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The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater men's basketball team defeated UW-River Falls 69-67 Monday evening in Kachel Gymnasium to advance to the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament Semifinals. The Warhawks are slated to head to No. 2 seed UW-La Crosse Wednesday to battle for a spot in the league tournament championship. 

The entire game was an exciting back-and-forth with 10 lead changes and 9 ties in 40 minutes of action. Despite getting out-rebounded by the Falcons 33-25, the Warhawks won the battle on second chance points 15-7. UWW also doubled-up UWRF in points off turnovers 20-10. The Warhawks took care of the ball committing just eight turnovers in the game while forcing 15. 

Both teams were efficient offensively shooting over 50-percent for the game taking it down to the wire. 

An old-fashioned three-point play from Delvin Barnstable (Sheboygan, Wis./Sheboygan Lutheran) gave the Warhawks a 44-36 lead with 17:20 on the clock. UW-River Falls responded with a 10-0 run over the next four minutes to reclaim a 46-44 advantage. The teams traded baskets until Barnstable tallied five in a row to give UWW a six-point advantage, 65-59, with 2:43 remaining. 

Barnstable knocked down a contested triple and then jumped a passing lane going the distance for the jam to have the great Kachel crowd on their feet and force the Falcon coach to signal for a timeout. 

Out of the break, the teams traded buckets until UWRF got to the line on back-to-back possessions to knot the game at 67 with 41 seconds on the clock. 

UW-Whitewater called for a timeout to set up a play. With a small differential between the game and shot clock, the Warhawks ran as much time off the clock as they could. As the shot clock wound down, Miles Barnstable (Sheboygan, Wis./Howards Grove) drove to the paint and found Drew Fisher (Oconomowoc, Wis./Oconomowoc) under the basket for a layin and the 69-67 lead with 10 seconds left. 

The Falcons called for a timeout and once the teams got back onto the court, head coach Pat Miller signaled for quick 30-second break before any attempt at an inbounds. Inbounding from near their own bench, UWRF was able to enter the ball well behind the three-point line and the Warhawks swarmed forcing an errant shot that was hauled in by Fisher under the basket. 

Fisher was immediately fouled to send Fisher to the line for the double bonus opportunity with 1.6 seconds remaining. Both attempts hit the rim with the second careening toward the sideline affording no opportunity for the Falcons to get off a good last second heave as the final buzzer sounded. 

Trevon Chislom (McFarland, Wis./McFarland) led a four-Warhawk contingent in double figures with 17 points on 8-12 from the floor. Jameer Barker (Racine, Wis./St. Catherine's) posted 15 while each of the Barnstables had 11. The Barnstable duo combined for seven rebounds, five assists and four steals. Elijah Lambert (Racine, Wis./St. Catherine's) led UWW on the glass with seven boards. 

The other first round game Monday was also a thriller as UW-Eau Claire edged UW-Platteville 72-70. The Blugolds advance to face the top-seeded Titans in Oshkosh Wednesday.