Jan. 31, 2002
CHICAGO - A balanced attack helped UWM (14-6, 8-1 Horizon) defeat UIC (11-11, 3-7 Horizon), 75-66, Thursday night at the UIC Pavilion. Maria Viall steadied UWM with a game-high 18 points and helped the Panthers hold on to their dwindling second-half lead.
Also contributing for UWM with double-digit scoring were Stefanie Kaufmann with 14 points, Jessica Wilhite with 11 and Holly Tamm with 10. Stesha Rhodes led UIC with 16 points and Jaysie Chambers added 14.
"It's good to come out with a win," UWM coach Sandy Botham said. "The team responded with a lot of fight. We established a sizable lead, which was good, but we weren't consistent in the second half. I thought we got a little complacent and played back on our heels. We didn't have that discipline down the stretch, like boxing out."
The Panthers led by 23 points in the opening of the second half, but UIC came back with several small runs throughout the half. Rhodes sparked UIC's first spurt with six straight points and Chambers added the last two to trail UWM, 46-33, six minutes into the half.
The Flames eventually chiseled their deficit to eight points with about seven minutes remaining at 61-53, but UWM answered with a 9-2 run to go back up by 15 points. Down the stretch, the Panthers allowed UIC to grab some key offensive boards and come within seven points. Zsuzsa Tarnai got the ball after UIC missed its second free throw and drained a three pointer with 1:20 left. Allison Klaas then put in two free throws to put UWM out of reach.
UIC was able to come back with the help of UWM's 14 turnovers in the second half. The Panthers committed 20 overall while making 19 assists. The Flames finished with 22 turnovers and 18 assists, and also took the 37-35 advantage on the boards.
UWM's halftime lead of 17 points came from a 12-0 run early in the half. Tamm and reserve Kimberly Becker scored a couple of baskets each in the run, but the Panthers got their momentum when Wilhite converted a four-point play after being fouled from the arc at the 14:04 mark. UIC scored sporadically after that and UWM led, 32-14, with 4:30 left in the half following a layin by Kaufmann. Kaufmann scored after Wilhite made a great find inside with a bullet pass.
The Panthers return to the Klotsche Center Saturday, hosting Youngstown State at 2 p.m.
