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MILWAUKEE, Wis. (Dec. 11, 2005) - The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee women's basketball team used a 12-1 run in the first half and opened the second half with a 14-1 run to overcome an early eight-point deficit and roll to a 77-65 victory over Northern Michigan, Sunday afternoon at the Klotsche Center.

Freshman Traci Edwards scored 16 points and had 12 rebounds to lead four Panthers (4-4) in double figures. Senior Molly O'Brien had 15 points, nine rebounds, five assists and five steals, while seniors Amanda Cook and Nichole Drummond added 10 points apiece.

Maria Kasza scored a game-high 24 points, including 19 in the first half, to lead the Wildcats. Kelsey Deacon scored 19 points and Allison Carroll 11 for the Division II opponent.

NMU jumped out to a quick eight-point lead at 14-6 just 3:32 into the game on hot shooting by Kasza who hit the Wildcats' first three shot attempts of the game, all three-pointers. After junior Megan Rogers drilled a three, Kasza countered with another of her own to push the lead back to eight at 17-9.

"We knew they were going to come out hard. They are a very good Division II team," head coach Sandy Botham said. "But, we gained our composure early and got some strong contributions from our bench."

The Panthers then went on a 12-1 run over 6:32 to take their first lead since 2-0, a lead they would not relinquish. Rogers began the run with a lay up at the 13:45 mark. O'Brien followed with a three, Drummond hit a lay up and Rogers converted a pair of free throws before Edwards finished a three-point play at the line for a 21-18 lead 8:29 before halftime.

UWM built its lead to 12 on a Drummond three and headed into the intermission with a 38-29 lead after Kasza hit her fifth three-pointer of the frame. The home team shot just 36.1 percent in the first half, but had 12 offensive boards and outrebounded NMU, 24-17. The Panthers also forced 11 turnovers, while committing just seven of their own. The Wildcats, meanwhile, hit on 40.7 percent of their shots, including 6-of-10 on three's.

Kasza scored 19 of her team's 29 first-half points, hitting all five of their three-point attempts. Edwards had 13 points and nine boards before the break, despite drawing triple coverage in the low post.

Sophomore Dana Schultz hit a lay up to start the second half and, after an O'Brien lay-in, Cook scored seven of the game's next nine points as UWM built its lead to 22 points at 52-20 with a 14-1 run in the first 4:38 of the second half. The Panthers saw their lead grow to 24 at 57-33 and 59-35, before coasting to victory.

"Amanda attacks well and pushes the ball for us," Botham said. "She gets us into our offense quickly and helped us open the game up in the second half. She sees the floor well and plays relaxed."

Milwaukee shot 40 percent for the game, outscoring the Wildcats, 30-10, in the paint. The Panthers also attempted a season-high 22 three-point attempts, hitting five (22.7%), and were 16-of-22 (72.7%) from the free throw line. Northern Michigan finished the game shooting 37 percent, including 58.8 percent on 17 three-point tries.

The Panthers also posted a positive assist-to-turnover ratio with 19 assists and just 16 assists, and outrebounded NMU, 47-34. Milwaukee finished with 23 rebounds on the offensive end and forced 20 turnovers in the win.

"It's a good victory. We had a positive assists-to-turnover and we outrebounded them," Botham said. "Those are the two areas we have struggled with and we turned that around in this game."

UWM returns to action Wednesday in a midweek contest with in-state rival Wisconsin. The Panthers and Badgers tip off at 7 p.m. in a game that will be televised live in Milwaukee on WMLW.