The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater men's basketball trailed by double digits in the second half before rallying to within one possession Wednesday night in a 74-72 loss against UW-Stevens Point in a Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference contest at Kachel Gymnasium.
 
The Warhawks (7-13 overall, 2-7 WIAC) barely missed out on pushing the game to overtime after trailing by 10 with just over four minutes to play as a final shot attempt at the buzzer rolled on the rim and off.
 
Sophomore forward Breontae Hunt (Milwaukee, Wis./Bay View) posted a double-double with 14 points, 10 rebounds and three assists. Junior forward Equan Ards (Milwaukee, Wis./Hamilton) tallied 17 points and three assists, and freshman forward Trevon Chislom (McFarland, Wis./McFarland) collected 11 points and five rebounds (all offensive).
 
UW-Stevens Point (14-6, 6-3) held a 21-8 advantage in made free throws, including 13 in the second half. UW-W held advantages on points in the paint (48-22) and bench points (27-6).
 
After the score was tied at 4-4 through the first six minutes, UW-Whitewater took control over the next four minutes, grabbing a 20-10 advantage at the 9:04 mark following a highlight-reel steal and dunk by Ards off the Pointers' end line pass.
 
The Warhawks led by as many as 13 points in the period following a lob from Hunt to sophomore forward Jack Brahm (Bayside, Wis./Glendale Nicolet) with 5:12 on the clock.
 
UW-Stevens Point rallied with a 9-0 run to cut UW-W's lead to 33-31 in the closing minute of the half, but Brahm drove for a 3-point play with five seconds left to increase the advantage to five.
 
The two teams traded the lead over the first 10 minutes of the second half. After a free throw by freshman guard James Burks (Milwaukee, Wis./Riverside University HS) gave the Warhawks a 54-51 lead at the 10:22 mark, the Pointers scored the next 15 points to take a 66-54 lead with 7:24 to play.
 
UW-Stevens Point held a 68-58 advantage with 4:18 on the clock before UW-Whitewater used an 8-1 spurt to draw within one possession with just over a minute remaining.
 
Sophomore guard Bailey Kale (La Crosse, Wis./Central) converted layups on three straight Warhawk possessions, bringing the team to within one with 12 seconds left. The Pointers hit 1-of-2 free throws to set up UW-Whitewater's chance to tie the game or take the lead on the game's final possession.
 
The Warhawks visit UW-River Falls Saturday at 5 p.m.