Feb. 5, 2005

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MILWAUKEE - Joah Tucker scored 26 points to lead three Panthers with at least 20 points as the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee claimed a key 85-75 win over Illinois-Chicago Saturday afternoon in front of a national television audience.

Ed McCants added 22 points and Boo Davis contributed 20 for UWM (17-5, 10-2 Horizon), which remained alone in first place in the Horizon League.

After seeing a 14-point first half lead slip away, the Panthers regained control of the game with an 18-3 run early in the second half. UIC then never got closer than five points the rest of the way.

Cedrick Banks scored 29 points to lead the Flames (10-10, 5-5), though he was held to just seven points in the second half.

"We got rolling a few times and that was the difference," UWM head coach Bruce Pearl said. When we made our spurts, we had our flow, our tempo, our basketball, and we just came at them bang, bang, bang. It's like a prizefighter. All of a sudden it's an even fight and then you throw a couple of combinations and the fight's over."

The two teams played an exciting first 20 minutes of basketball, with the Panthers jumping to a big lead and UIC storming back in the closing minutes.

UWM used an 18-5 run to build a 28-14 lead with 9:15 to play in the first half. McCants keyed the run with a pair of three-point baskets while Davis also added a three during the burst.

It was still 35-24 Panthers with 4:59 left in the half following a Davis three, but six points apiece from Banks and Armond Williams brought UIC back to within 45-43 at intermission.

Banks poured in 22 points in the first half alone and was one of only four Flames to scored. Eight different Panthers dented the scoring column in the first 20 minutes, with Davis leading the way with 14 points.

UIC started the second half quickly, grabbing a 50-47 lead with 18:29 left in the game. But the Panthers scored the next eight points to rebuild a five-point lead and then gradually took control of the game.

A dunk by Derrick Ford pushed the lead to 63-53 and a layup by Tucker made it 67-55. A Karl White jumper pulled UIC back to within five, but UWM quickly rebuilt the lead to nine and then hit five free throws in the final 70 seconds to clinch the win.

UWM got a big lift defensively from its bench, with Jason McCoy collected four steals and James Wright three blocks. The four bench players also combined for 10 rebounds.

"The guys off the bench are the guys that are going to make a difference in the championship run," Pearl said. "It's those other guys. You have to let them know that they're part of a championship. And then when they do give us that kind of energy and that kind of play, it makes all of the difference and that's what great teams do. Jason McCoy gave us that lift tonight."

UWM returns to action Thursday night, traveling to Chicago for a date with Loyola. The game tips off at 7 p.m. and can be seen live in Milwaukee on WMLW.