The third-ranked University of Wisconsin-Whitewater men's basketball team used an efficient offense in the second half and strong defense on the other end Saturday to defeat UW-River Falls 67-63 in a Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference showdown in River Falls, Wis.
 
In a contest featuring two of the three teams who were unbeaten in conference play entering the day, the Warhawks (10-2 overall, 3-0 WIAC) shrugged off scoring just four points in the first 11-plus minutes of the game and hung on late in the second half.
 
UW-Whitewater held the Falcons (5-8, 3-1) to 36.9 percent shooting from the field and took the lead for good midway through the second half, hanging on late after UW-River Falls drew to within two with just over three minutes to play.
 
Senior guard Quardell Young (Kenosha, Wis./Bradford) tied a season high with 22 points to go along with six rebounds and five assists to lead the Warhawks. Senior wing KJ Evans (Beloit, Wis./Beloit Memorial) registered his fourth double-double of the year with 11 points and a team-best 10 rebounds.
 
Senior guard Cody Odegaard (Poynette, Wis./Poynette) totaled 11 points. Junior wing Xzavier Moananu (Kansas City, Mo./Raytown South) contributed with nine points and seven rebounds, while senior forward Steve Egan (Omro, Wis./Omro) posted eight points, four rebounds and two blocks.
 
UW-Whitewater shot 41.8 percent from the floor in the game.
 
In the first half, the Warhawks overcame a 25.9 percent shooting percentage – their lowest in a half since the first period of last season's WIAC Tournament championship game – to trail by just one heading into the locker room.
 
UW-Whitewater converted a pair of free throws in the first two minutes of the affair, but needed nearly six minutes to make its first shot from the field, a lay-up by Young to draw the team within 5-4.
 
The Falcons held the Warhawks scoreless from there until the 8:39 mark, when Odegaard knocked down a 3-pointer to end a string of seven consecutive misses and bring the team within a possession at 10-7.
 
UW-River Falls extended its lead to 10 points – its largest of the half – with 3:52 on the clock. From there, UW-Whitewater founds its range and ended the half on a 12-3 run, highlighted by back-to-back 3-pointers by Young and Odegaard with just over a minute to play.
 
With the game tied at 43-43 midway through the second half, the Warhawks took their first lead of the half, tallying five straight points from a 3-pointer by sophomore guard Drew Bryson (Elkhorn, Wis./Elkhorn) and a lay-up by Young.
 
UW-Whitewater extended its lead all the way to eight points on two separate occasions. The Falcons drew to within 66-63 with seven seconds left, but Moananu knocked down 1-of-2 at the free throw line with two seconds remaining to ice the victory.
 
The Warhawks return to Whitewater for a two-game home stand next week, starting Wednesday against UW-Superior. Tip-off at Kachel Gymnasium is scheduled for 7 p.m.