Men's Basketball Falls to No. 11 UW-Whitewater

PLATTEVILLE, Wis. – Despite a double-double from sophomore Jake Manning, the University of Wisconsin-Platteville men's basketball team fell to 11^th-ranked UW-Whitewater, 74-61, on Wednesday night in Williams Fieldhouse on Bo Ryan Court.

Manning recorded a game-high 16 points (8-12) and 10 rebounds earning his second double-double of the season and sixth of his young career. Junior Chas Cross registered his 11^th double-digit game in the last 13 contest with 13 points and added eight rebounds. Senior Rob Stallion rounded out the Pioneers top-three scorers with 10 points.

UW-Whitewater had all five of its starters score in double-digits and were led by Luke Knoble with 15 points. Quardell Young recorded 13 points with a game-high four assists and three steals. Darnell Harris and Alex Merg each netted 11 points while Eric Bryson scored 10.

The Pioneers dominated the first quarter of the first-half, earning a 11-4 lead with Manning scoring six and Jim Stocki netting five points. The Warhawks managed to flip the game right around by the halfway point of the half with a 10-0 run taking a 14-11 lead. A free throw by Hearn with 2:50 left in the half game the Warhawks a six-point lead, which was their largest lead of the half. Sophomore Trevor Wittwer knocked down a much needed three-pointer, and Cross layed one in putting the Pioneers down one, 27-26, with just over a minute to go. A last second three-pointer by Patrick Souter gave UWW a 30-24 lead at halftime.

A pair of free throws by Merg with just over nine minutes left in the game gave the Warhawks their largest lead of the game, 56-42. The Pioneers fought back making it a seven-point game, 64-57, with just under three-minute to play, but UW-Platteville weren't able to stop UWW down the stretch as the Warhawks earned the 74-61 victory.

The Pioneers have the weekend off and will return to action on Jan. 16 when they travel to 10^th-ranked UW-Stevens Point. Tip is set for 7 p.m. in Quandt Fieldhouse.