The No. 24 ranked University of Wisconsin-Whitewater men's basketball team turned a one-possession game into a double-digit margin over the final nine minutes of regulation Saturday night in an 89-70 triumph over Concordia Wisconsin in a non-conference affair at Kachel Gymnasium.
 
Clinging to a 62-60 advantage with 9:02 to play, the Warhawks (3-0 overall) tallied the next 16 points to take control of the contest, starting what ended up as a 27-10 run over the final 9:02.
 
UW-Whitewater shot 51.6 percent in the second half and hit 8-of-14 from 3-point range in the period to offset 53.1 percent shooting by CUW for the contest. The Warhawks scored 31 points off 20 Falcon turnovers.
 
Senior forward Derek Rongstad (Middleton, Wis./Middleton) collected a game-high 25 points on 9-of-11 shooting, including 5-of-7 from 3-point range, to go along with seven rebounds and three steals.
 
Senior guard David Sachs (Highland Park, Ill./Highland Park) posted his first career double-double with 13 points and a career-high 12 assists to go with four rebounds and two steals. Senior guard Dalton Menke (Rockford, Ill./Winnebago) recorded 14 points, six rebounds and two steals, and senior forward Melvin Brown Jr. (Milwaukee, Wis./Vincent) totaled 12 points and four rebounds.
 
Senior guard Andre Brown (Kenosha, Wis./Indian Trail) recorded eight assists to go along with his three points and three rebounds.
 
The Falcons (0-2) led by six five minutes into the first half, and took an 18-9 advantage with 13:43 to go in the period.
 
A transition dunk and a layup by Brown Jr. drew UW-Whitewater to within one point midway through the half. The Warhawks took their first lead 25-23 on a 3-pointer by senior Mitchell Pfeifer (Wales, Wis./Kettle Moraine) at the 6:00 mark.
 
UW-Whitewater built a seven-point lead with five minutes to play in the half, but Concordia closed on a 17-9 run to take a 41-40 lead into the locker room.
 
The Warhawks started the second half on a 13-2 run, highlighted by five straight points from junior center Riley Jensen (Milton, Wis./Janesville Craig) and eight during the spurt by Rongstad, to take a 53-43 advantage with 15:35 remaining.
 
UW-Whitewater led by as many as 13 points before the Falcons slowly climbed back into the game, tallying eight straight points to make it a one-possession game with 9:02 on the clock before the Warhawks' game-clinching run.
 
UW-Whitewater visits defending Midwest Conference champion Monmouth (Ill.) Tuesday at 7 p.m.