WHITEWATER, Wis. (Blugolds.com) - Bidding to capture the season series from UW-Whitewater for the first time since the 1999-2000 season, the UW-Eau Claire men's basketball team fell by an 81-69 score at the Kachel Gymnasium here Saturday evening.

The Warhawks used a 22-6 run midway through the first half to turn a 23-19 deficit into a 41-29 lead and never looked back, building a 21-point lead (70-49) at one juncture in the second half.

The No. 9-ranked Warhawks, a 51 percent shooting team on the season, hit 58.5 percent for the game, including 10 of 18 trifectas, in dealing the Blugolds their second setback this week. Conference co-leader UW-Stevens Point grabbed an 80-61 victory over the Blugolds Wednesday.

The win keeps Whitewater even with Stevens Point atop the WIAC standings as seven teams jockey for six spots in the upcoming WIAC post-season tournament. Whitewater is now 11-3 in the league and 19-4 for the season. Eau Claire slipped to 6-8 in the league and 14-9 on the season.

In the first matchup with Whitewater on January 16, the Blugolds embarrassed the Warhawks, 80-67, in Zorn Arena. In that game, Whitewater hit just 31.7 percent from the field compared to 55.4 percent for the Blugolds.

Dupree Fletcher, who was just 1 of 12 from the field in the first meeting, hit 8 of 11 this time including six of seven from beyond the arc. He finished with 27 points to lead the Warhawks.

Geoff Probst (Sr.-Moose Lake, Minn.) led three Blugolds in double figures with 21. Amadou Fofana (Jr.-Appleton, Wis./West) added 15 and Colin Boone (Sr.-Eau Claire, Wis./Memorial) 11 for Coach Terry Gibbons' troops.

The Blugolds return home Wednesday for a critical game against UW-Superior, a team that beat them, 85-80, back in January. The Blugolds and Yellowjackets are currently tied in league standings with 6-8 records. The Blugolds close out the regular season at UW-Stout next Saturday.