In a game that featured more streaks than a Studebaker with original equipment wipers, an 11-2 run in overtime by fifteenth ranked UW-River Falls gave the Falcons an 85-79 over UW-Whitewater in Kachel Gym of Williams Center in Whitewater, Wisconsin Saturday night.  The victory extends UW-RF's win streak to nine, and their record to 13-2 overall and 6-0 in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.  UW-Whitewater, 9-5 overall and 2-3 in the WIAC, had its five game win streak snapped.

UW-RF opened the game with a 6-0 run, with junior center Chris Davis scoring Whitewater's first points at 18:08.  The Falcons used a 15-6 burst, the final six coming from senior forward Jake Voeltz, to build the lead to 21-8 with 11:39 in the first half.  Then it was Whitewater's turn, responding with a 9-0 run that ended with a three from freshman guard Cody Odegaard to cut the Falcon's lead to 21-17 with 9:43 on the clock.  Momentum back to UW-RF, and the Falcons put together a 13-4 span that put them up 34-21 at 5:10.  Saving the biggest for last, UW-W closed out the half 15-3 to go into the lockerroom leading 37-36 as Davis added eleven points in the final six minutes of the first half.

Both teams were efficient at the line, Whitewater 6-7 and RF 6-8, and took care of the ball in the first half, Whitewater with just four turnovers and the Falcons 7.  Voeltz, who came in averaging 12.3 points per game, already had 11 for River Falls, and Davis had a double double for Whitewater, 13 points and 10 rebounds.

The second half started the same as the first, with RF scoring the first six points and Voeltz in the middle of it, with five for a 42-37 Falcon lead.  With the Falcons still leading 47-41 at 14:42, another of the game's streaks began.  UW-W went 11-0, to lead 52-47 on another Odegaard three, part of a larger 20-2 wave that saw the Warhawks lead 61-49 with 8:53 remaining. 

That was too good to last, Voeltz contributing five more in a push that got UW-RF to within 61-54 at 8:18, and then the Falcons scoring six straight to pull within 73-72 with just 1:20 left.  Whitewater missed a layup with 0:14 left, and with :03 left a Warhawk foul sent junior guard Brian Kimble to the line where he hit one of two to send the game into overtime, 74-74.

The final streak of the game was the coup de grace, and it was UW-RF using an 11-2 start out of the gate in OT for the win.

Lots of threes, lots of free throws.  Whitewater went 5-21 from beyond the arc, River Falls 4-20.  UW-W connected on 24-26 free throws, River Falls 21-28.  The most noticeable difference was in rebounding, where RF had a 44-34 advantage.

Voeltz led both teams with 28 points and added a team high 12 rebounds.  Junior forward Shane Manor chipped in with 18 points and nine boards, hitting 7-8 from the field.  Manor also led both teams with four steals.  Davis led UW-W with 22 points, and he took game honors with 15 rebounds.  Odegaard scored his collegiate high 20 points, making 6-8 shots, including 4-5 threes.  Senior guard DJ Dantzler made 11-12 free throws while totaling 18 points.

UW-Whitewater will travel to UW-Oshkosh Wednesday for a 7:00 tip.

For additional information:  Pat Miller, UW-W coach, 262-4742-1146 or millerp@uww.edu