Related Links:
Men's Basketball Alumni Reunion – Saturday, Feb. 14
Daily Jefferson County Union story on Quardell Young (Kenosha, Wis./Bradford)
NCAA Division III Men's Basketball Statistics
UW-Eau Claire Men's Basketball Web Page
D3hoops.com
 
After a pair of one-point victories last week, the No. 1 ranked University of Wisconsin-Whitewater men's basketball team will compete in a rematch of a one-point affair from earlier in the season as it faces UW-Eau Claire Saturday at 5 p.m. in a Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference contest at Kachel Gymnasium.
 
The Warhawks (18-2 overall, 11-0 WIAC) enter the weekend on a 12-game winning streak, currently the eighth-longest active stretch in NCAA Division III. UW-Whitewater currently leads UW-Stevens Point by one-half game for first place in the conference standings following the Pointers' 63-40 triumph over UW-River Falls Wednesday.
 
Saturday's win over UW-La Crosse marked the 100th in the careers of seniors Quardell Young (Kenosha, Wis./Bradford) and Steve Egan (Omro, Wis./Omro). Fifth-year senior Cody Odegaard (Poynette, Wis./Poynette), who played nine games in 2012-13 before sustaining a season-ending injury and being granted a medical hardship for that year, picked up No. 100 with Wednesday's victory at UW-Platteville.
 
The trio has combined for the most wins in any four-year stretch in school history.
 
Young was named WIAC Men's Basketball Athlete of the Week for the second time in two weeks following two more clutch performances last week.
 
Young, who leads the team in scoring (16.5 points per game), assists (107) and steals (51), converted go-ahead lay-ups with under 10 seconds to play and blocked the opposition's game-winning shot attempt on the other end in consecutive games.
 
On Wednesday at UW-Platteville, Young drove left for a lay-up with eight seconds remaining, then blocked a shot from the top of the key on the next defensive possession to help the Warhawks preserve a 65-64 victory. Three days later, he drove right for a lay-up and blocked a shot from near the block on the other end to help UW-Whitewater defeat UW-La Crosse 68-67 at Kachel Gymnasium.
 
Young also came through in the waning moments of the Warhawks' other meeting with UW-Eau Claire this season, a 62-61 win.
 
After the Blugolds took a one-point lead with three seconds to play, Young took a pass near half court, slashed down the left lane line and converted a lay-in with 1.5 seconds left. UW-Eau Claire missed a game-winning shot attempt on the other end as time expired.
 
The Blugolds (8-12, 4-7) enter this Saturday's game having won two of their last three games, including an 80-69 victory at UW-Superior on Wednesday night. UW-Eau Claire shot 57.1 percent from the floor and 53.8 percent (7-of-13) from 3-point range. The Blugolds took a 36-24 lead into halftime and didn't look back, hitting 15-of-21 from the free throw line in the second half to preserve the win.
 
UW-Eau Claire ranks sixth in the league in both scoring offense (65.2 points per game) and scoring defense (68.0 ppg). The Blugolds rank at or near the middle of the conference in most statistical categories, but are shooting 39.4 percent from 3-point range, good for second in the WIAC behind the Warhawks, who are making 40.8 percent from long range.
 
Junior guard Tyson Kalien leads UW-Eau Claire and is tied for fourth in the conference with 15.5 points per contest. He also leads the team in free throw percentage (.763) and 3-point field goal percentage (.446), and leads the WIAC with 62 made 3-pointers.
 
Senior guard Lewis Mau (8.9 ppg) paces the Blugolds in rebounding (6.3 per game), assists (63) and steals (24). Junior forward Jacob Kohner (8.1 ppg) leads the team in field goal percentage (.533) and blocked shots (8).
 
Senior guard Eric Effertz and junior forward Kurtis Moody round out UW-Eau Claire's starting line-up. Effertz is averaging 5.1 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.4 assists per affair, while Moody tallies 6.8 points and 3.8 rebounds per game.