The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater men's basketball team earned its first home win of the season, defeating Viterbo University 79-73 on Saturday night.
 
The Warhawks improve to 2-1, while the V-Hawks fall to 2-5.
 
Junior Equan Ards (Milwaukee, Wis./Hamilton) got the ball moving in the first half, recording the Warhawks' first eight points, including a dunk in the fourth minute when sophomore Jack Brahm (Bayside, Wis./Glendale Nicolet) was able to get the assist to Ards for points off of the fast break.
 
With nine minutes left in the first half, freshman Trevon Chislom (McFarland, Wis./McFarland) made a layup, extending UW-W's lead to 11 points, its largest of the game.
 
Viterbo gained momentum in the last five minutes of play, tightening up the deficit to just a few points before tying the game 32-32 with 1:13 left on the clock. The V-hawks made a layup with just seconds left to take their first lead of the game heading into halftime.
 
The Warhawks started the second half as dominant as they were in the first, putting 12 points on the board within the first four minutes to take back the lead and extend it to 43-36. Ards and Brahm scored the first four points while sophomore Bailey Kale (La Crosse, Wis./Central) shot a 3-pointer and a jumper. Freshman Brian Conaghan (Wilmette, Ill./New Trier) found a jumper in between Kale's points.
 
With eight minutes left on the clock, the V-hawks found a six-point swing to put them just two points behind the Warhawks. Conaghan and Kale each scored 3-pointers within the next minute to push it back to a six point lead.
 
Viterbo bounced back by scoring two layups and earning three points from free throws to trail 75-73 entering the final minute. But freshman James Burks (Milwaukee, Wis./Riverside University HS) found a layup and Kale made two free throws to end the game with a 79-73 win.
 
Ards scored 25 points and grabbed 14 rebounds while Kale posted 21 points and 11 assists to lead the Warhawk offense throughout the game.
 
To keep the V-hawks from scoring, senior Riley Jensen (Milton, Wis./Janesville Craig) recorded three blocks and grabbed five defensive rebounds.
 
UW-Whitewater shot 52.5 percent from the floor and was 10-for-14 on free throws, good for 71.4 percent.
 
The Warhawks are back in action at home on Tuesday against Ripon. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m.