Second-ranked UW-Whitewater turned a season high 26 offensive rebounds into 31 points to remain unbeaten, 7-0 overall and 3-0 in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, with a 79-65 win over UW-Eau Claire Saturday afternoon in Kachel Gym in Williams Center in Whitewater.

Eau Claire scored the first basket of the game and held the lead until sophomore guard KJ Evans (Beloit/Beloit)' layup put Whitewater in front 11-10 at the 11:32 mark.  The lead hovered in the low single digits for the next three minutes, but leading 18-17 UW-W went on a 10-0 run to reach a double digit lead at 28-17 with 5:52 left in the half.  Eau Claire got the lead back down to four, 31-27. But Eric Bryson (Elkhorn/Elkhorn)'s layin with 1:18 sent the Warhawks into the lockerroom with a 33-27 lead.

Whitewater's bench provided 20 points in the first half, while Eau Claire's reserves contributed two points.  UW-W totaled 18 second chance points, largely as a result to 15 offensive rebounds, while the Blugolds had four offensive boards and two points.  Eau Claire was more accurate in the half, shooting 50% from the field to Whitewater's 36%, but the Warhawks' work on the boards provided 13 more field goal attempts.

Evans led UW-W with ten points in the half, and senior forward Nick Craggs had ten for UW-EC.

Eau Claire stayed close at the start of the second half, pulling within three, 36-33, with 18:24 on the clock.  Whitewater's lead increased to 54-41 at 11:22, but the Blugolds came back again, closing the gap to 60-55 at 7:36 on a three pointer by sophomore guard Lewis Mau. 

UW-W climbed back to a double digit lead, 67-57, on a Evans jumper at 4:17.  Junior guard Cody Odegaard (Poynette/Poynette)'s jumper at 1:21 gave Whitewater its largest lead of the game, 71-60. 

The Warhawks' gathered as many offensive rebounds, 26, as UW-EC totaled in the game.  For the fourth time this season UW-W forced at least twenty turnovers by an opponent, with Eau Claire 23.  Whitewater also took advantage of free throw opportunities, hitting 29-38 --- both season highs, while Eau Claire made 6-8 charity tosses.

Evans led all scorers with a season high 21 points.  Odegaard added 14, with junior guards Eric Bryson (Elkhorn/Elkhorn) and Alex Merg (Greendale/Greendale) contributing 11 apiece.  Evans made it a double double with a game high 11 rebounds, and sophomore guard Quardell Young (Kenosha/Bradford) chipped in with four steals and four assists.  Senior guard Jordan Peterson scored 17 for UW-EC and Mau scored 15.

UW-EC is 4-5 overall and 0-3 in league play. 

UW-W will host UW-Stevens Point, seventh in the D3hoops.com poll, Wednesday at 7:00 in Kachel Gym of Willliams Center.