WHITEWATER – The No. 1 University of Wisconsin-Whitewater men's basketball team used a sterling performance from its frontcourt and a strong second half push Saturday to defeat UW-Eau Claire 77-62 in a Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference contest at Kachel Gymnasium.
The Warhawks (19-2 overall, 12-0 WIAC) outscored the Blugolds 34-17 over the final 14:54 of the second half to roll to their 13th consecutive victory and remain atop the conference standings.
Senior forward Steve Egan led UW-Whitewater with 19 points to go along with seven rebounds, while junior forward Ron Patten totaled 15 points, six rebounds and two blocks in 18 minutes off the bench.
Senior guard Quardell Young posted 14 points, including 10 in the second half, and five assists. Senior guard Cody Odegaard tallied 10 points and five rebounds, while senior wing KJ Evans added eight points and a game-high nine rebounds.
The Warhawks capitalized on 17 turnovers by UW-Eau Claire (8-13, 4-8) with 24 points off those miscues, and outscored the Blugolds 44-24 in the paint.
In the first half, UW-Whitewater ran into trouble at the 10:20 mark, when Young headed to the bench after picking up his second foul of the contest.
The Warhawks responded well to the adversity, recording a 10-2 run, which was capped by a steal and breakaway dunk by junior guard Xzavier Moananu with 6:17 left in the period to give UW-Whitewater a 30-19 advantage.
UW-Eau Claire trimmed its deficit to 32-28 with 48 seconds remaining, but an offensive rebound and tip-in by Patten with two seconds on the clock made it 34-28 at the half.
Young re-entered in the second, and his 3-point play with 18:33 on the clock made it 39-32.
The Blugolds hit three straight 3-pointers as part of an 11-2 run to take their only lead of the half at 45-43 with 14:54 on the clock.
From there, Young and Egan combined to score the Warhawks' next 12 points, and a 3-pointer by Patten put UW-Whitewater ahead 58-50 at the 9:50 mark.
UW-Eau Claire got as close as five, but baskets by Patten, Odegaard and Evans helped push the Warhawks' lead to 68-55 with 4:44 left in the affair.
UW-Whitewater visits No. 15 UW-Stevens Point Wednesday at 7 p.m. The Pointers entered their game at UW-Platteville Saturday night one game behind the Warhawks for first place in the conference.