The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater men's basketball team erased an 11-point deficit over the final eight minutes of regulation and took the lead for good with one minute to play in overtime Wednesday night for an 85-79 win at UW-Stevens Point in a Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference contest.

The Warhawks (12-7 overall, 5-3 WIAC), who remained two games back of first place in the conference standings with the victory, outrebounded the Pointers 50-28 and held a 48-28 advantage on points in the paint.

UW-Whitewater shot 50 percent from the floor in the game, including a 55.6 percent clip in overtime, and held UW-Stevens Point (3-11, 0-7) to 39.4 percent shooting.

Trailing 58-47 with 7:54 left in the game, the Warhawks chipped away at their deficit and closed to within one as Elijah Lambert capped a 13-3 run with a 3-point play at the 3:51 mark.

Derek Gray tied the game with 2:07 remaining, and Gage Malensek gave UW-W its first lead since the 6:19 mark of the first half with a jumper on the next possession. Malensek gave the team another 2-point lead with 23 seconds to play, but the Pointers tied the game in the final seconds to send it to overtime.

Gray scored the first seven points of overtime for UW-Whitewater, and Jack Brahm put the team ahead for good on a put-back layup with 53 seconds on the clock.

Malensek and Gray each knocked down a pair of free throws in the final 18 seconds of overtime to seal the win.

Gray totaled 23 points, eight rebounds and six assists to lead the Warhawks. Malensek posted 19 points, four rebounds and three assists, while Carter Capstran recorded 13 points and four rebounds. Brahm finished with 10 points and eight rebounds, and Drew Fisher grabbed a team-high nine rebounds to go with his six points.

UW-Whitewater led 8-3 with 17:34 remaining in the first half. UW-Stevens Point scored the next six points to take the lead before the two teams exchanged baskets over the next 10-plus minutes.

The Pointers tallied seven straight points for a 36-28 advantage with 1:36 on the clock and made it a 10-2 run to end the half on a 3-pointer in the closing seconds.

UW-Stevens Point maintained its advantage early in the second half and led by as many as 14 points during that span. UW-Whitewater stayed within striking distance to set up its run over the final eight minutes of regulation.

The Warhawks visit nationally ranked UW-La Crosse next Wednesday, Feb. 2, at 7 p.m.