Nov. 28, 2002

Box Score

NEW ORLEANS - Southeast Missouri State limited the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee to just three field goals over a 13-minute stretch of the second half and converted on 13 three-point field goals of their own en route to an 89-75 win Thursday in the opening game of the University Hoops Classic at Fogelman Arena.

The Panthers (1-2) led 40-39 at halftime but went eight minutes without a field goal after an early Jason Frederick three gave them a 43-39 advantage. SEMO gradually built its advantage from there, leading by as many 19 points in the second half.

Clay Tucker had 22 points and Dylan Page added 15 to lead UWM. Derek Winans had 25 points and Tim Scheer pitched-in with 23 points off-the-bench to lead SEMO (2-1).

A Dan Weisse three with 11:23 remaining broke an eight-minute draught for UWM and pulled the Panthers to within 53-47. But Winans responded with a three on the ensuing possession by the Indians to rebuild the lead to nine and the advantage hit double figures for the first time at 58-47 with 9:44 remaining on a pair of free throws by Scheer. The lead then grew to 66-49 with seven minutes remaining on a basket by Damarcus Hence.

UWM mounted a brief rally, scoring eight of the next 10 points to pull within 68-57 with 5:49 remaining. But Scheer converted a three-point play to make it 71-57 with 5:25 remaining and the Panthers never seriously threatened from there.

"SEMO played very well," UWM head coach Bruce Pearl said. "This is a process about trying to become a good basketball team and we still have a ways to go."

Frederick added 13 points for the Panthers, who made just 7-of-22 three-point shots and shot just 33 percent in the second half.

"We really shot the ball poorly and we really had to expend a lot of energy guarding them," Pearl said. "They were smaller and quicker and perhaps playing Tuesday and traveling Wednesday - today we just didn't look like we had our legs."

Hence and Brett Hale tossed in 17 points apiece for the Indians, who outrebounded UWM 42-36. SEMO also held a 20-12 edge at the free throw line.

The Panthers looked like they might take control early in the contest, jumping out to a 7-0 lead in the first 1:40 of the game. But SEMO recovered thanks to stellar three-point shooting. The Indians wound up making 8-of-12 three-point shots in the half, including a 3-of-3 performance by Scheer.

SEMO tied the game at 11 with 11:25 left in the half and took its first lead of the game at 19-18 with 8:28 remaining. The Indians still led 27-26 with 3:59 remaining in the half, but a 5-0 run by UWM that included a basket by Derek Huff, a steal, and a Frederick three-point shot, gave UWM a 31-27 advantage.

SEMO didn't go away before halftime, though, grabbing a 39-38 lead on a three-point basket by Scheer with 25 seconds left before a Page basket inside with seven seconds remaining gave UWM a 40-39 halftime edge.

The game pitted Pearl against a former assistant coach of his at Southern Indiana, SEMO assistant Keno Davis, the son of former Iowa coach Dr. Tom Davis.

"He certainly knows his father's system," Pearl said. They were very well-prepared for us."

UWM returns to action in the tournament Saturday afternoon, facing Indiana State at 3 p.m. CST. The Sycamores (1-1) will play SEMO tomorrow night.

The hosts from Tulane were playing Maine in another contest Thursday evening, with Central Florida the third team on the other side of the bracket.