Feb. 14, 2004

Box Score

MILWAUKEE - Maria Viall's closely guarded fallaway 10-foot hookshot with .2 seconds remaining gave the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee a much-needed 52-51 victory over Cleveland State University in Horizon League women's basketball action here Saturday (Feb. 14). Viall's heroics were setup when CSU's Ashley Schrock missed the second end of a one-on-one with 19 seconds remaining. The Panthers took the rebound, drove down, and found Viall who nailed her first collegiate game-winner. The Panthers (13-10, 9-3) won for the sixth straight time and moved into a second-place tie with the Vikings who fall to 12-11 overall and 9-3 in league play.

"Honestly the last play is pretty much a blur," Viall said. "I knew time was winding down and I had to shoot the ball. Nichole was able to find me and I got the hook shot off. Fortunately it went in and we pulled it out."

Milwaukee led throughout most of the first half as the Vikings led just once, 6-4, in the frame. The Panthers led by as many as seven, 17-10, when Nichole Drummond scored on a driving layup with 5:04 in the half. CSU got back to within two, 20-18, before a Kimberly Becker three-point play with 43 seconds remaining made it 23-18 at the half. Both teams struggled to shoot in the frame as CSU shot 33.3% and 22.2% from three-point line while Milwaukee hit just 32.3% of its shots and just one-of-six from downtown.

Cleveland State made solid adjustments at the break and quickly put the pressure on in the second half. The Vikings chipped away at the UWM bulge and eventually took the lead, 32-29, on a Shannon Sword triple with 11:42 remaining. However the Panthers quickly forged back ahead, thanks to an 11-4 run over the next 3:32.

The Panthers continued to press and pushed the lead to six, 47-41, on a pair of Anne Witte free throws with 5:05 to play. Cleveland State, led by seniors Sword and Ashley Schrock, appeared to take the game away in the final four minutes. After two Viall charities with 3:45 to go made the UWM lead 48-43 the Vikings made their run. Three Sword points and a jumper by Keena Rembert gave CSU a 49-48 cushion with 2:14 to go. After a UWM turnover, Schrock was fouled on the other end but converted just one free throw to make it 50-48.

Down two points and under a minute to play, Milwaukee was able to tie the game at 50 on a Witte 10-foot bank shot with 44 seconds left. Schrock then took the ball at the top of the key and was fouled by Kiley Johnson as she drove the lane. After making the first, Schrock missed the second, Viall grabbed the rebound and set up the final play. UWM got the ball to Drummond on the right wing where she drove and dished to Viall who hit her difficult game-winner.

"This was a great win for us," UWM head coach Sandy Botham said. "This was just two good Horizon League teams matching up. Cleveland State is very good and they have two seniors in Schrock and Sword who make shots when they need them. But, we got the ball into Maria's hands and she made the game-winner."

Milwaukee will look for its seventh straight victory on Thursday (Feb. 19) when it heads to Chicago to face the University of Illinois-Chicago. The Horizon League game is set for 7:00 p.m. at the UIC Pavilion.