By: Christian van Helden, Athletic Communications Intern
 
The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater men's basketball team suffered a 66-63 defeat against UW-Eau Claire Saturday night at Kachel Gymnasium in Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference game.
 
The loss was the Warhawks' first at home against UW-Eau Claire since 2005. UW-Whitewater concludes the weekend at 3-3 in the WIAC and 12-5 overall.
 
UW-Whitewater had three players score in double digits. Junior guard Haki Stampley (Milwaukee, Wis./Hamilton) led the way with 17 points, followed by sophomore guard Jerry Ngobi (Janesville, Wis./Janesville Craig) with 14 and freshman guard Andre Brown (Kenosha, Wis./Indian Trail) had 11.
 
The two teams came out trading baskets going into the first media timeout at the 15:59 mark in the first half, with the Warhawks leading 9-4. An 11-8 run by the Blugolds (10-7, 3-3) tied the game at 17 with 9:51 to in the first half.
 
Brown broke the tie with a layup to take the lead 19-17. UW-Eau Claire countered with a basket to tie the game back up at 19. Senior center Isaac Quinn (Kenosha, Wis./Tremper) gave the lead back to the Warhawks 21-19 by making both free throws.
 
After UW-Eau Claire took a one-point lead, a defensive miscue left junior forward Cole Van Schyndel (Kaukauna, Wis./Wrightstown) alone under the basket for an easy layup, and the Warhawks took 30-29 lead into halftime.
 
The second half started like the first as both teams traded baskets. The Blugolds took their first lead of the half, 34-32, at 18:04. A layup by Stampley gave the Warhawks the lead back 37-36. The Blugolds regained the lead 46-45 with 7:24 to go in the game.
 
Trailing 58-50 with 2:08 on the clock, the Warhawks rallied behind eight straight points from Ngobi to narrow their deficit to 62-60 with 16 seconds remaining.
 
Following a pair of UW-Eau Claire free throws, senior forward Trinson White (Milwaukee, Wis./Riverside) knocked down a 3-pointer with eight seconds left. The Blugolds hit a pair of free throws to take a three-point lead, and UW-Whitewater turned it over with four seconds left.
 
UW-Whitewater continues conference play Wednesday at Kachel Gymnasium as it hosts UW-Platteville at 7 p.m.