Feb. 26, 2005

Box Score

MILWAUKEE - Teri Huff scored 19 points and grabbed 10 boards but it was a pair of Youngstown State senior post players as Youngstown State ruined Senior Day for the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee with a 75-68 defeat of the Panthers in Horizon League women's basketball action here Saturday (Feb. 26). Barb Fabianova scored 20 points and Jen Perugini had 17 and 10 boards to lead the Penguins to the season sweep of UWM. Milwaukee finishes the regular season 14-13 overall and second place in the league with a 11-5 record while YSU improves to 12-15 and 6-10.

"It was the last regular season home game and it would have been great to get a win but we just didn't get it done," UWM head coach Sandy Botham said. "I am please with our effort and our passion but we just didn't defend when we needed to. Youngstown State made all the big plays down the stretch."

Youngstown State came out firing and led for nearly the entire game. The Penguins went up 11-6 at the 13:38 mark before UWM tied it up at 11 on two Anne Witte free throws. The two teams battled for much of the half and Milwaukee grabbed its only lead of the game, 27-26, on two Huff charity tosses with 4:20 left in the half. However those were the last UWM points of the half and YSU finished the frame on an 8-0 run to take a 34-27 lead.

Fabianova drained four three-pointers in the first half for 14 points as YSU went 6-11 for three in the first half. UWM shot just 29.0% in the half and just 2-11 from downtown. Both teams turned the ball over 10 times in the frame.

The Penguins remined in control through the early portion of the first half, keeping their lead in the four to nine point range. UWM did make a push late in the second half and cut the lead to one, 56-55, following two straight Megan Rogers baskets with six minutes to go. Milwaukee continued to score on its next three possessions but could never grab the lead as YSU answered every Milwaukee push.

Youngstown State was then able to put the game away with five straight points with less than two minutes to play. Perugini proved too much for UWM in the second half as the senior scored 14 points and grabbed six second half rebounds. Milwaukee shot 50.0% for the half but ended up getting outscored 23-8 from the free throw line in the game.

Molly O'Brien added 15 points, seven rebounds, six assists, and five steals for UWM while Megan Rogers scored 13 points off the bench. Senior Cathy Hanek joined Perugini and Fabianova in double figures with 12 points.

Milwaukee finished the regular season in a second place tie with Wright State but will gain the No. 2 seed thanks to a season sweep of the Raiders. UWM will host No. 7 seed Detroit in Thursday's (Mar. 3) quarterfinal. Gametime is set for 7 p.m.