Jan. 15, 2005

Box Score

MILWAUKEE - Teri Huff and Kimberly Becker scored ten points each but the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee could not overcome a cold shooting night in falling to South Dakota State University 58-36 in non-conference women's basketball action here Saturday (Jan. 15). The Panthers shot just 20.8% for the game while falling to 6-8 on the season. With the win, SDSU improves to 13-4 in its first season of Division I competition.

"I thought we did a nice enough job defensively and we did hold them to nearly 20 points under their average," UWM head coach Sandy Botham said. "However, you can have all the defense in the world if you can't run your offense, get open, and make some shots. South Dakota State is a very good team and they proved it tonight. We just didn't compete."

Milwaukee enjoyed one very brief lead when Teri Huff's driving layup in UWM's first possession made it 2-0. The Jackrabbits scored the next five points and 19 of the next 23 to grab a 19-6 lead on a Sarah Meckley layup with 10:32 left in the half. SDSU kept the 13-point lead and posted a 25-12 advantage at the 4:44 mark before UWM made a small rally.

Becker and Huff scored on three straight UWM possessions to make it 25-18 before two Nichole Drummond free throws cut the lead to five, 25-20, with 2:26 on the clock. Unfortunately UWM misfired on its last four possessions of the half and Megan Vogel drilled a three-pointer in the final minute to give SDSU a 28-20 halftime edge.

UWM's offensive woes continued into the second half as the hosts didn't score in the ifrst 4:32 of the frame. SDSU struggled some itself but still managed to open the half on a 6-0 run to grab a 34-20 lead. Kimberly Becker scored Milwaukee's first six points of the second half and her two free throws with 12:23 remaining cut the Jackrabbit lead to 39-26.

Milwaukee got to within 41-29 on a Kiley Johnson three-ball with 8:57 left but could get no closer the rest of the way as the Panthers remained cold from the field. Nichole Drummond made her only shot from the field at the 4:16 mark to make it 47-31 only to see SDSU finish the game on an 11-5 run en route to the 23-point victory. Megan Vogel led SDSU with 13 points while Shannon Schlagel added 10.

The Panthers will get right back to Horizon League action on Monday (Jan. 17) when it celebrates Martin Luther King Day in Chicago. UWM will face Illinois-Chicago at 7 p.m. at the UIC Pavilion.

Game Notes

* The 36 points scored by UWM is the fourth lowest total in school history and the lowest since Wright State held Milwaukee to 35 points on Feb. 10, 1995

* UWM's 20.8% field goal percentage is the second lowest single game total in school history (20.4%, 2/10/95)

* Nichole Drummond grabbed 11 rebounds, reaching double-figures in rebounds for the second consecutive game

* Elisha Hudson hit two free throws late in the game for her first two collegiate points