Jan. 3, 2005

Box Score

INDIANAPOLIS - Molly O'Brien scored a career-high 24 points and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee shot a season-best 52.7% from the floor en route to an easy 76-49 win over Butler University in Horizon League women's basketball action here Monday (Jan. 3). O'Brien, who scored 17 first half points, was one of three Panthers to reach double figures as UWM improves to 4-7 overall and 1-1 in league play. With the loss, Butler falls to 5-7 overall and 0-2 in the loop.

O'Brien began her first half scoring barrage and gave the Panthers the early lead when she scored the first points of the game on a layup just 1:35 into the game. Butler tied the game on the next possession but an 8-2 run over the next 4:00 pushed the UWM cushion to 10-4. Butler scored the next five points to get to within 10-9 before an O'Brien three-ball made it 13-9 at the 11:35 mark.

The two teams traded buckets the next few possessions before an 18-5 Milwaukee run made it a fourteen point game, 31-17, on a Nichole Drummond three-pointer with 4:04 to play. The host Bulldogs finished the half on a 7-2 run and cut the lead to nine, 33-24 at the break. O'Brien scored 17 points in the first half on seven-of-ten shooting, including three, three-pointers. The Panthers shot 50.0 from the floor in the first half while holding BU to 36.0%. O' Brien led all players with four first half rebounds and three steals.

Milwaukee continued to force the issue in the beginning of the second half as two Teri Huff free throws and two Drummond charities gave Milwaukee a 37-24 lead with 18:17 left in the game. Butler got back to within eight, 39-31, with 15:53 on the clock, before UWM took control from there on out. The Panthers went on a 14-4 run to grab a 53-35 lead on a Drummond free throw with 12:03 to play.

Butler attempted to make a comeback and cut the lead to 14, 58-44 after three Maria Marchesano free throws and a Jackie Closser 15-footer. However, the Milwaukee defense put the clamps on the BU offense and held the Bulldogs scoreless over the next 4:23 as the Panthers went on a 14-0 run. Meghan Klein began the stretch with a four-point play while O'Brien added five points and Kiley Johnson one.

With the game firmly in hand both teams cleared its benches the rest of the way as Milwaukee coasted to the 76-49 win, its largest of the season. UWM shot a season-best 10-16 (62.5%) from three-point land and 52.7% overall. The Panthers outrebounded Butler 38-29 on the game while forcing 24 BU turnovers. Butler shot just 33.3% from the floor and 26.3% from three-land.

In addition to her 24 points O'Brien added a game-high tying six rebounds and a game-best five steals. Huff added 12 points, five assists and two steals while Drummond chipped in with 10 points and five boards. Klein added nine points and five boards in playing a career-best nine minutes. Marchesano led Butler with 16 points while Cortney Urquhart added 12.

Milwaukee will look to make it two in a row on Saturday (Jan. 8) when it travels to Chicago to face Loyola University. The Panthers and Ramblers will tipoff at 1:00 p.m. at the Joseph Gentile Center on the Loyola campus.

Game Notes

· The 24 points by O'Brien are a career-high for her and the most scored by a Panther this season

· The Panthers tied a season-high with 10 three-point shots made while shooting a season-best 62.5% from beyond the arc

· UWM shot 52.7% overall from the field, also a season-high

· Teri Huff notched a career-high five assists while Aubrey Hampton posted a season-high with six

· Kiley Johnson and Meghan Klein combined for 17 points and eight rebounds in 20 minutes of playing time off the bench