WHITEWATER – The No. 1 University of Wisconsin-Whitewater men's basketball team used a sterling performance from its frontcourt and a strong second half push Saturday to defeat UW-Eau Claire 77-62 in a Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference contest at Kachel Gymnasium.
 
The Warhawks (19-2 overall, 12-0 WIAC) outscored the Blugolds 34-17 over the final 14:54 of the second half to roll to their 13th consecutive victory and remain atop the conference standings.
 
Senior forward Steve Egan (Omro, Wis./Omro) led UW-Whitewater with 19 points to go along with seven rebounds, while junior forward Ron Patten (Milwaukee, Wis./Whitefish Bay) totaled 15 points, six rebounds and two blocks in 18 minutes off the bench.
 
Senior guard Quardell Young (Kenosha, Wis./Bradford) posted 14 points, including 10 in the second half, and five assists. Senior guard Cody Odegaard (Poynette, Wis./Poynette) tallied 10 points and five rebounds, while senior wing KJ Evans (Beloit, Wis./Beloit Memorial) added eight points and a game-high nine rebounds.
 
The Warhawks capitalized on 17 turnovers by UW-Eau Claire (8-13, 4-8) with 24 points off those miscues, and outscored the Blugolds 44-24 in the paint.
 
In the first half, UW-Whitewater ran into trouble at the 10:20 mark, when Young headed to the bench after picking up his second foul of the contest.
 
The Warhawks responded well to the adversity, recording a 10-2 run, which was capped by a steal and breakaway dunk by junior guard Xzavier Moananu (Kansas City, Mo./Raytown South) with 6:17 left in the period to give UW-Whitewater a 30-19 advantage.
 
UW-Eau Claire trimmed its deficit to 32-28 with 48 seconds remaining, but an offensive rebound and tip-in by Patten with two seconds on the clock made it 34-28 at the half.
 
Young re-entered in the second, and his 3-point play with 18:33 on the clock made it 39-32.
 
The Blugolds hit three straight 3-pointers as part of an 11-2 run to take their only lead of the half at 45-43 with 14:54 on the clock.
 
From there, Young and Egan combined to score the Warhawks' next 12 points, and a 3-pointer by Patten put UW-Whitewater ahead 58-50 at the 9:50 mark.
 
UW-Eau Claire got as close as five, but baskets by Patten, Odegaard and Evans helped push the Warhawks' lead to 68-55 with 4:44 left in the affair.
 
UW-Whitewater visits No. 15 UW-Stevens Point Wednesday at 7 p.m. The Pointers entered their game at UW-Platteville Saturday night one game behind the Warhawks for first place in the conference.