Jan. 8, 2005

Box Score

MILWAUKEE - Kimberly Becker posted her first double-double of the season and five players scored in double-figures as the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee women's basketball team posted a 72-62 victory over Loyola University in Horizon League action here Saturday (Jan. 8). Becker scored 16 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to lead UWM (5-7, 2-1) to its second consecutive victory. Loyola dropped its third straight game in falling to 4-11 overall and 1-3 in league action.

Milwaukee came out of the gates quickly and scored the first eight points of the game. Loyola finally scored at the 17:36 mark before five straight UWM points made it 13-2 Milwaukee with less than four minutes gone. Loyola righted the ship and scored 16 of the next 20 points to take what would be its only lead of the game, 18-17, on a Ciara Henderson layup with 8:15 remaining in the half.

Becker led a quick UWM comeback with five straight points to give the Panthers a 22-18 cushion at 6:32 on the clock. Loyola was able to get back to one, 24-23, with 4:10 left in the half but three-pointers by Kiley Johnson and Aubrey Hampton ignited a mini-Panther run to give the visitors a 33-26 halftime lead.

Milwaukee shot just 35.5% in the first half and hit on only two-of-13 from downtown but still managed the seven-point cushion. Loyola shot just 30.8% in the half and 25.0% from the three-point stripe.

The Panthers began the second half much like the first and scored the first seven points and took a 40-26 lead on a Johnson three-pointer from the left wing with 18:10 to play. A Molly O'Brien three with 15:18 on the clock gave UWM a 43-30 leads before Loyola battled back one more time. The Ramblers scored 12 of the next 14 points and cut the UWM lead to three, 45-42, on a Mandy Mennella jumper with 12:14 to play.

UWM came up big once again, this time when O'Brien rattled home a three-ball from the right side to stretch the lead back to six, 48-42. Loyola cut the lead back to six on two more occasions but could get no closer the rest of the way. Milwaukee was able to ice the game late as Becker and Aubrey Hampton combined to go eight-for-eight from the charity stripe in the final minutes to milk the win.

Becker hit 10-of-11 free throws on the game to go with her double-double while Nichole Drummond added 15 points and five boards. Teri Huff chipped in with 14 points and nine rebounds with Johnson and Hampton scoring ten points each. O'Brien scored eight for Milwaukee to go with eight rebounds, and team-highs with four assists and three steals. Henderson led Loyola with 16 while Marquise Hanser added 14.

The Panthers return home for a pair of games next week beginning with a 7:00 p.m. contest with Cleveland State on Thursday (Jan. 13). UWM will then step out of conference for a Saturday (Jan. 15) night showdown with South Dakota State.