Nov. 12, 2002

Box Score

MILWAUKEE - Clay Tucker and Dylan Page each recorded double-doubles and UWM outscored Gallos de Pelea (Mexico) 61-35 in the second half en route to a 108-78 win Tuesday night at the Klotsche Center.

Tucker had 34 points and 11 rebounds while Page added 19 points and 12 rebounds as the Panthers won their second-straight exhibition contest this season.

UWM trailed by as many as seven points midway through the first half but used a 13-0 run during a two-minute stretch of the first half to claim a six-point edge. The lead was still just 47-44 at halftime, but UWM went on a 27-6 run over the first six-and-a-half minutes of the second half to gain control of the contest. UWM then led by as many as 34 points in the half on its way to the win.

"I was at least pleased that they exposed some things," UWM head coach Bruce Pearl said of the slow, first-half start. "I thought we just didn't play with the passion. We were a little too relaxed."

While waiting to find the spark that would allow the Panthers to take control of the game, Tucker kept the Panthers in the lead by scoring 22 points in the first half and adding four steals and three assists in 28 minutes.

"I was looking to be more aggressive," Tucker said. "I took it upon myself to be more dominant on both offense and defense."

"When you start making playing great look easy, you're becoming a great player," Pearl said. "Clay made it look easy tonight."

Nate Mielke added 14 points and seven rebounds for the Panthers while Jason Frederick also pitched in with 14 points. Jose Winston, making his first start in a Panther uniform, had eight points and eight assists.

Jermi Hampton had 21 points to lead Gallos de Pelea, which was outrebounded 48-31 and committed 21 turnovers.

UWM now turns its attention toward the regular season, which opens Nov. 23 at Wisconsin. The Panthers' home opener is Nov. 26 against Mississippi Valley State.