News Release

WHITEWATER, Wis. — MEN'S BASKETBALL ... Warhawks Win Sole Possession of WIAC Title

The Warhawks clinched sole possession of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference regular season title and the number one seed in the conference tournament with a 91-88 win in double overtime at UW-Eau Claire Saturday. The Warhawks have not won at least a share of a conference title since the 2001-02 season, and have not owned sole possession of the conference title since the 1993-94 campaign. The Warhawks improve to 19-5 overall and 13-3 in the WIAC while UW-Eau Claire falls to 12-13 and 4-12 in the WIAC.

The Warhawks jumped to a 5-0 lead in the first two minutes of the game. The Warhawks gained their largest lead of the half at 17-10 with 10:43 left in the first half. However, UW-Eau Claire would go on an 11-0 run over then next 2:33 to take a 21-17 lead. The Blugolds would go ahead by as many as six in the first half and they would lead the Warhawks 32-28 at the end of the first half. Mike Toellner (jr, Mayville) led all scorers in the first half with nine points on 4-5 shooting and four rebounds.

In the second half, the Warhawks overcame a nine point deficit early in the half to lead by as many as six with 5:39 left in regulation. The Warhawks were held to just five points in the final five minutes of regulation as the Blugolds took a two point lead. At the end of the second half, Jeremy Manchester (sr, Racine/St. Catherine's) hit a pair of free throws with one tenth of a second remaining to send the game into overtime.

In the first overtime period, neither team led by more than three points. Craig Anderson (jr, Mount Prospect, IL/Prospect) hit a key three pointer with 40 seconds left to put the Warhawks ahead 77-75. However, UW-Eau Claire was able to tie the game at 78-78 with a three pointer with two seconds left on the clock.

In the second overtime period, the Warhawks never trailed and led by as many as four points. A put-back basket by Andy Freund (jr, Wauwatosa/East) with 32 seconds was the go-ahead basket.

The Warhawks shot a season low 55.9% at the free throw line on 19-34 shooting. Toellner had a season-high 22 points and eight rebounds to lead the Warhawks but fouled out of the game with 2:23 remaining in the first overtime period. Melvin Williams (sr, Milwaukee/Riverside) contributed 18 points and Anderson had 12 points on four three point field goals, two coming in the overtime periods. UW-Eau Claire's Jared Bardon led all scorers with 24 points.

With the win, UW-Whitewater head coach Pat Miller earned his 100th career victory. In his fifth year as head coach, Miller is now 100-32 and joins Bob Weigandt, Chick Agnew, and Dave Vander Meulen as the only men's basketball coaches at UW-Whitewater to earn at least 100 career victories.

This was the Warhawks first double overtime game since January 10, 2000 when the Warhawks defeated UW-Superior 97-90 in Whitewater. The 91 points scored by the Warhawks is their second highest scoring output this season and the 88 points allowed is the most points scored by a UW-Whitewater opponent this season.

UW-Whitewater will open the WIAC tournament at home against UW-Eau Claire Tuesday, February 21 at 7:00 in Kachel Gym. The Warhawks are 8-2 in home games this season and defeated the Blugolds at home 70-62 on January 4. The winner of the UW-Whitewater (#1)/UW-Eau Claire (#8) game will play the winner of the UW-Oshkosh/UW-La Crosse game at the higher seed's home court on Thursday, February 23.

For Additional Information:
Pat Miller, UW-W coach, 262-472-1146
UW-W men's basketball web site: www.uww.edu/athletics
WIAC men's basketball web site: http://www.uwsa.edu/wiac/mbasket/index.html