RIVER FALLS, Wis. – The UW-River Falls men's basketball team defeated UW-Whitewater 76-60 Saturday at Page Arena, earning its first WIAC win of the season. 

The Falcons improve to 8-6 overall and 1-4 during WIAC play with the win over the Warhawks, who received votes in the latest D3hoops.com Division III Top 25 poll. 

UWRF shot a season-high 54.7 percent from the field, converting 29-of-53 field goals. The Falcons also shot 9-for-20 from beyond the arc and limited UWW to under 40 percent from the floor. 

After a couple early lead changes, UWRF went on a 9-0 run capped off by a Noah Hanson jumper to put the home team up 18-6 six minutes into the game. The Falcons didn't concede a lead, just once allowing UWW to tie and game at 30-30 and led 36-33 at the half. 

The Falcons outscored the Warhawks 40-27 in the second half, extending their lead into double digits with a Noah Hanson basket four and a half minutes in. 

UWRF maintained at least an eight-point lead for the remainder of regulation, leading by as many as 19. 

Rodrick Payne led the Falcons with 20 points off 8-of-13 shooting from the field. Hanson added 19 points and four assists, followed by 16 points from Regan Merritt off the bench – his career-high. 

Payne, Hanson, and Marshall Holland shared the team-lead with six rebounds each, and Hanson and Bryce Phillips each had four assists.

UW-River Falls returns to Page Arena on Wednesday, Jan. 19, hosting UW-Eau Claire.