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MILWAUKEE, Wis. (Dec. 31, 2005) - The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee women's basketball team erased an 18-point deficit in the final 6:43 of regulation to force overtime, but Lade Akande hit two free throws with 5.2 seconds remaining in extra time to lead Butler to an 80-79 victory over the Panthers Saturday afternoon at the Klotsche Center.

UWM (5-7, 1-1 Horizon League) held the Bulldogs (6-5, 2-0 Horizon League) without a field goal during its 21-3 run at the end of the second half. Senior Molly O'Brien hit a layup with 4.1 seconds remaining to tie the game at 67-67 and force overtime.

O'Brien finished with 12 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists for Milwaukee, while freshman Traci Edwards posted career-highs of 24 points and 14 rebounds. Akande finished with a game-high 28 points to pace Butler.

Facing a 64-46 deficit, the Panthers scored the next 12 points of the game, including the first five from the free throw line. UWM then yielded just three free throws down the stretch. After Akande hit one of two, Edwards made one free throw and missed the second, but O'Brien was there with the put-back to make it 67-65 with 51.7 to play.

Akande missed a layup on the ensuing possession and Edwards grabbed the rebound before Milwaukee head coach Sandy Botham called a timeout. Coming out of the timeout, O'Brien missed a layup, got her own rebound and hit her second try to tie the game. Jackie Closser then missed a desperation three as the horn sounded.

"We went deeper to the bench," Botham said of the 18-point comeback. "Aubri Rote gave us some great minutes off the bench. Turquoise McCain was a real spark for us. She was really determined and helped change the momentum of the game. Traci also came alive for us, crashing the boards, and no one could stop her. Those three ingredients made a big difference. I though Meredith was a little more aggressive."

Overtime featured two ties and four lead changes as the Panthers built a three-point advantage at 76-73 on a jumper by sophomore Meredith Onson. The Bulldogs answered with a three from Ellen Hamilton to tie the game at 76-76 and Akande hit a layup to give the visitors the 78-76 lead with 34 seconds to play.

Senior Nichole Drummond drew a foul on Milwaukee's next possession and hit the first of two free throws. She missed the second, but Edwards was there with the put-back to give UWM its final lead of the game at 79-78 with 17 seconds remaining. After Akande hit both free throws, Onson took the ball coast-to-coast, but saw her layup fall short as time expired.

"I'm disappointed. We saw if our team plays with consistency, we are a tough team to beat. We didn't have the consistency in terms of our energy and confidence," Botham said. "And that was the difference. When we turned it on, we turned an 18-point deficit into overtime. That is what's disappointing."

The Panthers shot 41.3 percent for the game, while committing just 15 turnovers and dishing out 15 assists. Butler shot slightly better at 42.6 percent, but conceded the rebounding edge to UWM, 48-43. At the free throw line, BU converted 83.3 percent of its 18 chances, while Milwaukee hit on just 15-of-26.

UWM had control of the game early on, building an eight-point advantage just over halfway through the first half. After falling down 4-0, the Panthers scored the next seven points and built its lead to eight at 22-14 on a three-pointer by freshman Emily Markert. The Bulldogs responded, re-taking the lead at 27-25 on an Akande layup and going up by as many as five in the waning minutes of the half, and headed into the locker ahead 34-32.

Milwaukee shot just 43.8 percent in the first half, compared to 51.7 percent by their opponent, but hung in the game by forcing 11 turnovers and committing just six in the half. Meanwhile, Butler shot 51.7 percent and were led by Akande's 15 points before halftime.

Onson added 15 points for the Panthers in a team-high 42 minutes. Hamilton scored 17 and Closser added 15 to round out the Bulldogs in double figures.

UWM returns to action in 2006, hosting Wright State Jan. 5 at 7 p.m.