shooting 47.1 percent from 3-point range and 52 percent overall.
Last Week UW-Whitewater registered back-to-back home wins by an average of 30 points, downing UW-Superior 88-57 Wednesday before besting UW-Stout 96-67 Saturday at Kachel Gymnasium.
The Warhawks shot 61.8 percent from the field and put the game out of reach with an 11-0 run to start the second half. Young and Evans led the team with 19 and 18 points, respectively, and Egan contributed with eight points, nine rebounds, four steals and five blocks.
Against UW-Stout, Odegaard tallied a season- and game-high 26 points and hit eight of UW-Whitewater's 15 three-pointers in the contest. The Warhawks forced 19 turnovers and held the Blue Devils to 41.1 percent shooting from the field. Evans posted 18 points and eight rebounds, and Young totaled 12 points and a career-high 11 assists.
This Week Warhawks at UW-Eau Claire, 7 p.m.The Blugolds (6-8, 2-3) were idol on Saturday, but have won their last two games entering the week, with both wins coming on the road.
Following a 73-66 triumph at UW-La Crosse on Jan. 3, UW-Eau Claire traveled to UW-Stout and picked up a 75-72 victory in Menomonie. Jacob Kohner hit a pair of free throws with nine seconds to play and the Blugolds held on despite a pair of 3-point attempts to tie the game in the closing seconds.
Tyson Kalien leads UW-Eau Claire and ranks second in the WIAC with 16.4 points per game, and has a league-best 51 three-pointers made. Lewis Mao paces the Blugolds in rebounds (6.1 per game), assists (43) and steals (14).
UW-Eau Claire scores 65.9 points and allows 68.5 points per contest, and currently leads the conference with 8.57 three-pointers made per game.
UW-Whitewater holds a 58-50 edge in the all-time series, but has won the last nine meetings against the Blugolds.
Warhawks at UW-La Crosse, 3 p.m.UW-La Crosse (7-7, 2-3) enters the week after playing one game last week, a 62-59 victory at UW-Superior on Saturday. The Eagles took the lead for good at the 9:10 mark of the second half and knocked down 17-of-22 at the free throw line. Jared Staege led UW-La Crosse with a game-high 20 points to go along with six rebounds.
Cale Zuiker leads the Eagles with 16.1 points and 6.1 rebounds per game, each good for fourth in the WIAC. Skylar Cameron is second with 11.3 points per affair, while sharpshooter Trent Schmidt averages 9.4 points and leads the league in both free throw (93.8) and 3-point (54.3) percentage.
UW-La Crosse ranks eighth in the league in scoring offense (63.7 ppg) and fourth in scoring defense (62.3). The Eagles lead the conference in free throw percentage (76.8).
UW-La Crosse opens their week Wednesday at No. 19 UW-Stevens Point at 7 p.m.
The Warhawks lead the all-time series 80-44, and won two of three against the Eagles in 2013-14.