The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater men's basketball team moved to 2-2 in Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play following a narrow 75-74 loss to UW-Eau Claire in Whitewater Saturday evening. 

The Blugolds scored the first eight and eventually led by 12, 16-4, less than five minutes into the game. The Warhawks battled back and the rest of the game was a series of runs that kept the game close including a thrilling flurry of action in the final two minutes of the game. 

Trailing by four, UW-Whitewater pressed UWEC hard trapping the ball in the backcourt. Jameer Barker (Racine, Wis./St. Catherine's) tipped a pass up, hauled in the loose ball and immediately looked ahead with the ball finding Delvin Barnstable (Sheboygan, Wis./Sheboygan Lutheran) for a wide open layup to cut the gap to two, 69-67, with 1:53 left. 

A pair of free throws followed by a second chance bucket for Eau Claire pushed the margin back to six with 53 seconds on the clock. The Warhawks turned up the pressure further and forced a miscue with under 40 to go but the three-point try was no good and possession went to the Blugolds under UWW's basket. 

On the other side of a timeout, Trevon Chislom (McFarland, Wis./McFarland) swiped in the inbounds pass and immediately found Drew Fisher (Oconomowoc, Wis./Oconomowoc) for the layin to pull UWW withing four, 73-69 with just 22 seconds on the clock. The Warhawks called timeout before UWEC could in bound. 

The stifling press came up with another huge turnover on the next Blugold inbound, this time with Barker registering the steal. He put up a quick shot that didn't fall, but Elijah Lambert (Racine, Wis./St. Catherine's) grabbed the rebound. Another missed shot had the ball caroming out of bounds on the rebound and the officials signaled Whitewater ball with 14 seconds on the clock. 

Less than five seconds ticked off the clock when Chislom's jumper fell through tightening the chess match further. Once again, Pat Miller called for the timeout with UWW trailing 73-71 and just over nine seconds remaining. 

Forced to foul, UW-Eau Claire made both on the one-and-one bonus opportunity for a four-point cushion, 75-71. The Blugolds took their turn calling for a timeout. Once both teams had set for the inbounds, Miller called timeout to draw up a play to go the length of the floor in less than eight seconds. 

UW-Whitewater inbounded and Miles Barnstable (Sheboygan, Wis./Howards Grove) bolted up the floor to the right wing. He jabbed toward the lane sending his defender off kilter, stepped back and launched the three that looked good but hit the rim. The defender had recovered but went into Barnstable as he was landing and the officials called the foul sending Barnstable to the line for three free throws with 1.7 seconds on the clock. He dropped in the first two and Miller called timeout to talk it over. It looked like Barnstable may have been attempting to miss the third free throw to set up a tip-in attempt but the ball rattled around and fell through to make it 75-74. 

The Blugolds called timeout and were able to successfully enter the ball to run out the final 1.7. 

The Warhawks held a hefty advantage in points off turnovers, 26-15, but the Blugolds were better from long range hitting 11-21 compared to 5-12 for UWW. The free throw line was pivotal as UWEC hit 12-14 but were still outscored by the Warhawks who knocked down 17-24 from the charity stripe. 

Four Warhawks registered double digits in the scoring column led by Chislom's 17 on 6-10 from the floor. He added six boards, two assists, a block and a steal. Miles Barnstable (Sheboygan, Wis./Howards Grove) dropped in 16 bolstered by 8-10 from the free throw line. Carter Capstran (Franklin, Wis./Franklin) added 12 while Delvin Barnstable (Sheboygan, Wis./Sheboygan Lutheran) posted 10. Drew Fisher (Oconomowoc, Wis./Oconomowoc) was active on the glass hauling in eight rebounds.