The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater men's basketball team returns home for its first game at Kachel Gymnasium since Dec. 22 this week as it plays a pair of Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference contests.
The Warhawks (11-5 overall, 4-1 WIAC) host No. 11 UW-La Crosse Wednesday at 7 p.m. and UW-Eau Claire Saturday at 5 p.m. on
Alumni Day at Kachel Gymnasium.
Wednesday's game can be viewed live
online and heard locally on 940 AM WFAW or online at
940wfaw.com. Saturday's game will air live on UWW-TV via channel 100.1 on campus, Spectrum channel 989 for customers in the area and
online and can be heard live on KIX 106.5 FM WKCH in the Whitewater area or online at
kix1065.com.
Following the cancellation of last Wednesday's game against No. 2 UW-Platteville, UW-Whitewater played its lone game of the week Saturday, dropping its first conference contest of the season with a 76-60 loss at UW-River Falls.
Carter Capstran (Franklin, Wis./Franklin) led UW-W with 15 points,
Derek Gray (Madison, Wis./La Follette) tallied 14 points and
Elijah Lambert (Racine, Wis./St. Catherine's) posted 11 points. The Warhawks were limited to 38.9 percent shooting while the Falcons converted 54.7 percent on the other end.
Wednesday, Jan. 19, 7 p.m. – vs. UW-La Crosse
UW-La Crosse (13-2, 4-2) has won six straight games entering the week, including a 67-60 win at UW-Eau Claire last Saturday. The Eagles held the Blugolds to 36.4 percent shooting from the floor and took the lead for good at the 7:46 mark of the second half.
Ethan Anderson leads the Eagles in scoring with 18.9 points per game on 51.6 percent shooting from the floor. Wyatt Cook also averages double figures in scoring with 11.2 points per game while shooting 40.8 percent from 3-point range. UWL ranks second in the WIAC in scoring defense, allowing 62.5 points per affair.
The Warhawks split their two meetings against the Eagles during the 2019-20 season, most recently posting a 65-63 win on Jan. 29, 2020, in La Crosse. UW-W shot 51.7 percent in the second half and closed the game on a 9-2 run.
UW-Whitewater leads the all-time series between the two teams, 85-51.
Saturday, Jan. 22, 5 p.m. – vs. UW-Eau Claire
UW-Eau Claire (8-9, 1-5) enters the week on a five-game losing streak, including four games by single digits. The Blugolds were topped 67-60 against UW-La Crosse last Saturday after being limited to 36.4 percent shooting during the contest. Four players scored in double figures for UWEC.
Brock Voigt and Michael Casper enter the week as UW-Eau Claire's top two scorers with 14.6 and 11.4 points per game, respectively. Voigt does most of his damage in the paint, shooting 63.6 percent from the floor overall, while Casper works on the perimeter, shooting 46 percent from 3-point range and 52.3 percent overall entering the week.
In the first meeting between the two teams this season, UW-Whitewater committed a season-low three turnovers and took the lead for good on Gray's jumper with 33 seconds left in a 77-72 victory on Jan. 8 in Eau Claire. Gray recorded 19 points,
Trevon Chislom (McFarland, Wis./McFarland) finished with 16 points and
Drew Fisher (Oconomowoc, Wis./Oconomowoc) collected 12 points and five rebounds.
The Blugolds visit UW-River Falls Wednesday at 7 p.m. before heading to Whitewater for Saturday's contest.
