WHITEWATER, Wis. (1/11/2014)- Quardell Young (Kenosha/Bradford) led all scorers with 25 points as the University  of Wisconsin Whitewater men's basketball team defeated Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference opponent UW-Eau Claire, 90-51, Saturday night at Kachel Gymnasium.
 
Young was 10-10 from the field and 4-5 from the line and KJ Evans (Beloit/Beloit Memorial) and Steve Egan (Omro/Omro) both scored 12 points for UW-W. The Warhawks shot 55.7% (34-61) from the field and 8-18 from behind the arc, and Patrick Souter (Racine/St. Catherine's) was the leading rebounder with seven.
 
Whitewater went up by nine, 15-9, less than five minutes into the game after Evans drained a three off an Alex Merg (Greendale/Greendale)pass. The Blugolds battled back to within four, 15-11, at the 14:07 mark, but that was as close as they got.  After UW-EC's Adam Hjelter hit a jumper the Warhawks went on a 20-0 run in the next six minutes to stretch its lead to 35-11 with 7:38 left in the half.
 
The teams traded baskets for the rest of the half and went into the locker rooms with UW-W leading by 23, 43-20.
 
In the first half Whitewater shot 52.9% (18-34) from the field to Eau Claire's 34.8% (8-23). The Blugolds had trouble holding onto the ball with nine turnovers to the Warhawks four, and UW-W controlled the glass with an eight-point edge in rebounds (21-13).
 
In the second half, UW-EC got within 21 points, 51-30, in the first 3:15 but that was as close as it got the remainder of the game. UW-W stretched its lead out to 39 twice, the first when Steve Egan (Omro/Omro) converted on a three-point play after he was fouled while making a layup and then again when Alex LeGault (Green Bay/Southwest) put back a rebound with just 0:23 seconds to play in the game.
 
Whitewater shot 59.3% from the floor in the second half and 57.1% (4-7) from downtown. Egan led all scorers in the second with 11 points and all rebounders with four.
 
UW-Whitewater had a 38-22 advantage in points in the paint and had a 10-point advantage in second chance points. UW-W was able to score 22 points off of UW-EC's 18 turnovers.
 
Other top performers for the Warhawks included KJ Evans (Beloit/Beloit Memorial) with 12 points and four rebounds and Egan's 12 points off the bench. Souter had five points off the bench to add to his game-high seven boards and both Alex Merg (Greendale/Greendale) and Reggie Hearn (Milwaukee/Marshall) added seven points to the Warhawks total.
 
UW-Whitewater improves to 12-2 (3-2 WIAC) and UW-Eau Claire falls to 8-7 (1-5 WIAC). The Warhawks will hit the hardwood again when they host UW-Platteville on Wednesday with tip scheduled for 7:00 pm in the Kachel Gymnasium.
 
PMP