Feb. 17, 2001
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MILWAUKEE-Jessica Wilhite scored 21 points and Maria Viall added 18 en route to a 72-66 UWM victory over UW-Green Bay Saturday afternoon at the Klotsche Center. The Panthers (12-10, 8-2) now move into a share of first place in the conference with the Phoenix (16-7, 8-2).
"It was great to play in front of a record crowd," said UWM coach Sandy Botham, referring to the 2,697 fans who showed up for the in-state rivalry. "It's definitely a big game for us. We now have the chance to be in first place of the MCC, which would be a first for our program."
In her fifth year as a coach, Botham's Panthers have yet to garner the top spot in the MCC entering the tournament under her helm.
"I congratulate Milwaukee," said UW-Green Bay coach Kevin Borseth. "This was a hard-fought game. We got beat to loose balls. Offensively, we weren't aggressive the way we needed to be. There was a lot of bumping and grinding, and we didn't fess up to that."
With under seven minutes to play in the game, Wilhite gave the Panthers the lead with a 3-point play to go up by one. The sophomore guard drove to the basket to score a lay-up and followed with a made free-throw after the foul to lead, 59-58. Junior guard Alison Klaas then scored back-to-back three-pointers to extend the lead to five points with 5:15 remaining.
After trailing by as many as eight points, the Phoenix closed to within four after Green Bay center Chandra Johnson scored a layup with 43 seconds on the clock. The Panthers' Holly Tamm converted two free throws after being fouled by the Phoenix to take the 72-66 lead to the end.
Tamm contributed eight points while recording a career-high six steals, five assists, and four rebounds. Klaas scored 10 points for the Panthers, including 3-of-5 from beyond the arc. Johnson led Green Bay with 17 points, while three Phoenix scored in double-digits.
UWM and Green Bay both finished with 46 percent shooting from the field, but the Panthers earned points at the line as they made 25 trips compared to UWGB's 10. The Phoenix grabbed the advantage on the boards, 31-21, but UWM recorded 16 assists and 13 turnovers while Green Bay tallied 18 and 19, respectively.
The Panthers found themselves down 49-41 in the beginning of the second half after Green Bay buried a three-pointer. Viall brought the momentum back in favor of Milwaukee after scoring on a three-point play. Wilhite then took control, going on a rampage to score the next nine points for UWM to finish a 12-3 run. Wilhite's scoring came from all angles on the court including free throws, drives, and of course, from the arc.
The MCC battle saw momentum shift several times throughout the game, with each team commanding runs of at least seven many times. Milwaukee built a 13-0 run in the first half after trailing Green Bay 21-15. Klaas started the run with her first tre of the night, while senior Nicole Luchsinger and Wilhite each contributed with three-point plays. Viall added a layup, and Tamm finished the run with a jumper off a drive to the hoop, giving Milwaukee the 26-21 lead with 9:46 left in the first half.
The Phoenix kept it close until going on an 11-0 run with two minutes left in the half. Tamm helped bring the Panthers back, making two free throws and a layup while also grabbing two steals in the last minute. Viall 's free throw brought UWM closer to trail Green Bay,42-39 at halftime.
The win gives UWM its 12th-straight conference victory at the Klotsche Center dating back to last season. The Panthers are 5-0 in the MCC at home this season, and have two home games remaining. They host Loyola on Wednesday, Feb. 21 at 7 p.m., and UIC on Saturday, Feb. 24 at 7 p.m.
