The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater men's basketball team battled hard Wednesday night in front of a fantastic crowd in Kachel Gym but fell to the league-leading Titans of UW-Oshkosh 72-68. 

The Warhawks grabbed the momentum early with Trevon Chislom (McFarland, Wis./McFarland) and Jameer Barker (Racine, Wis./St. Catherine's) taking over offensively in the first half. Chislom was working hard in the paint while Barker was dialed in on his signature mid-range step back jumper. The pair combined for 23 of the teams 36 first half points on 11-19 from the floor. 

Late in the first half, Chislom knocked down back-to-back buckets, the first a triple followed by a layin with just over two minutes remaining to secure the largest lead of the half, 34-23, for UWW. The Titans ran off six straight but Barker sent UWW into the locker room with the momentum after hitting a jumper in the paint with less than two seconds remaining. At the break, the Warhawks led 36-29. 

UW-Oshkosh turned the tide quickly in the second half. The Titans knotted the game less than three minutes in and took the lead with just under 17 to play. From there, the game went back-and-forth until Chislom and Barker once again hit two consecutive field goals to push the Warhawk advantage to five, 51-46, with 13:20 on the clock. 

Another Barker step back jumper at the 12:10 mark extended the gap to six, 54-48. UWO whittled away and the game once again became a teeter-totter battle with the squads exchanging leads over the next six minutes. 

A three-pointer for the Titans at the 6:20 mark once again put the advantage on UWO's side and they held it the rest of the way, but there were still thrilling moments to be had. Miles Barnstable (Sheboygan, Wis./Howards Grove) knocked down a pair from the charity stripe to cut the deficit to two, 66-64 with 2:39 on the clock, but a three-pointer on the other end followed by a Titan jumper pushed the UWO lead back to seven. 

With just under a minute remaining and trailing seven, Drew Fisher (Oconomowoc, Wis./Oconomowoc) hauled in a missed UWO free throw and the Warhawks quickly got down the floor. The ball ended up in the hands of Delvin Barnstable (Sheboygan, Wis./Sheboygan Lutheran) who elevated for a three and was fouled. He drained all three to make it 71-67 with 50 seconds on the clock. 

Forced to foul once again, Fisher hauled in another huge board and UWW pushed the pace. Chislom got the ball at the top of the key and drove through the middle of the paint rising up for a floater. He hit the Titan defender as he came down and the referee whistled for a charge. The call had the Warhawk faithful in an uproar. 

UW-Oshkosh hit one of two following a foul on their next possession to make it a five-point game with 32 seconds to go. Barker would cap the scoring with a free throw in the final seconds. 

Chislom posted 20 points and was a rebound shy of a double-double. Barker ended up with 19 while Miles Barnstable (Sheboygan, Wis./Howards Grove) added 10. 

With just two Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference games remaining, UWW sits in third in the standings at 7-5 in league play. The top six will advance to the WIAC Tournament with the top two seeds earning a first round bye.