The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater men’s basketball team couldn’t sustain its early momentum in their home opener, falling 74-60 to Coe College.
Despite dominating the glass with an 18-6 advantage in offensive rebounds and a 43-38 edge overall, the Warhawks struggled to convert those opportunities into points. The team’s shooting woes from long range (5-23 from beyond the arc) and the free-throw line (5-13) ultimately proved costly, as Coe capitalized on mistakes and pulled away late.
“It was just inconsistent,” head coach Jarod Wischer said. “We have a lot of new guys trying to establish their roles. This is part of the growing pains we’re going through. We need to lean on our experience and leadership to carry us through tough times. There’s a lot to clean up.”
The first half was a back-and-forth battle with eight lead changes as both teams exchanged runs. The Warhawks controlled the paint early, thanks in large part to the effort of junior forward Richie Warren, who recorded a double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds, including six on the offense end. However, the Kohawks found success in transition, scoring 8 fast-break points, and closed the half on a 7-0 run, including a baseline-to-baseline layup as time expired to take a 30-27 lead into the locker room.
“That basket at the end of the half was huge and unacceptable,” Wischer said. “Offensive rebounds off free-throw box outs are the details we have to tighten up. We’ve talked about going multiple sides offensively, and that’s something we clearly need to work on.”
The Warhawks kept it close in the second half, led by sophomore guard Collin Madson’s career-high 18 points. Madson knocked down shots in key moments, keeping UW-Whitewater within striking distance.
“My teammates were finding me,” Madson said. “I got hot in the second half, and they were setting me up with open shots, even as the defense started doubling me.”
Senior guard JT Hoytink also made an impact, contributing 14 points on 50% shooting from the field. Senior forward Carter Capstran helped control the boards, grabbing 7 rebounds. However, the Warhawk’s offense struggled to find a rhythm against Coe’s switching defense and double-teams in the post.
“It wasn’t anything special defensively, but their switching was effective,” Wischer said. “We didn’t move the ball as well as we needed to get out of those double teams. We still got good looks, but didn’t capitalize.”
Coe’s efficiency at the free-throw line sealed the game. The Kohawks converted 18-of-24 attempts from the charity stripe, taking full advantage of the Warhawks 20 personal fouls. In contrast, the Warhawks left points on the floor, missing critical free throws late in the second half and failing to capitalize on second-chance opportunities despite their dominance on the offensive glass.
“Shooting struggles happen, but we need to bring it every night,” Wischer said. “Until we do that, it’ll be like this – good stretches mixed with tough ones. This group has potential, but we need multiple guys to show up and be reliable.”
The Warhawks will look to bounce back in Kachel Gymnasium Saturday, Nov. 30, against Carthage College.
