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Kisses From Keegan and Friends – Saturday game
The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater men's basketball team hits the midway point of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference season following its two games this week against the two teams currently tied for first place in the league standings.
The Warhawks (6-10 overall, 1-4 WIAC) visit No. 7 UW-Platteville Wednesday at 7 p.m. before hosting UW-Oshkosh Saturday at 5 p.m. at Kachel Gymnasium.
UW-Whitewater will hold a fundraiser for Kisses From Keegan & Friends, a local pediatric cancer foundation, during Saturday's contest. Fans are invited to bid on silent auction items and purchase 50/50 raffle tickets to join the team and Barkley's Burgers, Brews, and Dawgs in support of the organization.
The team will recognize Keegan, who won her two-year battle against Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia after being diagnosed at age 7, as well as Kisses From Keegan & Friends board members in attendance during the first half.
Both contests will air live on KOOL 106.5 FM WKCH in the Whitewater area and online at
940wfaw.com.
Live statistics and video links can be found on the
UW-Whitewater men's basketball schedule page.
The Warhawks split a pair of games last week, including an 84-78 setback against No. 14 UW-La Crosse in overtime and a 73-72 triumph at UW-Stout.
On Wednesday at Kachel Gymnasium, UW-Whitewater overcame a double-digit deficit in the second half, taking a three-point lead with 1:40 to play in the game. After trading baskets, the Eagles tied the game at 71-71 on a 3-pointer with 39 seconds to go. The contest went into overtime, which UW-La Crosse opened on a 9-1 run to take control of the game.
Equan Ards (Milwaukee, Wis./Hamilton) posted 24 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two steals, and
Trevon Chislom (McFarland, Wis./McFarland) collected 16 points and four rebounds.
The Warhawks picked up their first conference win of the season Saturday despite a late rally by UW-Stout, which missed a potential game-winning jumper at the buzzer. Ards registered 29 points, seven rebounds and three assists to lead UW-W, which shot 54.5 percent for the game.
James Burks (Milwaukee, Wis./Riverside University HS) finished with 17 points, including 10 in the second half, and
Bailey Kale (La Crosse, Wis./Central) added 10 points.
Wednesday – at UW-Platteville, 7 p.m.
Wednesday's game will be the 206th meeting all time between the two programs. UW-Platteville holds a 108-107 edge in the series, but the Warhawks claimed two of the three meetings last season, sweeping the regular season home-and-home before the Pioneers posted a 77-60 victory in the first round of the WIAC Tournament on Feb. 19, 2019. The Warhawks were held to 33.9 percent shooting in the affair.
After suffering its first league loss last Wednesday against UW-Stevens Point, UW-Platteville (14-2 overall, 4-1 WIAC) downed UW-La Crosse 69-67 on the road on Saturday. Carter Voelker hit the go-ahead jumper with three seconds left in regulation and finished with a game-high 21 points to lead the Pioneers, who made 12 three-pointers in the contest.
UW-Platteville ranks second in the conference in scoring defense, allowing only 62.6 points per game, and fourth in scoring offense at 77.2 points per contest. The team is holding opponents to 38.5 percent shooting, best in the WIAC.
Saturday – vs. UW-Oshkosh, 5 p.m. (Kisses From Keegan & Friends Presented by Barkley's Burgers, Brews, and Dawgs)
UW-Oshkosh leads the all-time series against UW-Whitewater by a 98-94 margin, and has claimed the last three meetings, including an 85-67 victory over the Warhawks on Feb. 4, 2019.
Melvin Brown Jr. (Milwaukee, Wis./Vincent) scored 12 points to lead UW-W, which fell behind by double digits late in the first half and was unable to draw any closer.
The Titans (10-6, 4-1) enter the week with the league's No. 1 scoring offense, averaging 83.2 points per game. They rank fifth in scoring defense at 73.2 points per game. Adam Fravert leads UW-O with 18.4 points and a conference-high 7.9 rebounds per contest. Jack Flynn is second on the team with 14.3 points per game.
UW-Oshkosh enters the week on a three-game winning streak, including double-digit victories at UW-Eau Claire last Wednesday and against UW-River Falls on Saturday. Fravert and Flynn tallied 19 points apiece to lead the team, which shot 52.2 percent from the floor and held a 49-27 advantage in rebounding.
The Titans host UW-Stevens Point Wednesday night before making the trip to Whitewater.
