The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater men's basketball team made several big plays down the stretch offensively and forced a miss on a last-second shot attempt defensively Saturday for a 73-72 victory at UW-Stout in a Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference contest in Menomonie, Wis.
 
The Warhawks (6-10 overall, 1-4 WIAC) shot 54.5 percent from the field, their second-highest mark this season, and outscored the Blue Devils 26-8 in points from reserves.
 
Junior forward Equan Ards (Milwaukee, Wis./Hamilton) collected 29 points on 12-of-20 shooting and added seven rebounds and three assists. Freshman guard James Burks (Milwaukee, Wis./Riverside University HS) tallied 17 points, five rebounds and two steals off the bench, and sophomore guard Bailey Kale (La Crosse, Wis./Central) posted 10 points, three rebounds and two assists.
 
Senior center Riley Jensen (Milton, Wis./Janesville Craig) and freshman forward Trevon Chislom (McFarland, Wis./McFarland) registered six points apiece, and freshman guard Austin Gates (Bartlett, Ill./Bartlett) grabbed a team-high eight rebounds and added two steals.
 
UW-Stout (5-11, 1-4) led 7-0 three minutes into the contest, but UW-Whitewater drew back to within two at the 13:28 mark on a jumper by Kale.
 
The Blue Devils built their lead up to 10 points with 11:07 to play in the half before the Warhawks ran off eight straight points, including four from Burks, to make it 21-19 with 8:17 on the clock.
 
UW-Whitewater tied the game at 28-28 with 5:50 left, but UW-Stout regained the lead 16 seconds later and held a 38-36 advantage heading into halftime.
 
The Warhawks scored eight straight points to start the second half, with Ards' layup capping the run and putting the team ahead 44-38 with 17:34 to play.
 
UW-Whitewater's lead dwindled to one by the 15:22 mark before the Warhawks posted an 11-2 run, including five points from Ards and four from Burks, for a 57-47 lead with 11:20 to go.
 
The Blue Devils rallied for the next 11 points to take a one-point advantage at 6:52. The Warhawks responded again, this time with a 13-3 spurt, to take a 70-61 lead with four minutes left after a free throw by Burks.
 
UW-Stout narrowed its deficit to one possession with 1:40 to go, but Burks responded with a 3-pointer at the 1:13 mark for a 73-67 advantage.
 
The Warhawks held on despite five straight Blue Devil points and a game-winning shot attempt by UW-Stout just before the buzzer.
 
UW-Whitewater visits No. 7 UW-Platteville Wednesday. Tipoff is slated for 7 p.m.