The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater men's basketball team overcame a double-digit, first-half deficit to force overtime Wednesday night, but was ultimately defeated 84-78 against No. 14 UW-La Crosse in a Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference contest at Kachel Gymnasium.
 
Trailing by eight with 5:34 to play, the Warhawks (5-10 overall, 0-4 WIAC) clawed back to tie the game at 64-64 with 3:16 remaining following a layup by junior forward Equan Ards (Milwaukee, Wis./Hamilton).
 
UW-Whitewater took its first lead of the game at 67-66 just over a minute later after a layup in transition off a beautiful Euro-step by Ards.
 
Freshman guard Austin Gates (Bartlett, Ill./Bartlett) hit a pair of free throws to make it 69-66 with 1:40 left, and Ards responded to an Eagle layup with a jumper to put UW-W back up by three with 53 seconds on the clock.
 
UW-La Crosse (13-1, 3-1) tied the game with a 3-pointer on the next possession, and the two teams came up empty during a late scramble, ending regulation at a 71-71 tie.
 
Freshman forward Trevon Chislom (McFarland, Wis./McFarland) gave the Warhawks a 72-71 advantage on a free throw at the 3:35 mark of overtime, but the Eagles scored the next nine points for an 80-72 lead with just under a minute to go.
 
UW-Whitewater got as close as four on a pair of free throws by Ards with 18 seconds to play, but UW-La Crosse hit a pair of free throws to pull away in the closing seconds.
 
Ards led the Warhawks with 24 points to go along with seven rebounds, three assists and two steals. Chislom posted 16 points and four rebounds, and sophomore guard Bailey Kale (La Crosse, Wis./Central) tallied 13 points and two assists.
 
Sophomore forward Jack Brahm (Bayside, Wis./Glendale Nicolet) totaled 11 points, three rebounds and two blocks. Freshman guard James Burks (Milwaukee, Wis./Riverside University HS) contributed seven points and four rebounds.
 
The Eagles scored the first seven points of the contest before Ards' 3-pointer with 16:17 on the clock put the Warhawks on the board.
 
UW-Whitewater trailed by 12 on two separate occasions in the opening half, but rallied over the final seven minutes to draw within three heading into halftime. Kale brought the Warhawks to within one following a pair of free throws in the final minute of the frame.
 
UW-La Crosse started the second half on a 10-2 run to take a 45-34 lead just under three minutes in. UW-Whitewater trimmed its deficit to three following back-to-back 3-pointers by Ards and Kale near the 12-minute mark.
 
The Eagles built their lead back up to as high as nine points before the Warhawks made their push over the final eight minutes.
 
UW-Whitewater visits UW-Stout Saturday. Tipoff is slated for 3 p.m. in Menomonie.