Jan. 22, 2014

By Emily Leclair

The UW-Whitewater Men’s basketball team returns from winter break with a nine-game winning streak.

The Warhawks improved their overall record to 14-2 and 5-0 in conference.

The ’Hawks started break with a win against Alma College, 97-69. Junior guard K.J. Evans led the team with 25 points and 13 rebounds.

On Dec. 20-21, the team participated in the Cruzin’ Classic in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

“Those trips are really important,” head coach Pat Miller said. “To have a chance once the semester’s over to get away and spend some time together before the holidays really helped out team chemistry.”

The team went 2-0 in the tournament, beginning with a win against Lawrence University, 73-56.

The ’Hawks went on to beat Augsburg College, 89-81, with five Warhawks scoring in double figures.

“It was nice to get away from Wisconsin for awhile, especially with the weather being 80 degrees every day we were there,” junior guard Quardell Young said.

Before the ’Hawks enjoyed a warmer climate, the team  beat Edgewood College, 85-53, on Dec. 13. Thirteen Warhawks scored in the game to earn the team its fourth win during break.

“That’s the strength of our team: we don’t have to rely on one person,” Miller said. “We have flexibility in matchups, and we can score the basketball in different ways.”

After the New Year, the ’Hawks began their conference streak of 5-0.

The team started 2014 with a dominating win against UW-River Falls, 70-41, on Jan. 4.

The team went on to defeat UW-Oshkosh four days later with a 86-55 win.

Senior guard Eric Bryson led the team with 15 points, and senior forward Reggie Hearn followed with 14 points and added eight rebounds.

“We practiced pretty much every day,” Young said. “I feel like we progressed in areas we need to work on.”

On Jan. 11, the ’Hawks defeated UW-Eau Claire, 90-51. Young led the team with 25 points, going 10-10 from the field and 4-5 from the line.

The team continued its winning streak on Jan. 15 against UW-Platteville, 77-58.

This was the sixth-consecutive victory for the ’Hawks against the Pioneers, dating back to the 2010-11 season. Hearn led the team with 15 points, followed by Young, who added 14 with five assists.

The Warhawks ended their winter break with a win against UW-Superior, 97-52.

Evans led the team with 19 points and nine rebounds. Hearn recorded a double-double with 11 points and 12 rebounds while junior guard Cody Odegaard came off the bench to add 12 points for the ’Hawks.

The team went 9-0 during winter break and outscored its opponent by 20 or more points in six of its nine wins.

The ’Hawks will play UW-La Crosse at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 22, at La Crosse.

“As long as we prepare accordingly, I feel like we should be fine,” Young said.