Feb. 17, 2005

Box Score

MILWAUKEE - Megan Rogers scored a career-high 21 points off the bench to lead the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee to a 76-68 victory over the University of Illinois at Chicago in Horizon League women's basketball action here Thursday (Feb. 17). The Panthers outscored UIC 37-29 in the second half and increased their second place league cushion over the Flames to a game and a half. Milwaukee is now 13-11 overall and 10-3 in the league while UIC sits at 12-13 on the year and 9-5 in the loop.

The Panthers raced out to an early 9-2 lead thanks to six points by Kiley Johnson and three from Molly O'Brien. UIC battled back to tie the game at nine before both teams traded buckets over the next few minutes in the fast-paced affair. Rogers drilled her first three-pointer of the game at the 14:01 mark to give UWM a 14-10 lead and then hit two free throws to make it 16-14 with 13:02 left in the half.

UIC continued the push the ball offensively and took its first lead of the game, 24-23, on a Chrissy Dizon jumper midway through the half. The Panthers came right back and grabbed a 26-24 lead on a Johnson triple. The sophomore then dialed long-distance on the next two possessions to give Milwaukee a 32-28 lead with 6:55 left in the half. UIC scored four straight to tie the game at 32 only to see O'Brien convert an old-fashioned three-point play for a 35-32 lead. O'Brien scored again to make it 39-35 but UIC scored the last four points of the half to tie the game at 39 at the break.

The Flames shot 56.3% from the floor in the first half while Milwaukee connected on 46.9% of its shots. Both teams committed just eight turnovers in the frame while each squad grabbed 16 rebounds. Johnson hit three triples in the first half to finish the frame with a game-high 15 points.

A pair of freshmen keyed UWM out of the gates in the second half as Elisha Hudson and Emily Huss combined for seven points to give the Panthers a 46-40 lead with 16:28 left to play. Hudson scored on two nifty post moves while Huss nailed a three-ball from the right wing, just her second three-pointer of the season. Milwaukee maintained the lead throughout but did see UIC cut the lead to one on three different occasions, most recently at 57-56 on an Amber Washington jumper with 8:24 to play.

Rogers then took the game over and scored Milwaukee's next seven points and nailed a dagger three-pointer with 4:35 left to put UWM ahead 64-57. UIC chipped away and cut it to three, 64-61, only to see Johnson hit her fourth three-ball of the game to make it 67-61 with just 2:32 remaining. The Panthers then iced the game late by nailing seven-of-10 free throws in the final minute.

Rogers scored her 21 points in just 22 minutes thanks to seven-of-13 shooting from the floor, including four-of-seven from downtown. Johnson followed up her 20-point showing at Cleveland State on Saturday with 18 markers. O'Brien finished with 10 points, a career and game-high 13 rebounds and a game-best four assists while Hampton added 10 points off the bench. Dejeanette Flournoy led UIC with 20 points and 11 boards while Krystal Hugelier added 12. UWM shot 52.0% in the second half and 49.1% for the game while holding the Flames to 36.7% shooting in the second half.

Milwaukee will look to win its third game in a row on Saturday (Feb. 19) when Loyola University comes to town. The Panthers and Ramblers will square off at 2 p.m. with the UWM Alumni playing at 11 a.m.