Jan. 17, 2005

Box Score |  Quotes |  Notes

MILWAUKEE - The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee turned up the defensive pressure to overcome an 11-point deficit over the final 5 ½ minutes of the game to claim a 71-66 win over Wright State Monday night at the U.S. Cellular Arena.

The Panthers (6-1, 12-4) have now won five-straight games and remain in sole possession of first place in the Horizon League.

Ed McCants scored 22 points to lead UWM, which started fast and finished strong but labored through much of the game.

Drew Burleson scored 17 points to lead the Raiders (8-9, 3-3), who have never beaten a Bruce Pearl-coached UWM team.

Boo Davis contributed 14 points and Adrian Tigert added 13 points and six rebounds for the Panthers.

The Panthers looked like they might run away in the early going, building a 15-6 lead less than four minutes into the game. But the lead was just three at halftime and the Raiders controlled most of the second half before the Panthers made their comeback.

"This is the kind of game you look back on at the end of the season and you remember when you were down 11 with five minutes to go and we didn't panic," Pearl said. "We came out and continued to run our offensive patterns and I just thought we showed some poise. Wright State is a very talented team that has stepped up on occasions and has played great basketball. They played a great game, a great second half, particularly offensively. It was a great game."

The comeback truly started after a dunk by Everett Spencer made it 60-49 with 5:27 remaining. The Panthers scored the next six, capped off by a McCants three, to pull within 60-56 with 4:25 left. After the Raiders pushed the lead back to 63-58, two free throws by McCants, a layin by Tigert and a three by McCants gave the Panthers a 65-63 edge and UWM never looked back.

"We came of a really emotional win against Green Bay and just 36 or 48 hours we have another big game which was for first," McCants said. "We didn't mean to come out lax but that's how we played. We kind of picked up our tenacity toward the end but we have to be ready to go right off no matter how close together the games are."

UWM's defense, which struggled much of the second half against the Raiders, moved to another notch in the final five minutes. Wright State made just one field goal in the span while turning the ball over four times. The Raiders also made just 1-of-6 from the foul line in the final five minutes.

UWM wraps up its three-game homestand Thursday night, welcoming Cleveland State to the U.S. Cellular Arena. The game tips off at approximately 7:30 p.m. following a women's game between UWM and Wright State.