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Men's Basketball

Panthers Can't Hang On Against N.C. State

Dec 7, 2003

Box Score

RALEIGH, N.C. - Dylan Page scored 22 points and grabbed 11 rebounds but the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee could not overcome a 25-9 scoring deficit at the foul line in falling at North Carolina State, 77-71, Sunday night in front of a national television audience.

The Panthers (3-2) had the Wolfpack (4-1) on the ropes all night long, grabbing a 30-18 with 7:40 left in the first half and never letting NC State build more than an eight-point led in the second half.

UWM pulled within four on an Adrian Tigert layin with 6:06 remaining and again within five at 72-67 on a three-point basket by Ed McCants with 2:01 left. But Julius Hodge made 7-of-8 free throws down the stretch to allow the Wolfpack to hang on.

Marcus Melvin had 27 points and grabbed 13 rebounds to lead NC State, which also got 16 points from Hodge and 13 off-the-bench from Levi Watkins.

McCants added 16 and Joah Tucker tossed in 13 for UWM, which made 9-of-16 from the foul line compared to 25-of-34 by the Wolfpack.

"Our kids were attacking an ACC team on the road and that's very good to see," UWM head coach Bruce Pearl said. "There are no moral victories but I'm pleased we played an attractive style of basketball. We have a lot of pride in the Horizon League and we represented it very well."

The Panthers left little doubt they were not going to be easy fodder for the Wolfpack in the early going, silencing the crowd of 10,961 when Tucker threw down an alley-oop dunk to make it 4-0. A left-handed dunk on a run-out by McCants pushed the lead to 26-14 and UWM still led by 12 with under eight minutes remaining in the half.

But the Wolfpack got back into the game thanks to a swing that started with Tucker appearing to draw a charge in the lane. Instead, the play continued and, following two offensive rebounds, a Melvin layin made it 32-28. The UWM bench was then called for a technical foul and the two free throws made it 32-30. NC State rallied to tie the game at 35 and then took a 39-38 lead into the locker room.

UWM didn't let up in the second half, jumping back out to a 48-43 lead on a layin by McCants with 16:39 remaining. The Wolfpack fired back, though, as Tucker and Nate Mielke each went to the bench with four fouls early in the second half. They took the lead for good on a three by Melvin with 13:13 remaining in the game and led by as many as eight before the Panthers surged back.

The Panthers continue their four-game road trip Wednesday night, playing at Valparaiso.

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