WHITEWATER – The third-ranked University of Wisconsin-Whitewater men's basketball team shot a season-high 61.8 percent from the floor and held UW-Superior to 31 percent shooting in an 88-57 triumph Wednesday night in a Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference contest at Kachel Gymnasium.
 
The Warhawks (11-2 overall, 4-0 WIAC), winners of 20 of the last 23 games against the Yellow Jackets, turned a 37-27 halftime lead into a 21-point lead just under five minutes into the second half with an 11-0 run to help take control of the contest.
 
With the victory, UW-Whitewater extended its winning streak to five games and maintained a tie for first place in the conference with UW-Stevens Point.
 
Senior guards Quardell Young (Kenosha, Wis./Bradford) and KJ Evans (Beloit, Wis./Beloit Memorial) led the Warhawks with 19 and 18 points, respectively, and combined to shoot 16-of-23 from the floor. Young also finished with three steals, while Evans added six rebounds.
 
Senior forward Steve Egan (Omro, Wis./Omro) littered the box score with eight points, four steals and team highs of nine rebounds and five blocks. Junior wing Xzavier Moananu (Kansas City, Mo./Raytown South) led UW-Whitewater with five steals.
 
Junior guard Brandon Thompson (Galesburg, Ill./Galesburg) and junior forward Ron Patten (Milwaukee, Wis./Whitefish Bay) led the bench with seven points apiece.
 
UW-Superior (7-7, 1-4) led by five at the 11:03 mark of the first half, but the Warhawks quickly flipped the score with a 7-0 run to make it 19-17 with 9:10 on the clock.
 
UW-Whitewater took the lead for good on a lay-up by Egan with 8:23 to play in the period, then worked its lead all the way up to 12 points with just over a minute left.
 
The Warhawks never let their lead slip under double digits in the second half, and the final margin was their largest advantage of the game.
 
UW-Whitewater outscored the Yellow Jackets 20-6 off turnovers, 50-18 in the paint and 32-18 off the bench. UW-Superior held a 17-10 edge in second-chance points.
 
The Warhawks resume WIAC play this Saturday against UW-Stout. Tip-off is slated for 5 p.m. at Kachel Gymnasium.