Jan. 6, 2004

Box Score

MILWAUKEE - Maria Viall and Kiley Johnson each missed potential game-tying three-pointers in the last ten seconds as the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee women's basketball team dropped a tough 58-55 game to crosstown rival Marquette University at the Klotsche Center here Tuesday (Jan. 6). UWM held a ten-point lead at the break but were unable to muster much second half offense as the visiting Golden Eagles used a 43-36 rebounding edge to move ahead in the alltime series, 19-18. With the win MU improves to 10-3 on the season while Milwaukee falls to 4-7.

The two teams came out shooting well from the beginning as they each traded hoops for the first four minutes to tie the game at ten at the 15:55 mark. UWM reserve Anne Witte added a spark off the bench as her two three-pointers over the next five minutes helped stake the home team to a 20-16 lead with 10:28 left. The Panthers pushed the lead to eight, 30-22, at the 3:01 mark on a Viall 13-foot jumper.

Marquette cut the lead to six, 33-27, before Molly O'Brien took over the last 1:25 of the half. The sophomore stole a pass from MU's Carolyn Kieger and led Johnson for a fast break layup. Johnson, who was fouled on the play, missed the free throw only to see O'Brien grab the offensive rebound and put it back in for a 37-27 halftime cushion. The ten-point halftime deficit marked the first time Marquette had trailed at the break this season.

The Golden Eagles turned up the defensive pressure in the second half and quickly cut the lead to six, 37-31, on the first two possessions on the frame. Milwaukee was able to rebound and go back up by nine, 44-35, on a Viall three-point play with 14:04 to play in the game.

Things turned south for UWM from this point on, as strong Marquette man-to-man defense stiffled the Panther offense. A Johnson three-ball from the left wing broke a three-minute scoring drought and pushed the Panther lead back to five, 47-42. However, Marquette, on the strength of offensive rebounding and scoring from Crystal Weaver and Christina Quayle, went on a 12-0 run over the next 7:45 of the game to grab a 54-47 lead with 3:35 left in the contest.

The Panthers made one last run, keyed by an Aubrey Hampton trifecta to cut the lead to four, 54-50, at the 3:35 mark. Marquette went back up by six, 56-50 on the next possession before a Kimberly Becker three-point play made it a three-point game with 1:12 left. The Panthers got a stop on the defensive end and Viall converted on two free throws to make it 56-55 with 43 seconds left.

Milwaukee's defense frustrated Marquette into a bad shot with 13 seconds left only to see Quayle grab the rebound and put it back in for the three-point bulge. After a UWM timeout Viall missed a three-pointer from the right side and Johnson's three-ball at the buzzer was blocked by Kelly Schwerman to end the game.

UWM shot 36.4% on the game while the Golden Eagles connected on just 35.6% of its attempts. Viall led the Panthers with 15 points while Johnson added 11. Quaye posted a double-double for the winners with 18 points and ten boards while Weaver added 17 and eight, respectively.

The Panthers will return to action and Horizon League play on Thursday when the Bulldogs of Butler University come to Milwaukee. The game features a special 5:00 p.m. start time as it is a part of a men's and women's doubleheader. The contest will mark UWM's first home appearance at U.S. Cellular Arena since 1996.