Jan. 31, 2004

Box Score

MILWAUKEE - Senior Kalombo Kadima scored a career-high 22 points to help the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee overcome off-nights by each of its top-three scorers in claiming a key 81-70 win over UW-Green Bay Saturday night in front of a record-setting crowd of 8,703 at the U.S. Cellular Arena.

With the win, the Panthers (15-5, 10-0) maintained a two-game lead on second-place Wright State while extending their lead over the Phoenix (13-7, 7-3) to three games.

UWM led by as many as 11 points early in the second half only to see Green Bay tie the game at 48 with 10:36 remaining. But the Panthers did not wilt down the stretch, rebuilding the lead to eight at 65-57 with 4:30 left before never letting the Phoenix closer than four points.

The Panthers also won thanks to stellar free throw shooting, knocking in 22-of-24 free throws, including 11-of-12 in the final four minutes.

Joah Tucker and Dylan Page added 14 points apiece for UWM while Adrian Tigert had 11.

Mike King led the Phoenix with 15 points, while Matt Rohde and Brandon Morris added 11.

"We would not have won this game without Kalombo Kadima," UWM head coach Bruce Pearl said.

UWM trailed 9-4 early in the game but rallied to grab a 21-15 lead with 7:50 left in the half. The lead grew to 34-24 on a layup by Kadima with 52 seconds remaining and UWM carried a 10-point lead into the locker room.

The lead hit 11 early in the second half on a free throw by Page before the Phoenix rallied, tying the game at 48 on a Kevin Hughes free throw. But UWM led 61-54 on a layup by Tigert with 6:02 left. After the Panthers pushed the lead to eight, a three by Javier Mendiburu pulled the Phoenix within 73-69. But Page hit a three-pointer on the next possession to restore a seven-point advantage and UWM closed the game out from there.

UWM's "Big Three" of Page, Tucker and Ed McCants combined to shoot just 12-of-34 from the field, but the efforts of Kadima, Tigert and Hill (eight points) helped keep the Panthers unbeaten in league play.

The crowd of 8,703 is the largest regular-season crowd for a UWM game at the U.S. Cellular Arena.

The Panthers return to action Thursday night at UIC.