Luke Knobel brings hard hat and lunch bucket to work

Luke Knoble carries his lunch bucket and hard hat with him on the court for the UW-Whitewater men’s basketball team. The 6-7 senior for the Warhawks has that “pound the rock” attitude – the same attitude that Warhawk football has made famous.

The Hawks are not a big ball club and when it comes to rebounding Knoble is asked to hit the boards – HARD!

“This year we’ve got a bunch of guys that can score,” Knoble tells Voices Eye on Basketball Blog. “I’m in there to give my all on defense, to rebound, and to work all around hard.

Knoble is coming off a junior year that included the Boscobel native being named a 1^st Team All-WIAC selection. Luke averaged 9.7 points and 4.8 rebounds per game last season. Through three games this year Knobel is averaging 9.3 points and 5.7 rebounds per game.

Knobel also brings tough defense in the paint for the Warhawks.

One of the keys to Whitewater’s run to the NCAA Division III national championship last year was there tenacity on defense. Knobel brought that defensive tenacity to the table each game.

“I just go out there and give glory to God and give it my all,” Knobel said. “It’s all about working hard.”

Hawk men hold off Carthage 74-69

Eric Bryson hits 5 of 6 free throws in final 14 seconds as Warhawks beat Carthge 74-69 Sunday in Kenosha

The UW-Whitewater men’s basketball team is now 3 & 0 following its 74-69 win over Carthage College to capture the Carthage Classic in Kenosha Saturday afternoon.

The Warhawks jumped out to a 39-24 halftime lead and then needed to hold off a fierce second half comeback by the Red Men.

Whitewater shot 56% in the half, limiting the Redmen to 38%. Warhawk coach Pat Miller used ten players in the half and nine of them scored.

Carthage methodically cut into the Warhawk lead pulling within two at 69-67 with 58 seconds remaining. Carthage had the ball with a chance to tie or take the lead but missed two three point field goal attempts.

The final seconds belonged to UWW’s Eric Bryson who was fouled with fourteen seconds left. The junior from Elkhorn hit both attempts to put UW-W in front 71-67. Bryson again  fouled with :05 remaining, he made the first of two free throws to make it 72-69, and when he missed the second but got his own rebound returned to the line to hit the two charity tosses that made the final 74-69.

Bryson led the Hawks with 19 points. He was joined in double figures by K.J. Evans with 15 and 11 from Quardell Young.  Carthage had four players in double figures, led by Tyler Pierce's 12 and Donte Logan’s 11 points.

Whitewater shot 58% from the floor compared to Carthage’s 48%. The Hawks held a 28 to 27 rebound advantage.

UW-W improves to 3-0 and will travel to Bloomington, Illinois to play Illinois Wesleyan on Tuesday.

Hawks score 107 in win over Aurora

 

The UW-Whitewater men’s basketball team exploded for 107 points Friday night rolling over Aurora (Ill) 107-68 in semifinal action of the Carthage Classic in Kenosha.

The Warhawks placed six players in double figures on the way to the lopsided victory.

Young scored his collegiate high 24 points, hitting 8-12 from the floor and 7-9 from the line.  Cody Odegaard and freshman center Darnell Harris had 13 apiece, Eric Bryson finished with 12, sophomore forward KJ Evans added 11, and senior forward Luke Knoble contributed ten.  Harris led both teams with eight rebounds, and Young added to his big game with game highs with four assists and five steals.

Aurora was led in scoring by freshman guard Kalmon Stokes' 13 points, with junior guard Jordan Hester adding ten.  Aurora, the preseason pick to win the Northern Athletic Conference, is 0-3.

The 107 points scored is UW-Whitewater's most since defeating Grinnell College 135-95 November 28, 2009, a span of 84 games.  The thirty-nine point winning margin is the largest since a 95-50 win over Cardinal Stritch College December 18, 2007.

The Warhawks will play host Carthage in Saturday’s championship game.

The Red Men advanced with an 85-73 win over Iowa Wesleyan College in Friday night’s other semifinal.

Tipoff Saturday is set for 4 p.m. The game can be heard live on your “radio home for Warhawk Basketball" – KOOL 106.5.

Warhawk men vs. Aurora in 1st round of Carthage Classic

 

The UW-Whitewater men’s basketball team will be in action this weekend participating in the Carthage Classic in Kenosha. The Warhawks open play tonight (Friday) vs. Aurora University (Ill).

The other first round game has host Carthage taking on Illinois Wesleyam.

Whitewater opened its season last Saturday with a 75-68 win over Beloit College at Kachel Gymnasium. Quatrell Young led the Warhawks with 17 points on 7-16 from the field,  Luke Knoble added 14 points and seven boards. Cody Odegaard wrapped up the double digit scorers for UW-W with 13. 

Aurora entered its season as the favorites to win the South division of the Northern Athletics Conference according to the preseason coaches’ poll. Despite it’s lofty prediction the Spartans are off to an 0-2 start to the season. Aurora dropped its season opener to Augustana 85-82 followed by an 84-77 defeat at the hands of CCIW favorite North Central.

Gametime tonight will be 6 p.m. You can listen to all the action with Gary Douglas mike side on KOOL 106.5.

To listen to the game click here 

Q is as cool as the other side of the pillow

Quardell Young scored a team-high 17 points to lead the Warhawks to a season-opening victory. UW-Whitewater defeated Beloit College, 75-68, Saturday. — Daily Jefferson County Daily Union photo by Josh Smith

Quardell Young started his sophomore season the same way he ended his freshman season on the UW-Whitewater men’s basketball team.

The Kenosha Bradford product came off the bench to score a game high 17 points Saturday night to fuel a the Warhawks 75-68 season opening win over Beloit College at Kachel gymnasium.

Young played a key role in keeping UW-Whitewater in the game, scoring nine of his team-high 17 points in the second half. Young scored six points in transition off of steals, including a dunk early in the second half to pull Whitewater within three points.

"He did a great job.. When we were struggling offensively, we were able to get him in some high ball-screen situations," Hawk head coach Pat Miller said of Young, who also led the team with three assists and four steals. "He did a great job of attacking the basket. He got to the rim over and over and was able to set up his teammates. Tonight, that was our best offense."

Flashback now to this past March’s NCAA Division III national championship, 63-60 win over Cabrini College (Penn) where Young keyed the comeback victory.

The freshman came off the bench to fuel a 17-2 second-half run with six straight points, helping Whitewater close within five with 9:41 to play.

"I was just trying to create some holes, and when I could, I could drive to the basket," said Young who finished with 10 points.

"Quardell got to some seams and got to the rijm and he's the type of player that when he gets confence he's unbelievable. That gave us the spark," Miller said.

Young and his teammates will compete in the Carthage College Classic Friday and Saturday. The Warhawks will open the four-team tounament vs. Aurora University at 6 p.m. Friday in Kenosha.

UWW will play either Carthage or Iowa Wesleyan on Saturday.

Warhawk women's basketball team gives me valuable lesson in my battle with cancer

 

I decided to drive down to Monmouth, IL to watch the Warhawk women play Monmouth Sunday afternoon.  I had had a tough week both emotionally and physically in my ongoing battle with cancer. I just needed to “get out of town” for the day to ease my mind.

The UWW women fell in overtime to the Fighting Scots but Keri Corollo’s team taught me a valuable lesson.

For a third straight game this young season Whitewater found itself needing to fight back from a double digit deficit. The Hawks won its first two games in come from behind fashion but fell in overtime on Sunday down in Monmouth.

The Warhawks could have easily said “this just isn’t our day” but they dug down deep and were able to come back. 

I remember sitting in the stands along with a group of Warhawk parents cheering hard and thinking to myself that I need to have the same attitude and fight hard to win my game vs. cancer.

I was so tired driving home Sunday night and I literally had to sit in my garage about ten minutes just to have the strength to get out of car and be able to walk into the house.

Even watching the Hawks lose I watched the Hawk women give an effort that I need to accomplish.  “Never give up”  It’s a phrase Jim Valvano stated that is in the minds of all that face a battle with cancer.

Thank you to the UWW women’s basketball team for your effort and reinforcing my drive to never give up

Hawk women fall in OT at Monmouth

After opening the season with two come from behind wins, the UW-Whitewater women’s basketball team fell in overtime 90-89 to Monmouth College in the championship game of the Monmouth Invitational.

The Fighting Scots outscored Whitewater 13-6 from the charity stripe in the extra session.

The Warhawks led the first eight minutes of the game however Monmouth came back, forcing 12 Warhawk turnovers, to lead 34-27 by halftime. 

Whitewater found itself looking up at a double digit deficit, Monmouth leading 49-37 with 12;57 remaining in the second half.  And, as they had done in the two previous games, the Warhawks came back.

Cortney Kumerow accounted for eight of ten points in a streak that took Whitewater from trailing 64-58 to a 68-66 lead, Whitewater's first of the second half, with 3:33 left.

Kumerow made a pair of free throws with 0:45 left to give Whitewater a 74-72 lead, but Fighting Scot sophomore guard Paige Nord hit a jumper with 0:30 on the clock to knot the game at 74.  After a Monmouth timeout, UW-W missed a three point attempt, then got the ball back when the Scots fumbled the rebound out of bounds with three seconds left but its three pointer at the buzzer failed forcing the game to overtime.

The extra session boiled down to free throws. Monmouth hit 13 of its 15 free throws in the overtime while Whitewater was limited to 6 of 7 from the line.

Kaitlin Thill led all scorers with 23 points, including 5-8 from beyond the arc and 6-7 from the line.  Kumerow added 21, on 6-7 from the floor and 9-11 at the stripel Freshman Abbie Reeves chipped in with 18.  Kumerow and Katie Burton  grabbed eight rebounds each, with Burton also leading the team with four assists.  Whitewater shot 37% from the floor, 33% from three point range, and was 27-35 (77%) from the line.  The Warhawks committed 22 turnovers/

Monmouth was led by Paige Nord's 20 points, going 9-10 from the line.  Zipporah Williams added 19, Caley Corban 15, and Marla Willard 14.  Williams notched a double double, also pulling down 15 rebounds,

UW-W, eighth in the D3hoops.com poll, is 2-1.  Monmouth remains unbeaten at 3-0.  Whitewater will host Edgewood College Saturday, November 24 at 5:00 in a Parent's Day game.