Dec 15, 2001
Box Score
MILWAUKEE - UWM missed all 21 of its three-point attempts and shot just 30 percent from the field in falling to Western Michigan, 59-51, Saturday night at the Klotsche Center.
The Panthers (4-5) failed to hit a three-point shot for the first time since a Dec. 7, 1996 loss to Valparaiso, a streak of 141 straight games with a three-point basket. Reggie Berry scored 17 points off the bench to lead the Broncos (6-3), who beat the Panthers for the second time this season. James Wright had 12 points to lead UWM, which lost for the first time at home this season.
"You live by it and you die by it," UWM coach Bruce Pearl said of the Panthers' three-point shooting. "In the second half we battled. We had 17 offensive rebounds, so the guys were giving it an effort. It was a very good defensive effort. But when we got them in foul trouble, we said we wanted to take the ball inside and drive to the basket. Instead, we settled for poorer shots."
"Tonight was a night when we just weren't hitting," UWM's Clay Tucker, who scored nine points and was held in single digits for the first time this season, said. "We just settled for the three. We weren't doing the things we needed to do to win the game."
The Panthers trailed the entire game, falling down 11 in the first half before battling back to within eight at halftime. Western Michigan pushed the lead back to 13 at 45-32 with 14:32 to play, but again the Panthers put together a methodical run. UWM outscored Western 12-2 over the next six minutes, but a Robby Collum three pushed the lead back to six, and UWM would get no closer than five points the rest of the way.
"The game was a dogfight to say the least," Western Michigan head coach Robert McCallum said. "I think it was what we expected. I don't know if we can take credit for Wisconsin-Milwaukee going 0-for-21 from three-point range. But, I think our overall awareness defensively was a lot better than the first time played them."
UWM struggled from the foul line, making just 13-of-26 attempts. The Panthers did force 20 Bronco turnovers, and UWM held a 17-9 edge on the offensive glass.
UWM returns to action next Saturday night, hosting UW-Parkside in a 7 p.m. game at the Klotsche Center.
