Jan. 3, 2005

Box Score |  Notes

MILWAUKEE - Ed McCants scored 38 points and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee trimmed a 23-point second-half deficit to four but the University of Detroit Mercy hung on for a 76-68 win Monday night at the U.S. Cellular Arena.

James Thues scored 19 points and Jon Goode 14 to lead Detroit. The Titans (5-7, 2-0 Horizon League) have won four of their last five games.

The Panthers (7-4, 1-1) shot just 31.7 percent from the field and made just seven two-point field goals the entire evening.

"I'm disappointed but I'm not surprised," UWM head coach Bruce Pearl said. "Detroit is one of the top couple of teams in our league that will play for a championship. They are the deepest team in the league and the most athletic."

Leading 41-33 at the half, the Titans scored the first 13 points of the second half to build a 54-33 lead. Thues had three 3-pointers in the scoring spurt, which ended with Brandon Cotton's basket with 14:45 left to play.

The Panthers charged back, cutting the Titans' lead to four points twice, including at 72-68 with 18.1 seconds left on a 3-pointer by Chris Hill. But Thues made a pair of free throws with 17.3 seconds left for a six-point lead and Detroit hung on for the victory

"I thought the intensity picked up," Pearl said of the comeback. "We were behind and battling back and leaving it all out there. We were playing with a passion that we didn't have earlier in the game."

But, in the end, the career night from McCants and the comeback was not enough for a Panther team that is at its best when multiple players contribute.

"Get ready for this because this is what it's going to be," Pearl said. "The margin of error for this basketball team is not very great. For us to win in our league, four or five of our players have to play well."

UWM returns to action Thursday night, playing at Butler in a game that can be seen on WMLW in Milwaukee beginning at 6 p.m.