The Falcon men's basketball team lost its first WIAC game of the season on Saturday, 70-66, to UW-Whitewater at the Karges Center.

UWW led the entire game and had its biggest lead, 10 points, 17-7, with 10:53 to play in the first half. The Falcons got to within six at the half and trailed, 29-23. UWRF shot just 7-24 (/292) in the first 20 minutes. Jake Voeltz (River Falls, River Falls HS) led the Falcons at the break with nine points and Ollie White (Mound, MN, Mound-Westonka HS) had seven. UWW had seven players score points in the first half and were led by Alex Edmunds who had seven. The Falcons were able to stay in the game with 9-11 shooting from the line.

The second half was close with three ties. The first came at 16:32, 32-32, when Shane Manor (Altoona, UW-Superior) hit a layup. UWW went on a 6-0 run to take a 38-32 lead before the Falcons battled back to tie it at 38-38 with 13:47 to play. Voeltz scored all six Falcon points in the run to tie the game. The third tie came with 12:32 to play. This time the Falcons erased a five-pont UWW lead. Aaron Anderson (Stillwater, MN, Stillwater HS) hit a three and Jontae Koonkaew (Apple Valley, MN, Apple Valley HS) hit a layup to tie the game, 43-43, with 12:32 left. 

The Falcons got to within two three times after that but could not get any closer. With 4:16 to go the Falcons got to within 57-55 when Brian Kimble (Stevenson Ranch, CA, Coll. of Canyons JC) hit two free throws. But UWW answered with an 8-2 run to take a 65-57 lead with 1:11 to play. 

The Falcons were within three, 67-64, with 31 seconds to go after Koonkaew hit a three. The Falcons were able to force a UWW turnover and Kimble's three a few seconds later rattled in and out. UWW hit 3-5 free throws after that to seal the win. 

Voeltz led the Falcons with 22 points and he had eight rebounds. He led the team with five assists and had one block and one steal. Manor finished with 15 points and eight rebounds while Koonkaew scored 11 points and had six rebounds.

Chris Davis led UWW with 17 points while Anton Byrd scored 15 and Edmunds 14. 

Both teams made 24 buckets and 16 free throws - the difference was UWW hit six three-pointers while the Falcons made two. UWW was 6-26 from three-point range while UWRF was 2-18. 

The loss was the first for the Falcons this year at the Karges Center. 

The Falcons, ranked No. 9 in this week's d3hoops.com poll, are now 19-3 overall and 12-1 in WIAC play. The Falcons next play next Saturday at No. 10 ranked UW-Stevens Point. Game time is set for 3 p.m.

Box Score