Feb. 28, 2004

Box Score

MILWAUKEE - Dylan Page scored 24 points and grabbed eight rebounds in just 25 minutes of action as the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee clinched the outright Horizon League title with an 88-63 win over Cleveland State Saturday night.

In front of an electric Senior Night crowd of 3,236 limited by ongoing construction in the on-campus Klotsce Center, the Panthers snapped a three-game losing streak while claiming sole possession of the first regular season league title of any kind by a UWM men's basketball team since 1941.

Chris Hill added 13 points, Joah Tucker 12 and seven rebounds and Ed McCants had eight points, eight rebounds and five assists for UWM (18-9, 13-3).

Jermaine Robinson scored 21 to lead Cleveland State (4-24, 0-16).

But the Panthers quickly turned their attention to the Horizon League Tournament and the chance to return to the NCAA Tournament for a second-straight season.

"I told the team 'Let's examine how we feel now. We're happy, we're proud, but we're not euphoric,'" UWM head coach Bruce Pearl said. "I promised them, if we can win the tournament and get back to the NCAA Tournament, we'll be even more euphoric than last year."

"We haven't gotten back to what we did last year," Page said. "It's exciting and it's good, but it doesn't hold the same euphoria that winning the conference tournament and going back to the NCAA Tournament does."

UWM played well Saturday in wrapping up the title. Facing a determined though shorthanded Viking squad, the Panthers led by double digits most of the first half and pushed their lead to 21 with 14:26 remaining in the game. UWM led by as many as 32 points before emptying the bench.

"Tonight was about a team playing for a championship and a team doing everything on every possession to get it done," Cleveland State head coach Mike Garland said. "I hope my young guys learn something from what went on here."

The Panthers limited Cleveland State to just 36.7 percent from the field and outrebounded the Vikings 51-35, including 19-10 on the offensive end. Both areas had been trouble spots in recent games for the Panthers. Plus, UWM took advantage of its first week without a game since before Christmas, practicing just three of the five days last week in preparation for Saturday's contest.

"I thought they looked fresher. I thought there was more bounce in them," Pearl said. "I think we made some progress defensively and in rebounding, which are the two things you need to win a championship."

UWM also received some stellar contributions from its bench, with Mark Pancratz scoring nine points in 14 minutes, Kalombo Kadima adding seven assists and little-used James Wright spelling a foul-plagued Page in the first half to score four points and grab two offensive rebounds.

The Panthers know they will return to action next Saturday in the semifinals of the Horizon League Tournament. UWM will face one of four teams in the game - fourth-seeded Detroit, fifth-seeded Wright State, eighth-seeded Loyola or ninth-seeded Cleveland State. The game will be played either at Butler's Hinkle Fieldhouse or, if the Bulldogs lose a first round game Tuesday, at the UIC Pavilion.

If UWM can advance to the championship game March 9 and Butler has been eliminated from tournament play by then, the Panthers would host the title game at the U.S. Cellular Arena.