The No. 12 ranked University of Wisconsin-Whitewater men's basketball team made up a six-point deficit over the final 90 seconds of regulation and carried the momentum into overtime to remain undefeated on the season with a 101-97 triumph over Alma (Mich.) in a non-conference affair at Kachel Gymnasium.
The Scots (0-7) gained an early advantage in the extra period, but the Warhawks (7-0) rattled off six straight points as senior guard Andre Brown tied the game at 93-93 with 2:17 left, senior guard David Sachs gave the team the lead for good one minute later, and senior forward Derek Rongstad pushed the lead to four on a steal-and-layup with 1:06 to go.
Senior forward Melvin Brown Jr., who finished with a team-high 29 points as well as eight rebounds, made four free throws over the final 29 seconds to help preserve the win.
Senior guard Malik Clements totaled 20 points and six rebounds, and Rongstad and Andre Brown each registered 16 points and eight rebounds. Sachs recorded 12 points, four rebounds and three assists.
UW-Whitewater shot 48.6 percent for the game and 29-of-37 (78.4 percent) from the free-throw line. The Scots made 18-of-36 (50 percent) from 3-point range, while the Warhawks held a 52-26 advantage on points in the paint.
Alma used hot shooting in the first half, taking a 14-7 lead four minutes into the contest. The Scots matched their seven-point lead three minutes later, but UW-Whitewater's 7-0 run tied the game at the 9:54 mark after a bucket by Melvin Brown Jr.
The two teams traded the lead over the final half of the opening period. Clements gave the Warhawks a 39-36 advantage with 1:04 remaining, but Alma made consecutive 3-pointers around a basket by Melvin Brown Jr. to take a 42-41 lead into the locker room.
The Scots continued the momentum early in the second half, taking an eight-point lead with 12:52 on the clock and increasing it to nine by the 11:26 mark. Alma led by no fewer than six until the 5:39 mark, when Andre Brown connected for a 3-point play to make it 77-74.
The Scots led by eight with 3:11 to go and by seven moments later, but UW-Whitewater chipped away thanks to stops on the defensive end and crucial buckets on the offensive side.
Trailing by six, Melvin Brown Jr. hit a jumper in the lane with 1:31 remaining, and Rongstad cleaned up a miss on the team's next possession to make it 87-85 with 41 seconds on the clock.
Rongstad drew a charge on the other end to give the ball back to the Warhawks, who tied the game when Melvin Brown Jr. hit a pair of free throws. Alma missed a 3-pointer from the left wing as time expired, and the game went into the extra period.
The Warhawks visit Ripon next Saturday, Dec. 15, for a 7 p.m. tipoff.