The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater men's basketball team fell against Amherst (Mass.) by a score of 76-54 on Monday night. This marks a split in games over their two-day Florida trip to wrap up the calendar year with a record of 5-6.
 
The Warhawks found a five-point lead in the first five minutes after good free throws from Jack Brahm (Bayside, Wis./Glendale Nicolet) and Equan Ards (Milwaukee, Wis./Hamilton) and a layup from Bailey Kale (La Crosse, Wis./Central).
 
The next five minutes went back and forth between the two teams as neither was able to find more than a three-point lead. 
 
At the halfway point, the Mammoths' found their offensive rhythm after making two 3-pointers followed by a layup and two made free throws for a 10-point run. 
 
In the final five minutes of the half, Paul Kingsley (Chicago, Ill./St. Rita of Cascia) hit two 3-pointers and Kale hit one to lessen the Mammoths' lead to four points. The Warhawks' trailed 33-26 heading into halftime.
 
Amherst took an early advantage in the second half after scoring 12 points in the first five minutes. Ards' layup at 13:09 tightened the score to a 10-point deficit, the closest the Warhawks had been in six minutes. UW-W scored seven of its own points and held the Mammoths to just three leading into the final 10 minutes of play. 
 
The Mammoths controlled the rest of the game, leading by as many as 24 points.
 
Team leaders included Ards with 14 points, Kale with three assists and Austin Gates (Bartlett, Ill./Bartlett) with 10 rebounds.
 
The Warhawks will be back in action on Saturday to begin Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference competition. They will travel to UW-Eau Claire for a game at 5 p.m.