Jan. 23, 2003

Box Score

MILWAUKEE - Clay Tucker and Dylan Page scored 17 points apiece and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee used a decisive 8-0 run late in the second half to claim a 69-65 win over Butler Thursday night at a sold-out Klotsche Center.

The win, the Panthers' first over Butler in Milwaukee since 1978 and just UWM's third win over the Bulldogs in 22 tries, moves the Panthers (14-5, 5-2) to within a half-game of both Butler (15-2, 5-1) and UIC for the top spot in the Horizon League.

The game was tied at 54 after a Darnell Archey three with 5:06 remaining. But the Panthers scored the next eight points, including threes by Tucker and Ronnie Jones, to grab a 62-54 advantage with 3:26 remaining and electrify the crowd of 5,007.

As UWM struggled from the foul line in the closing moments, Butler whittled the lead down to 68-65 with 12.5 seconds remaining on a Brandon Miller layin. Tucker then missed two free throws, but Bruce Horan missed a three from the corner with just two seconds remaining and Tucker made a single free throw to provide for the final margin.

UWM's defense forced Butler into a season-high 24 turnovers and recorded a season-high 14 steals. The Panthers held Butler to just two points over the final eight minutes of the first half and appeared to rattle the Bulldogs on numerous occasions.

"I just thought it was a great experience to be a part of," UWM head coach Bruce Pearl said. "I can't thank the fans enough. The crowd inspired us and I think it affected our opponent. I just think we played great defense and with a lot of passion. To force Butler into 24 turnovers and get 14 steals is amazing."

"We had our backs against the wall," Tucker said. "This was a must win for us and we came out and played like it."

Miller scored 18 points while Lewis Curry added 15 and Mike Monserez 13 for the Bulldogs, who lost for just the second time in 17 outings this season.

"We're a team that shares the basketball a lot, so we have a lot of guys that touch the ball and get involved," Butler head coach Todd Lickliter said. "We were seeing the play develop but Milwaukee was recovering more quickly than we thought and more quickly than other teams have against us."

Both teams struggled from the foul line, as the Panthers made just 13-of-27 and Butler just 9-of-18. It nearly cost UWM down-the-stretch, as they made just 5-of-13 free throws in the closing moments.

"Had we lost the game it would have been a tough locker room for me to go in to," Pearl said. "I felt our basketball team showed it deserved to win the game tonight."

The Panthers struggled early as Butler made nine of its first 11 shots, including six three-point shots. The Bulldogs led by six points on three occasions, the final time at 17-11 following a layup by Duane Lightfoot. But UWM slowly rallied, tying the game at 21 on a Jason Frederick layin and taking its first lead of the night at 29-28 on a Frederick three. The Bulldogs were still down just 31-30 with 4:05 remaining after a Miller basket, but the Panthers shut the Bulldogs out from there in building a 36-30 halftime advantage.

Butler rallied to grab a 48-43 lead with 12:59 remaining on a Curry three. But the Panthers tied the game at 48 on a Jones basket and led 54-51 after a Tucker layin before Archey's three tied the game, setting up UWM's decisive run.

The crowd of 5,007 is the second-largest ever at the Klotsche Center.

UWM returns to action Saturday afternoon, hosting Wright State at 1 p.m.