Strong Second-Half Leads UWM Women To 20-Point Win at Youngstown State

Jan. 11, 2003

YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO - The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee women's basketball team shot 53.1% in the second half and outrebounded Youngstown State University 54-21 on the night en route to a 79-59 Horizon League victory here Saturday (Jan. 11). UWM placed three players in double figures on the night in moving t0 6-9 overall and 2-3 in conference play. With the loss YSU falls to 3-10 on the season and 0-3 in the Horizon League.

"This was a total team effort and we played well together and with a lot of confidence," UWM head coach Sandy Botham said. "They worked together, found the open player and made the extra pass. It's always nice to get a road win."

Milwaukee led 36-32 at the half before outscoring the hosts 43-27 in the second stanza for its most lopsided win of the season. The +33 rebound margin is the second most in school history, trailing only a +34 performance versus Marquette on Dec. 3, 1996. UWM shot 53.1% in the second half and 44.6% on the game while the Penguins cooled to 20.7% in the second half and 34.5% for the game.

Youngstown made things interesting in the first minute of the second half, grabbing a 37-36 lead at the 19:16 mark after a three-pointer by Maggie Johnson and a jumper by Devin Novak. However the Panthers put the game out of reach in the next few moments, outscoring YSU 15-0 over the next 3:50. Five different players scored during the stretch, led by six points from senior Jessica Wilhite. Milwaukee coasted the rest of the way and enjoyed as much as a 23-point lead, 79-56, before Novak drilled a 35-footer at the buzzer for the final margin.

Kimberly Becker enjoyed her finest night as a collegian, scoring a career-high 17 points while grabbing a game-high tying nine rebounds. Wilhite added 17 points while Maria Viall scored 12 points to go with nine rebounds and a team-high four assists.

UWM will enjoy a week off before hosting in-state rival No. 19 University of Wisconsin-Green Bay on Saturday (Jan. 18). The contest is set to begin at 2:00 p.m. at the Klotsche Center.

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