UW-Whitewater placed six players in double figures to defeat Aurora University 107-68 Friday night in the opening game of the Carthage Classic in Kenosha, Wisconsin, the Warhawks' largest winning margin since December of 2007. 

Aurora scored the first two baskets of the game, and led 17-16 with 10:59 left in the first half, but two three pointers by Warhawk junior guard Cody Odegaard in less than a minute, and eleven points for Odegaard in the first twelve minutes of the game, propelled Whitewater to a 27-19 led with 8:20 left  in the period.  Junior guard Eric Bryson and sophomore guard Quardell Young took over and keyed Whitewater's surge to a sixteen point margin, several times over the remaining minutes of the half.  UW-W went into the lockerroom with a 50-35 advantage.

Whitewater's backcourt dominated the first twenty minutes, with Young (15), Odegaard (11) and Bryson (10) accounting for more than 70% of the Warhawks' scoring.  UW-W had a 21-15 rebound lead in the first half, and forced 13 AU turnovers, while committing six.  Aurora stayed within shouting distance by going 16-17 from the free throw line.

It was more, and then more, of the same in the second half.  Whitewater wound up shooting 56% from the floor, helped by converting on 29 Spartan turnovers.  The Warhawks scored 36 points off AU turnovers.  Aurora continued to shoot well from the line, going 23-26 (89%), but UW-W even scored more points from the line, hitting 26-36 (72%).

The 107 points scored is UW-Whitewater's most since defeating Grinnell College 135-95 November 28, 2009, a span of 84 games.  The thirty-nine point winning margin is the largest since a 95-50 win over Cardinal Stritch College December 18, 2007.

Young scored his collegiate high 24 points, hitting 8-12 from the floor and 7-9 from the line.  Odegaard and freshman center Darnell Harris had 13 apiece, Bryson finished with 12, sophomore forward KJ Evans added 11, and senior forward Luke Knoble contributed ten.  Harris led both teams with eight rebounds, and Young added to his big game with games highs in assists, with four, and steals, five. 

Aurora was led in scoring by freshman guard Kalmon Stokes' 13 points, with junior guard Jordan Hester adding ten.  Aurora, the preseason pick to win the Northern Athletic Conference, is 0-3.

UW-Whitewater, 2-0, will play the winner of tonight's second game, matching host Carthage (2-1) and Iowa Wesleyan University (5-1), in the tournament championship game Saturday at 4:00. 

The next home game for the Warhawks will be December 8 at 3:00 with UW-Eau Claire visiting Kachel Gym in Williams Center.