Another game, another hero.  Sophomore guard KJ Evans scored twelve of his thirteen points in the last four minutes of the game, and six in the last fifteen seconds, to lead third-ranked UW-Whitewater to a 64-58 win over UW-Stout in a battle of unbeaten teams Saturday at Johnson Fieldhouse in Menomonie, Wisconsin.   UW-W improved to 5-0 overall, while Stout, 6-1, suffered its first loss.

If there had been a broad side of a barn in Johnson Fieldhouse both teams would have missed it in the first half.  Whitewater shot 29% from the floor, slightly better at 4-13 from beyond the arc, and went 3-5 at the line.  Stout was a mirror image, "hitting" 27% of its field goals, 3-9 threes, and both of its free throws. 

Stout got out to a 6-0 lead, but Patrick Souter's three-pointer tied it at the 13:27 mark.  Stout maintained a slim lead until senior center Luke Knoble hit a jumper to give UW-W a 17-16 lead with 3:50 left in the half.  Knoble's layin at 1:09 off an Evans feed put Whitewater up 23-21, and junior guard Keith Rash tied the score with two free throws at 0:54.

Stout junior forward Alex Oman was the leading scorer in the first half with ten points. 

Just like the first half, Stout began the second with a 6-0 run to take a 29-23 lead, eventually extending the margin to 32-25 at 15:46, the Blue Devils' largest lead of the game.   Senior guard Erik Olson scored six of the Blue Devils' points in that stretch. 

Whitewater came back with an 13-2 run to lead 38-34, eight of the points coming at the free throw line.  The seesaw flipped and Stout came back, outscoring UW-W 11-2, with six points from junior forward Jarvis Ragland, to regain the lead at 45-40.  Seesaw back, and Whitewater used a 9-0 surge to go back on top 49-45 with 3:59 left in the game.

While many, if not most, close games come down to a march to the free throw line, Stout and Whitewater determined the outcome from three point range.  Oman pulled Stout within one, 49-48, with a three at 3:38.  Evans replied for UW-W for a 52-48 margin at 3:02.  Back to Stout, where Rash's three make it a one point game again, 52-51 with 2:41 on the clock.  On Whitewater's possession freshman forward Darnell Harris was fouled while attempting a three, and he converted one free throw to push the score to 53-51 at 2:17.  There was a brief break in the three point duel until 0:55 when junior guard Eric Bryson's three put UW-W in front 58-53.  Just seven seconds later Rash's three brought Stout within 58-56.

And then it was Evans' clinching play.  With fifteen seconds left he hit a three point shot, was fouled by Thomas Scholle-Malone, and made it a four point play at the line for the 62-56 lead.  Rash's driving layin with :08 left made it 62-58.  Stout fouled Evans on the inbounds, and he went to the other end and made both attempts for the final score. 

Although both teams struggled from the floor, UW-W made its free throws count.  Whitewater went 20-25, including 17-20 in the second half.  Stout attempted 21 free throws, making 12 for the game.  The Blue Devils were 10-19 at the line in the second half.

Evans led UW-W with 13 points and Bryson 12.  Harris led the Warhawks with seven rebounds and sophomore guard Quardell Young dished out a game high six assists.  Stout was led by Rash and Oman with 14 apiece, with Ragland adding ten.  Blue Devil senior guard Chris Hortman, who came into the game averaging 14.8 points, was held to three points on 1-5 shooting.  UW-S junior center Josh Kosloske topped both teams with ten rebounds.

UW-W will travel to UW-La Crosse to take on the Eagles Wednesday for a 7:00 tipoff, and host their WIAC home opener Saturday at 3:00 with UW-Eau Claire visiting Kachel Gym in Williams Center.