Dec. 30, 2001

Box Score

BOULDER, Colo. - Stephane Pelle scored 23 points and David Harrison added 20 as Colorado escaped with a 93-87 victory over UWM Sunday night at the Coors Events Center.

The upset-minded Panthers led by as many as seven in the second half and were within two points with 42.6 seconds remaining. Clay Tucker scored 21 points to lead UWM (5-7), while Ronnie Jones added 19 and Jason Frederick pitched-in with 12.

UWM, playing without injured inside players James Wright and Dylan Page, finally succumbed to the size of the Buffaloes (7-2), as the 7-foot-1 Harrison scored six points in the final 2:22 of the contest.

"It was unfortunate that the readers couldn't have seen that effort because we were outmanned and just played a great game," UWM head coach Bruce Pearl said. "At the end we got them to take the shots we wanted but we couldn't keep them off the boards. Then they started throwing the ball into their seven-footer, and we couldn't stop him."

Colorado took the lead for good with a 13-4 run midway through the second half to turn a 74-70 deficit into an 83-78 advantage with 4:54 to play. But the Panthers did not go away, rallying to within two points at 89-87 on a Tucker three with 42.6 seconds remaining. The Buffaloes then ran the shot clock down on their next possession, with Chevis Brimmer launching a long three. The shot missed, but the rebound resulted in a jump ball, with the possession arrow in Colorado's favor. The Buffaloes then clinched the victory with a Blair Wilson layin off the ensuing inbounds play. Two Wilson free throws provided the final margin.

After shooting 51 percent in the first half, the Panthers shot just 40 percent in the second half. UWM made 17 three-point shots - one off a school record - but the Panthers converted just five of their 14 free throws in the second half.

"We clearly ran out of stamina at the end," Pearl said. "But, if we make our free throws in the second half, we win. We've played the toughest schedule in the league and we hope it prepares us for conference play," Pearl said. UWM opens Horizon League play Wednesday at Youngstown State.

The Panthers built their largest lead of the night at 56-49 following a Kalombo Kadima layin 31 seconds into the second half. But Colorado responded, using an 8-1 run to tie the game at 57.

UWM found the shooting touch it had been missing in recent contests during in the first half, making 11-of-24 three-point shots and shooting 51 percent from the field overall. The Panthers also outrebounded Colorado 23-16 in the first half.

The Panthers overcame an early 19-11 deficit to finally claim a 28-27 lead following a Tucker three-point shot and a steal and layin by Chris Hill, who was seeing his first action since Dec. 8. The lead changed hands over the next five minutes of the half, but UWM pushed the lead to five at 49-44 following a Dan Weisse three with 3:04 left in the half. After Colorado closed to within 51-49, Frederick buried a three with 1:03 remaining to give the Panthers a 54-49 edge that they carried into the locker room.