Feb. 10, 2005

Box Score

FT. WAYNE, Ind. - Nichole Drummond scored 17 second-half points but a late comeback wasn't enough as the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee dropped a 70-65 non-league game to the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee here Thursday (Feb. 10). The Panthers fell behind by 11 at the half and could never regain the lead. UWM falls to 11-11 on the season while IPFW snapped a ten-game losing streak and improved to 3-18 overall.

Milwaukee struggled from the get-go in the contest on both the offensive and defensive ends. UWM scored the first two points of the game on a Nichole Drummond layup but trailed the remainder of the first half. IPFW grabbed a 4-2 lead on a Courtney Nicley and the two teams traded baskets and turnovers for the next few possessions.

The Panthers trailed 12-7 when Hillary O'Connell drilled her second three-pointer of the half but UWM went on a 5-0 run to tie the game at 12 on an Aubrey Hampton free throw with 11:38 to play. IPFW went up 19-14 when a Molly O'Brien layup cut it to three with 6:57 left.

The Mastodons scored 13 of the next 18 points, six of which came from senior center Veria Bibbs. Megan Rogers scored the next six points of the game to cut the lead to 32-26 with 2:28 left in the half but IPFW finished the frame on an 8-3 run to take a 40-29 lead into the break. UWM committed 16 turnovers in the first half and shot 44.0% while IPFW did turn the ball over 13 times but shot 46.9% from the floor, including eight three-pointers.

UWM went to Drummond early and often in the second half as the junior scored the Panthers first eight points of the half. However the Panthers could never really cut into the lead as IPFW matched each basket. Milwaukee cut the lead to nine, 55-46, with 9:27 to go but both teams went scoreless over the next 4:38. Becker scored again at the 5:49 mark to make it 55-48 but the Mastodons went on an 8-4 run to grab a 63-52 cushion with 3:16 remaining.

Milwaukee made one last push and was able to make it a one possession game in the final minute. The Panthers were down 63-56 when Drummond scored to cut the lead to five. After an Ashley Johnson layup with 1:20 to go Becker made two charities and Drummond on to cut it to 65-61 but Drummond misfired on the offensive rebound in an attempt to cut the lead to two. Johnson then iced the game by making six-of-six free throws to finish the game as IPFW escaped with the five-point victory.

Drummond and Becker led UWM with 19 points each while Drummond led the Panthers with seven rebounds. Hilary O'Connell led all players with 24 points thanks to 6-of-12 shooting from downtown. Milwaukee shot a respectable 48.1% from the floor but committed 25 turnovers. UWM will stay on the road and play Cleveland State on Saturday (Feb. 12).