Jan. 18, 2003

Box Score

MILWAUKEE - The University of Wisconsin-Green Bay used an 8-0 second half run to take a lead it would never give back en route to a 79-68 win over the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Saturday night at the Resch Center.

Clay Tucker scored 22 points and Dylan Page added 17 for the Panthers (13-5, 4-2). Matt Rohde had 17 points and Greg Babcock 15 to lead a balanced UWGB (6-11, 1-4) attack.

The Panthers grabbed a 42-41 lead on a Jason Frederick three with 18:16 remaining. But the Phoenix countered with the next eight points, moving their lead to 49-42 on a pair of Matt Rohde free throws. UWM pulled within two points on two occasions, but could never regain the lead in losing for just the third time in its last 15 contests.

The Panthers threatened a final time by pulling within 57-53 on a Mielke layin with 4:18 remaining. But UWGB countered with the next five points, moving ahead 64-55 on a Rohde three with 3:13 remaining. UWM never got any closer than five the rest of the way.

"Green Bay played well, especially defensively," UWM head coach Bruce Pearl said. "They're very physical and we didn't respond very well to that. In the second half our defense picked it up and put us in position to win the game. But our offense couldn't score."

After allowing UWGB to shoot 59 percent in the first half the Panthers limited the Phoenix to 40.7 shooting in the second half. But the Panthers shot just 37.7 percent for the game and made only 9-of-30 three-point attempts.

The Panthers built an early 10-5 lead but quickly saw it disappear thanks to a 10-0 Phoenix run. A Tucker ended the run, but UWGB still led 19-13 following an Aaron Jessup layin with 10:01 remaining in the half.

UWM regained a 26-25 lead on a pair of Page free throws and led two more times before Green Bay pulled ahead 34-31 with just over four minutes remaining. A Weisse three tied the game at 36, but UWGB scored four of the final five points of the half to take a 40-37 lead into halftime.

UWM returns to action Thursday night, hosting Butler in a 7 p.m. contest.