Nov. 10, 2004

Box Score |  Notes

MILWAUKEE - Ed McCants scored 19 points to lead four Panthers in double figures as the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee wrapped up the exhibition season with an 89-55 win over Lawrence University Wednesday night at the U.S. Cellular Arena.

Boo Davis and Joah Tucker added 14 points and Derrick Ford pitched in with 13 as UWM shot 54.8 percent from the field.

Jason Holinbeck had 19 points to lead Lawrence, which reached the Elite Eight of the NCAA Division III Tournament last year and is ranked seventh nationally in the pre-season this year.

UWM led by 14 points at halftime and then made eight of its first 12 shots in the second half to open a 60-35 lead with 14:07 remaining. The Vikings could never get the lead back under 25 the rest of the way.

The Panthers, who beat the World Basketball Stars, 112-63, in the exhibition opener a week ago, handled a good early test from the Vikings, playing UWM thanks to a rule change that allows Division II and Division III teams to play Division I schools in exhibition games.

"This is an excellent rule change," UWM head coach Bruce Pearl said. "It's just good for basketball and good for Wisconsin basketball. I have a lot of respect for Lawrence. You tend to gain respect one way or another when you prepare for a team, and I really enjoyed the things they do."

UWM's defense helped the Panthers control the game, limiting the Vikings to just 37 percent from the field.

"I thought we did a very good job tonight defensively," Pearl added. "They didn't get very many good looks and the looks they did get were deep threes."

The Panthers were also efficient on offense, including a 58 percent shooting clip in the second half and 10-of-21 from three-point range.

"They get up and down the court pretty well," Lawrence head coach John Tharp said. "They take advantage of mismatches as well as anyone I've seen. We came here to win this basketball game and we prepared to try to win. But their style of play is something that is we just don't see on our level."

UWM never trailed in the contest, building a 19-10 lead in the first seven minutes of the first half and eventually led 28-15 on a dunk by Ford with nine minutes remaining. Lawrence did pull within 32-22 on a layup by Brett Sjoberg with 5:22 remaining, but a three-point basket by McCants put the Panthers back up by 13 and a three by Tucker at the first-half buzzer made it 41-27 at intermission.

The Panthers then scored 23 of the first 31 points of the second half before emptying the bench down the stretch.

UWM starts the regular season Nov. 20 when Prairie View A&M visits the U.S. Cellular Arena.