The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater men's basketball team turned a double-digit halftime deficit into a tie game in the second half Tuesday but fell short in its comeback attempt in an 86-69 setback at No. 17 Augustana (Ill.) in a non-conference contest in Rock Island, Ill.
 
The Warhawks (2-4 overall) were held to 42.6 percent shooting from the floor, including a 34.4 percent clip in the second half, while the Vikings shot 60.4 percent from the field.
 
UW-Whitewater, which forced 20 turnovers in the game, tied the game at 52-52 with 13:52 on the clock in the second half thanks to a 17-2 run that was capped by a free throw from sophomore guard Bailey Kale (La Crosse, Wis./Central).
 
From there, Augustana (4-1) tallied nine of the next 10 points and pushed its advantage back to double digits by the 8:50 mark.
 
The Warhawks recorded five straight points as a 3-pointer by Kale brought them to within seven with 6:48 remaining, but the Vikings rallied to score the next five points.
 
Kale led UW-Whitewater with 23 points and added four assists and two steals. Junior forward Equan Ards (Milwaukee, Wis./Hamilton), who produced a highlight-reel, alley-oop dunk on a pass from freshman guard James Burks (Milwaukee, Wis./Riverside University HS) five minutes into the second half, collected 18 points, four rebounds and three steals.
 
Freshman forward Trevon Chislom (McFarland, Wis./McFarland) totaled eight points, four rebounds and two steals, and Burks registered seven points, five rebounds, three steals and two assists.
 
Both teams shot the ball well in the first half, but the Vikings made 5-of-7 from 3-point range in the period compared to 2-of-5 for the Warhawks. Augustana led by as many as 17 points in the opening half. A buzzer-beating layup by senior forward Rob Williams-Harris (Milwaukee, Wis./Riverside University HS) drew UW-W to within 48-35 heading into halftime.
 
UW-Whitewater continues its four-game road swing next Friday and Saturday, Dec. 6-7, with games against Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association opponents. The team visits Calvin on the 6th at 6 p.m. Central Time and Alma on the 7th at 4:30 p.m. Central Time.