Feb. 24, 2001

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MILWAUKEE - Jessica Wilhite scored 16 of her 18 points in the second half as UWM overcame a five-point second half deficit to claim a 71-61 win over Illinois-Chicago Saturday night at the Klotsche Center.

With the win, the Panthers (14-10, 10-2 MCC) remained tied with UW-Green Bay for first place in the MCC. The Phoenix beat Loyola Saturday afternoon.

UWM trailed 33-32 at halftime, and UIC scored the first four points of the second half to grab a 37-32 advantage. Wilhite then nailed three-point baskets the next two trips down the floor, and the Panthers would never trail again.

"They were playing her tight, but I thought she was just a bit tentative," UWM coach Sandy Botham said of Wilhite's quiet first half. "She wasn't looking for her shot. We talked about that."

Senior Nicole Luchsinger, playing her final game at the Klotsche Center, also provided a spark for the Panthers, scoring 12 points, grabbing six rebounds, and adding four steals and three assists. Fellow senior Janelle Jonason added nine points and four rebounds, while senior Teri Stoltenberg had four points and five assists.

UWM broke free of a tight game early with an 8-0 run, building a 25-17 advantage with 9:36 to play in the half. But UIC outscored the Panthers 16-7 until halftime.

"We were pressing a bit early," Botham said. "We weren't playing really relaxed. But we pulled through it. It was a good, hard-fought win."

The Panthers converted on 11-of-20 field goal attempts in the second half after hitting just 38 percent of their shots in the first half. UWM also forced 21 UIC turnovers, and outrebounded the Flames 34-27.

The Panthers will take to the road for the final weekend of the regular season, looking for wins at Butler and Wright State to wrap-up at least a share of their first MCC title. Thursday's game at Butler begins at 6 p.m. CST, and can be seen in Milwaukee on TV-41.

"We've got two more games," Luchsinger said. "We've got to take care of business. We know we just have to keep fighting. We know it's going to be hard on the road."