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2015 WIAC Men's Basketball Championship Web Page
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WHITEWATER – The No. 2 University of Wisconsin-Whitewater men's basketball team won its fourth-ever Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament championship Saturday, defeating UW-Oshkosh 71-57 in the final at Kachel Gymnasium.
 
With the victory, the Warhawks (24-3 overall) wrapped up the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament, which begins next week. UW-Whitewater will make its fourth consecutive NCAA appearance and 20th in program history.
 
The Warhawks will learn their first-round opponent and location during Monday's NCAA Selection Show, which will air live at 11:30 a.m. on NCAA.com.
 
Senior forward Ron Patten (Milwaukee, Wis./Whitefish Bay) led all scorers with 19 points, including four 3-pointers, in 20 minutes off the bench. Senior guard Quardell Young (Kenosha, Wis./Bradford) posted 17 points, including 15 in the first half, to go along with five assists, while senior wing KJ Evans (Beloit, Wis./Beloit Memorial) totaled 15 points and a game-high 12 rebounds for his eighth double-double of the season.
 
UW-Whitewater shot 53.3 percent from the field while holding the Titans (16-12) to just 35.1 percent from the floor.
 
In the first half, the Warhawks shot a sizzling 65.2 percent from the floor and ended the period on a 16-2 run.
 
Young registered 15 points during the first eight minutes of the contest, giving UW-Whitewater an 18-9 advantage with his second straight 3-pointer at the 12:05 mark of the first.
 
After UW-Oshkosh drew to within 24-21, Evans and Patten took over for the remainder of the half.
 
Evans started the spurt with a baseline jumper, then later extended it with a 3-pointer to put the Warhawks ahead 31-23 with 3:46 on the clock.
 
Patten knocked down consecutive 3-pointers and Evans scored the final three points of the frame to give UW-Whitewater a 40-23 lead heading into the locker room.
 
The Warhawks continued their push early in the second half, stretching the run to 28-6 thanks to senior guard Cody Odegaard (Poynette, Wis./Poynette), who hit a jumper with 15:58 left to give the team its largest lead of the day at 52-27.
 
UW-Whitewater seeks its third national championship in the last four years and fifth overall. The Warhawks won NCAA titles in 1984, 1989, 2012 and 2014.