The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater men's basketball team played its final home game of the calendar year Wednesday night, defeating Augustana (Ill.) 82-65 in a non-conference contest at Kachel Gymnasium.
 
The Warhawks (8-3 overall) led nearly wire-to-wire by shooting 59.6 percent from the floor, including 69 percent in the first half, and holding the Vikings to 42.4 percent. UW-W held a 44-24 scoring advantage in the paint.
 
Derek Gray (Madison, Wis./La Follette) recorded a game-high 22 points on 9-of-14 shooting and added seven rebounds and two assists. Carter Capstran (Franklin, Wis./Franklin) tallied a season-best 16 points and seven rebounds.
 
Gage Malensek (Brookfield, Wis./Central) posted 15 points, seven assists, two steals and two blocked shots, while Jack Brahm (Bayside, Wis./Glendale Nicolet) collected 14 points, five rebounds and two blocks. Elijah Lambert (Racine, Wis./St. Catherine's) finished with nine points and four rebounds.
 
Augustana (5-6) tied the game at 2-2 before UW-Whitewater took the lead for good just under one minute into the game on a 3-pointer by Gray.
 
The Vikings drew to within four points on four different occasions before the Warhawks stretched their lead to 10 points following back-to-back jumpers by Gray and Lambert. The advantage grew to 15 points at the 3:34 mark on a step-back jumper by Gray.
 
Malensek knocked down a 3-pointer in the final minute of the first half to give UW-W a 49-31 halftime lead.
 
Augustana closed to within 51-41 just under three minutes into the second half, but Brahm and Malensek converted back-to-back layups to push the margin back to 15 just before the 16-minute media timeout.
 
After the Vikings closed to 12 points just past the 8-minute mark, Capstran and Gray knocked down consecutive 3-pointers to make it 76-58 with 5:01 on the clock.
 
UW-Whitewater took its largest lead of the game at 81-60 after a 3-pointer by Gray with 3:52 remaining.
 
The Warhawks head to Atlanta, Ga., for games on Dec. 29-30. UW-W faces host Emory on the 29th starting at 3 p.m. Central Time.