Jan. 11, 2003

Box Score

MILWAUKEE - Dylan Page scored 19 points to lead four Panthers in double figures as the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee beat Youngstown State, 74-56, Saturday night at the Klotsche Center.

Clay Tucker and Jason Frederick added 13 points and Ronnie Jones pitched-in with 10 as UWM (12-4, 4-1 Horizon) won for the 11th time in their last 13 games.

Doug Underwood scored 14 points to lead Youngstown State (5-8, 1-2), which committed 17 turnovers and shot just 38.6 percent from the field.

UWM led just 42-34 with 11:41 remaining before the Panthers took control with a 15-2 run over the next three minutes. They hit 3 three-point shots in the run, including a pair by Page. Frederick's three with 8:30 left made it 57-36 and the Penguins would get no closer than 16 points the rest of the way.

"What a difference a day makes," UWM head coach Bruce Pearl said. "We have one of our worst defensive efforts Thursday at UIC, then tonight, to hold Youngstown to 17 field goals and 38 percent is a good accomplishment. It's an indication the team is responding well to what we're trying to get done."

The Panthers appeared to have the game in control in the first half, jumping out to a 27-10 advantage while holding the Penguins without a field goal for more than 12 minutes. But YSU scored 12 of the final 14 points of the half to pull within 29-22 at the break. They were within five on three occassions early in the second half before UWM pulled away.

Pearl said the Panthers were still feeling the effects of a disappointing loss Thursday at UIC.

"I was very concerned," Pearl said. "In fact, we're still down. It wasn't that we lost - it's how we lost. That loss will keep us going for some time."

For the second-straight outing, UWM found itself in the middle of a game marred by fouls. After seeing 56 fouls called Thursday night, 50 more fouls were called Saturday night. UWM made 26-of-34 from the foul line while YSU made 20-of-26.

UWM took great care of the basketball, committing just eight turnovers and, after shooting just 35 percent in the first half, made 54.5 percent of its shots in the second half.

YSU, meanwhile, got nine points off the bench from Andrew Jahnke and eight from TeJay Anderson.

"I thought we did a lot of good things tonight," Youngstown State head coach John Robic said. "Obviously one of the things we didn't do well was put the ball in the basket. I was proud of my kids. We're getting better. We're making strides. This league is tough for us right now."

UWM returns to action Tuesday night, playing a non-conference contest at Chicago State.