Whitewater, Wis. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse men's basketball team earned an 84-78 overtime win at UW-Whitewater Wednesday night in Kachel Gymnasium. The Eagles, ranked 14th on D3hoops.com, improve to 13-1 overall and 3-1 in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC). The Warhawks drop to 5-10 overall and 0-4 in the conference.
It is UWL's fifth straight win in Whitewater.
Wyatt Cook had 26 points, nine rebounds and seven assists.
The Eagles raced out to a 12-3 lead with 14:39 left in the first half after a
Ethan Anderson jumper. UWL led by as many as 12 points in the first half, including 24-12 with 7:20 remaining on a
Dylan Bunders layup. UW-Whitewater trailed, 31-22, with 2:50 left when it went on a 10-4 run to cut the halftime deficit to 35-32.
UWL opened the second half on a 10-2 run to lead, 45-34 with 17:02 remaining on
Zac Haese' three-point field goal.
Seth Anderson's layup with 8:37 left gave the Eagles a 56-47 advantage, but the Warhawks tied the game at 64-64 with 3:16 remaining after a 17-8 run and Equan Ards' layup. A pair of free throws by UWL's
Wyatt Cook with 3:00 left made it 66-64 before Austin Gates cut the lead to 66-65 with 2:25 remaining after making one-of-two at the line. UW-Whitewater took a 67-66 lead on Ards' layup with 2:12 left and Gates made two free throws with 1:40 remaining to make it 69-66. Cook's layup cut the deficit to 69-68 with 1:23 left. Ards hit a jumper with :53 remaining to make it 71-68, but Cook connected on a three-pointer with :39 left to tie the game. Bailey Kale missed a potential game-winning three-pointer for UW-Whitewater with :02 remaining.
Trevor Chislom gave UW-Whitewater a 72-71 lead with a free throw at 3:35 left in overtime when UWL used an 11-2 run to lead, 82-74.
Terek Nesheim had seven points in the run, including the go-ahead free throws with 3:12 remaining for a 73-72 lead. He hit a three-point field goal with 2:22 left to make it 76-72. The Warhawks cut the lead to 82-78 with :18 remaining, but Nesheim hit two free throws with :03 left for the final margin.
UWL shot 61.2% from the field, including 47.1% (eight-of-17) from three-point range, and 80.0% (16-of-20) at the line. Cook and Nesheim each set career-highs in points Wednesday, combining for 48 points and 14 rebounds. Cook finished with 26 points, nine rebounds and seven assists as he went 10-of-12 from the field, including one-of-two from three-point range, and five-of-six at the free throw line. Nesheim totaled 22 points and five rebounds, going six-of-nine from the field, including one-of-two from three-point range, and nine-of-10 at the line.
Ethan Anderson finished with 16 points and five rebounds for UWL while Haese totaled eight points.
Luke Norcia had six points, five rebounds, three assists and three steals.
UW-Whitewater shot 41.5% from the field, including 22.7% (five-of-22) from three-point range, and 79.2% (19-of-24) at the free throw line. Ards led the Warhawks with 24 points, seven rebounds and three assists. Chislom finished with 16 points while Kale added 13 and Jack Brahm 11.
UWL returns to action Saturday, January 18 hosting seventh-ranked UW-Platteville at 5 p.m.
