Jan. 25, 2003

Box Score

MILWAUKEE - Dylan Page scored 26 points and Clay Tucker collected a double-double as the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee won for the ninth-straight time at home, beating Wright State, 74-59, Saturday afternoon at the Klotsche Center.

Tucker had 14 points, 11 rebounds, seven assists and three steals while Page added eight rebounds as the Panthers (15-5, 6-2 Horizon League) won for the 14th time in their last 17 games.

Seth Doliboa had 23 points and Vernard Hollins added 14 for the Raiders (7-10, 1-6), who lost for the sixth-straight time in Milwaukee.

UWM limited Wright State to just 39 percent shooting for the game, including just 32 percent in the second half, and collected 11 steals - the fourth-straight game the Panthers have reached double figures in that category.

"I thought the defensive effort was very good. We got after them a little bit and that was positive," UWM head coach Bruce Pearl said. "Obviously Clay and Dylan dominated play at times. They were two of the best players on the floor."

The Panthers took control of the game in the first half, using an 18-4 run to turn a 12-11 lead into a 30-15 advantage. They capped the run with a Justin Lettenberger three with 7:25 remaining and led by as many as 17 in the first half.

UWM pushed the lead to 20 at 49-29 on a Page layin with 17:11 remaining before Wright State rallied, pulling back within eight at 61-53 on a Braden Bushman free throw with 4:41 remaining. But the Panthers scored 11 of the next 14 points to regain control before Pearl emptied his bench in the closing minutes.

"I think Milwaukee really presents a lot of problems," Wright State head coach Ed Schilling said. "When they get some steals off the press, they're very potent. And when Page and Tucker are playing the way they are, they're as good as anyone around."

Lettenberger added 10 points in just nine minutes before leaving the game with a slight concussion. Nate Mielke had six points and four rebounds while Rob Sanders had two points and four assists off-the-bench.

The Panthers outrebounded the Raiders, 37-34, the first time in the last six games where UWM outrebounded its opponent. The Panthers are now 9-0 when they outrebound their opponent and 15-1 when leading or tied at the half.

UWM returns to action next Saturday afternoon, playing Loyola at the Gentile Center in a 1 p.m. contest.