RIVER FALLS, Wis. (uwrfsports.com) - UW-River Falls closed the game on a 9-1 run within 30 seconds to make the game 72-74 against Viterbo with only 46 seconds remaining on Saturday night at Page Arena. The tenacious defense in the closing minutes forced numerous turnovers from the V-Hawks and gave the Falcons a chance to win the game in the closing seconds. Shots from Alex Ohde and Matt Keller couldn't fall in the final seconds, but Austin Heidecker was fouled with less than a second remaining to have a chance to send the game to overtime. He missed the all-important first free throw and the Falcons couldn't tip in the intentionally missed second shot in a 74-72 loss to the V-Hawks. 

After a poor first half of shooting that only saw the Falcons go 6-26 from the field for 23 percent, they shot almost twice as well at 45 percent in the second half. Matt Keller was a dominant force for UWRF, scoring all of his game-high 26 points in the second half and knocking down five shots from beyond the arc. He supplied eight of the nine points during the Falcons' furious comeback attempt, including a crucial and-one and his fifth three-pointer that cut the lead to only two points. 

Clay Seifert was the second-highest scorer for the Falcons, knocking down his first two three-pointers in the first half and going 6-6 from the free throw line. Ohde provided an important spark off the bench with 11 points and 7 rebounds while the usual top scorers Heidecker and Julian Jackson were restricted with foul trouble. Heidecker still added 11 points and 8 rebounds, while Jackson contributed 7 points and 7 boards. 

UWRF held the lead for the opening five minutes after going up 5-0, but a layup from Tyree Young with 15 minutes remaining was the last time the Falcons would hold a lead in the game. Seifert's three-pointer with nine minutes remaining in the opening half ended an eight-minute drought of no field goals for UWRF. They brought the game back within two points after a pair of Seifert free throws in the opening minutes of the second half, but Viterbo quickly rebuilt their lead and extended it to 51-43 with 12:16 remaining.

Ross Ingersoll had a dunk that got Page Arena on its feet and Keller hit two shots from beyond the arc to tie the game back up at 51-51 with over 10 minutes remaining. Viterbo used a 7-0 run to find some breathing room and seemed to seal the game with a three-pointer from Jezzriah Burton with two minutes remaining that gave the V-Hawks a nine-point lead. His 16 points was just enough to hold off the late Falcons' comeback and drop UWRF to 4-3 on the season. 

Jason Tichy led the V-Hawks with 19 points, while Young and Noah Frederickson also finished in double figures. Viterbo shot about 43 percent from the field in both halves and over 50 percent from beyond the arc for the game. However, they only made 10-19 free throw attempts while UWRF lived at the line and finished 25-35. 

The Falcons will next take on Carleton College on the road in Northfield, Minn., on Wednesday. Tip off is set for 7 p.m.