Jan. 12, 2005

Box Score

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - Boo Davis scored 13 points to lead a balanced attack and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee allowed a season-low in points to claim a 65-42 victory over Youngstown State Wednesday night at the Beeghly Center.

The Panthers got off to a quick start and never looked back, leading by double digits within the first eight minutes of the game and by 23 points at halftime. They quickly pushed the lead to 28 in the second half and then led by more than 30 points most of the way as UWM's starters played only sparingly in the final 15 minutes of the game.

UWM (10-4, 4-1 Horizon) has now won three-straight games and remains a half-game behind UW-Green Bay for the top spot in the Horizon League. The Phoenix visit the U.S. Cellular Arena Saturday afternoon.

Brian Radakovich led the Penguins (3-12, 1-5) with 10 points. Ed McCants and Joah Tucker added 11 apiece for UWM.

"I thought the way we started really took the wind out of their sails, especially at home," UWM head coach Bruce Pearl said. "It was a great defensive effort from start to finish."

UWM's defensive outing included limiting the Penguins to just 33 percent shooting from the field while forcing 23 turnovers. It is the third time this season the Panthers have held an opponent under 50 points, the first time since the 2001-02 season that has happened.

Pearl said Davis was the spark on the defensive end, as he spearheaded a backcourt effort that limited Quin Humphrey, YSU's leading scorer, to just four points.

"Boo really picked it up defensively because of his athleticism. He was in a lot of the passing lanes and was always getting his hand on the ball. He allowed some of interior guys to get steals because he disrupted things so much on the perimeter."

The Panthers are also 3-0 on the road in league play and have avenged each of their three league road losses from a season ago.

"We enjoy the road," Pearl said. "It's almost like being a pro at this time of year. School is out of session and there are no distractions from friends and family, so you just go out there to take care of your business."

UWM also got plenty of contributions from the bench, as no one played more than 25 minutes and starters Davis and Tucker had to play just 16 minutes apiece.

"We got a chance to rest some of our troops on a difficult trip," Pearl said. "We get back tomorrow morning and have to get ready for Green Bay on Saturday while they played at home on Tuesday."

UWM scored seven points in the first 71 seconds of the game and pushed the edge to 16-5 on a pair of Jason McCoy free throws with 13:48 remaining in the half. Youngstown scored to pull within 16-7 and then would never be that close again. A basket by Tucker pushed the lead to 28-12 and a three by McCants made it 34-13. It was 36-14 after a Derrick Ford basket inside before a three by Adrian Tigert and a layin by Chris Hill pushed the halftime edge to 41-18.

The 18 points the Panthers gave up in the first half marked the fewest allowed in a half this season, besting the 19 they allowed in the first half against Air Force in November. UWM allowed Youngstown to shoot just 31.8 percent from the field as the Penguins made just one field goal during an eight-minute span late in the half.

For the third-straight outing, the Panthers had a decisive edge in two statistical categories in the contest. They led 30-16 on points in the paint and 26-16 on points off turnovers.

Saturday's contest with UW-Green Bay tips off at 1 p.m. at the U.S. Cellular Arena.