Jan. 17, 2005

Box Score

CHICAGO - Nichole Drummond scored 16 points and grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds but it was not enough as the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee women's basketball team dropped a 64-55 contest to the University of Illinois at Chicago in Horizon League action here Monday (Jan. 17). UWM held a four-point halftime edge but could not hold on in falling to 6-9 overall and 3-2 in league action. UIC wins for the second consecutive game and improves to 6-11 on the season and 3-3 in loop play.

UIC jumped out to an early lead as Milwaukee struggled to find the mark offensively. The Flames led 12-3 at the 15:03 mark after a three-point field goal by Chrissy Dizon. UWM turned up the defensive pressure and went on a 13-0 run over the 4:30 to grab a 16-12 lead with 11:11 left in the half. Aubrey Hampton drilled two three-pointers to key the run while Drummond also connected from downtown.

The Panthers controlled play the remainder of the first half and led by as many as seven on two occasions before UIC scored the last four points of the half to cut the lead to four. Milwaukee shot just 34.5% in the first half but were able to connect on five-of-ten from downtown. UWM also forced 15 first half turnovers to gain the 27-23 lead at the break.

The Flames started the second half much like the first and immediately cut UWM's lead to one, 29-28, just 2:03 into the half. UIC battled all the way back and tied the game at 35 when LaShonda Grant hit the third of her six three pointers on the night. Milwaukee then turned up the pace of play and went ahead 43-37 with 11:16 left to play thanks to three straight breakaway baskets.

The lead was shortlived, however as back-to-back jumpers by Kelly True and an Amber Washington line-drive 15-footer tied the game at 43 with 9:21 left. Drummond and Megan Rogers scored on UWM's next two possessions to make it 47-43 Milwaukee with 7:23 left. Things went south from there for the Panthers as two more Grant three-balls keyed a 10-0 UIC run to give the Flames a 53-47 lead they would not relinquish.

Milwaukee cut the lead to four, 53-49, on the next possession and held UIC on three straight possessions but two missed free throws and two missed three-pointers stymied any chance of a Panther comeback. UIC then sealed the game late by making five-of-seven free throws down the stretch.

UWM struggled shooting the ball in the second half, connecting on 37.1% overall but 0-11 from three-point territory. The Panthers shot just 35.9% for the game and committed just 16 turnovers to go with 17 assists. UIC shot 50.0% overall and 43.8% from downtown and won despite committing 25 turnovers on the night. Kimberly Becker added 13 points for Milwaukee while Aubrey Hampton added 10. Grant led all scorers with 24 points thanks to six-for-six shooting from three-point land.

Milwaukee will return home on Thursday for a league showdown versus Wright State. The UWM-WSU contest will start at 5:30 p.m. as the Panthers will make their only appearance downtown at the U.S. Cellular Arena. The UWM-Cleveland State men's game will follow at approximately 8 p.m.