La Crosse, Wis. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse men's basketball team improved to 6-0 on the season with a 74-65 victory over Wartburg College (Iowa) Saturday night in Mitchell Hall.  The Knights drop to 3-4 on the season. 

It is UWL's first 6-0 start since 2012-13. The Eagles won their first eight games in 1996-97.  With Saturday's win, UWL and Wartburg (Iowa) are now tied, 4-4, in the all-time series. 

UWL raced out to a 16-6 lead Saturday, hitting four-of-five from three-point range.  Zac Haese had a pair of three-pointers.  Wartburg (Iowa) trailed 23-15 when it scored nine of the next 11 points to cut the deficit to 25-24 with 7:40 remaining on AJ Becker's three-pointer.  The Knights took their first lead on Jack Molstead's three-point field goal with 6:24 left.  The Eagles took a 32-31 lead on Wyatt Cook's jumper with 5:07 remaining and lead, 35-34, at halftime. 

The Eagles, receiving a vote on this week's D3hoops.com Top-25 Poll, scored the first eight points of the second half to take a 43-34 lead as Cook scored six points. Wartburg (Iowa) came back to cut the lead to 46-42 with 10:13 remaining after a Davis Roquet three-pointer. UWL scored the next seven points to take a 53-42 advantage with 8:51 left on a pair of Seth Anderson free throws.

The Knights scored five straight points to cut it to 53-47 with 7:30 remaining, but the Eagles used a 12-0 run to lead 65-47.  Wartburg (Iowa) cut the lead to 71-63 with :50 left, but could get no closer the rest of the game.

UWL shot 38.3% from the field, including 37.0% (10-of-27) from three-point range, and 85.7% (18-of-22) at the line.  Cook led the Eagles with a career-high 21 points and nine rebounds. He was nine-of-15 from the field, including two-of-five from three-point range, and one-of-one at the line.  Cook added three assists, three steals and two blocks.  Haese finished with 19 points while Luke Norcia had 15 points and led UWL with six assists and five steals while adding five rebounds. 

Wartburg (Iowa) shot 40.0% from the field, including 33.3% (eight-of-24) from three-point range, and 86.7% (13-of-15) at the free throw line. Max Smith Drahos led the Knights with 11 points while Ryan Stulken and Drew Olson each had seven.  Stulken had a team-high nine rebounds. 

UWL returns to action Wednesday, December 11 hosting Ripon College (Wis.) at 7 p.m.