Box Score

RIVER FALLS, Wis. (uwrfsports.com)- Thanks in part to lockdown defense in the second half and 15 second half points from junior forward Garret Pearson, the UW-River Falls men's basketball team defeated the UW-Whitewater Warhawks 73-68. It was not easy for the Falcons, as they had to come back from an early 20-point deficit.
 
With the victory over the Warhawks, the Falcons (12-7, 6-2 WIAC) put a stop their two-game losing streak and swept the season series with the Warhawks.
 
Early on in the first half, the visiting Warhawks opened up a 6-14 lead. Sophomore guard Devin Buckley cut the Falcons' deficit down to six points with his first two points of the contest. The six-point deficit with 11:42 left in the first half was as close as the Falcons got to the Warhawks in the first half.
 
During a seven-minute stretch in the second part of the first half, the Warhawks went on a 7-21 run to put the Falcons in a 15-35 hole. The Falcons slowly chipped away at their deficit thanks in large part to three Devin Buckley three-point field goals and a layup from senior forward Jon Christensen.
 
After that sequence, the Falcons found themselves only down 26-37.
 
With 1:30 left in the first half, junior guard Grant Erickson went on a personal 5-0 run to bring the score to 38-31 at halftime.
 
The Falcons' second leading scorer, Garret Pearson, was held scoreless in the first half, but that did not shake his confidence. Nine seconds into the second half, Pearson trimmed the Falcons' deficit to five points on a layup. After a layup from the Warhawks, back-to-back two-point field goals from Garret Pearson and Grant Erickson made the score 37-40 in favor of the Warhawks.
 
The Falcons and Warhawks traded baskets two different times to bring the score to 41-44 in favor of the Warhawks. Both of the Falcons' field goals came from sophomore forward Brennan Witt.
 
It looked like the Warhawks were going to take control of the game because they went on a 0-7 run to take a 41-51 lead, but Garret Pearson and Jon Christensen had other ideas. Pearson and Christensen hit back-to-back three-point shots to bring the Falcons back within four points.
 
After a free throw from Pearson and a layup from senior forward Jack Herum the score was 50-54 in favor of the Warhawks. The Warhawks scored five straight points to put the Falcons in a nine-point deficit.
 
With 6:18 left in the second half, two free throws from Brennan Witt began an 18-5 run that gave the Falcons their first lead of the game at 68-64. The Falcons did not give up the lead the rest of the way. A layup from Garret Pearson and three clutch free throws from Grant Erickson iced the game away for the Falcons to give themselves a hard-fought victory.
 
Grant Erickson and Garret Pearson led the Falcons with 15 points apiece. The Falcons got great contributions from their bench players. Devin Buckley and Brennan Witt scored 11 and 10 points, respectively. Jack Herum led the Falcons with 10 rebounds.
 
With the victory, the Falcons stay a half game back of first place UW-La Crosse who is also 6-2 in WIAC conference play. Since the Eagles beat the Falcons on Wednesday, the Eagles hold the tiebreaker over the Falcons.
 
Notes: With today's victory over UW-Whitewater, the Falcons clinched a season sweep over the Warhawks for the first time since the 2003-2004 season.