Dec. 2, 2003

Box Score

MILWAUKEE - The Battle of the Panthers never truly materialized as the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee dominated the University of Northern Iowa in women's college basketball action here Tuesday (Dec. 2). The Panthers of UWM ran out to a ten-point lead in the games first eight minutes before coasting to the 67-40 victory over the Panthers of UNI. With the victory, Milwaukee reached the .500 mark on the young season at 3-3 while Northern Iowa falls to 0-2 in defeat.

"I'm just very excited and proud with the way we played tonight," UWM head coach Sandy Botham said. "We got out of the blocks early with a lot of intensity and energy. Our game plan was to pressure them and use our athleticism to take them out of their offense. I think we did that and they just couldn't get any momentum."

Northern Iowa took the first lead of the game, however it turned out to be their only one of the game. An Emily Berry jumper at the 18:05 kicked off the scoring before UWM took over the game. The Panthers scored 14 of the next 16 points as the run was highlighted by a a pair of three-pointers from Molly O'Brien and Nichole Drummond. UNI scored the very next bucket on one of seven Amy Swisher buckets at the 11:41 mark but an 11-4 run over the next four minutes gave Milwaukee a 15-point bulge with 7:24 remaining in the half.

Stifling half court defense and uptempo offense dominated the remainder of the half as UWM stretched its lead to nineteen points at the break, taking a 34-15 lead into the locker room. O'Brien and Maria Viall led a balanced UWM attack with eight points in the half while UNI's Swisher scored 11 of her team's 15 points. Milwaukee forced 14 first half turnovers while holding the visitors to 25.0% shooting. Meanwhile, the Panthers connected on 54.2% of its shots while registering 10 assists on 13 made shots.

Milwaukee put the game completely out of reach in the first few moments of the second half thanks to the play of Nichole Drummond. The aathletic sophomore nailed a 15-foot jumper on the first possession of the second half and then drilled a three-pointer from the right baseline on the next possession to push the cushion to 24, at 39-15 with 18:25 left to play. Northern Iowa continued to struggle on the offensive end while Viall dominated the paint on the other end.

All-America candidate took advantage of single coverage in the second, scoring nine straight UWM points during a 3:43 stretch. Viall, who scored 15 points in the second half, put the game away on her final jumper of the game which game the Panthers a 65-39 lead with 4:42 to go.

"It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that No. 24 is pretty darn good," UNI head coach Tony DiCecco said. "In a 25-30 game schedule she won't face many players as good as her and she is just as good a low post position player as we will see."

Viall led all players with 23 points and 10 rebounds. Kimberly Becker added 11 for UWM while Drummond and O'Brien each finished with 10 points. Swisher was the only UNI player to reach double-figures as she finished with 16.

Milwaukee will look to move ahead the .500 mark for the first time this season when it travels to DeKalb, Ill. to face Northern Illinois University on Saturday (Dec. 6). The UWM-NIU contest is set to begin at 2:00 p.m. at the NIU Convocation Center.