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YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (Jan. 12, 2005) - Freshman Traci Edwards scored 16 second-half points to lead the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee women's basketball team to a 64-59 win over Youngstown State Thursday evening in Youngstown.

Edwards posted her third-straight double-double, finishing with 21 points and 13 rebounds for the Panthers (7-7, 3-1 Horizon League), while seniors Molly O'Brien and Nichole Drummond added 10 points apiece. Kristy Gaudiose finished with 14 points for the home standing Penguins (4-11, 0-4 Horizon League).

The game was touch and go down the stretch, as Youngstown closed the game within two at 61-59 on a Gaudiose three-point play with 1:14 to go in the game. Gaudiose stripped sophomore Dana Schultz at the top of the Panthers' key and took the ball the distance, drawing contact on the layup. She then converted the charity toss to pull YSU within two.

Neither team scored until UWM held the ball with 22 seconds remaining. Edwards drew contact inside, while hitting a layup. She then completed the three-point play for the final 64-59 margin. Edwards missed a pair of free throws down the stretch, but YSU was unable to score in the waning seconds.

"We talked about dictating defensively, putting pressure on the ball and taking them out of what they wanted to do. We were able to do that in the first half," UWM head coach Sandy Botham said. "And then, in the second half, I thought it was our defense down the stretch that helped us pull away. Those are the things we can control and we did control them down the stretch."

The Panthers led 31-25 at halftime and had built an 11-point lead 5:20 into the second half at 41-30. After O'Brien hit a jumper to make it an 11-point contest, the Penguins stormed back, using a 14-0 run to take their first lead since early in the first half. Gaudiose keyed the run, hitting a three to tie the game at 41-41 and another 37 seconds later for a three-point YSU lead.

UWM eventually tied the game at 46-46 with 9:50 to play and took the lead for good when Edwards hit two free throws just over 90 seconds later to make it 50-48. Milwaukee pushed its lead to seven at 59-52 on a Drummond three-pointer with 2:48 to play.

"Great road win. We lost to Youngstown State in a close match up here last year. It was good that we held off their runs. They had some great runs and they don't give up," Botham said. "So it was good to see us maintain our poise and make the shots we needed to down the stretch to come away with the victory."

The Panthers shot 44.9 percent for the game, while making it to the free throw line 31 times and making 18. YSU finished at 36.4 percent, hitting on 31.3 of its three-point tries and converting 14-of-19 free throws. UWM protected the ball, turning the ball over just 15 times on the night. The Penguins committed just 13 turnovers of their own and held a slight 37-35 rebounding advantage.

Milwaukee came out of the gates slowly, missing six of its first seven shots in falling behind 5-2 early. The Panthers then went on a 15-2 run to open a 10-point lead at 17-7, their largest lead of the first half. Schultz scored UWM's first five points of the game, while it was Edwards that put the team up for the first time at 7-with two free throws just over five minutes in.

After Edwards free throws made it 7-5, O'Brien hit a jumper book ended by a pair of YSU three throws. Onson then hit two free throws, followed by back-to-back jumpers by freshmen Kim Wypiszynski and Emily Markert. Markert then connected on two free throws to build the Panther lead to 10 with 10:59 to play in the half.

UWM hit its nine of its final 16 shots of the frame to finish at 43.5 percent, including 1-for-3 on three-point tries. Meanwhile, Youngstown shot just 28.6 for the period, but held the rebounding edge, 19-17. Both teams held on to the ball well, as Milwaukee committed just seven first-half miscues, compared to six by YSU.

YSU double-teamed Edwards in the first half and she was held to five in the first half, all from the free throw line. The Menasha, Wis., native came into the game averaging 16.2 points per game. Markert then stepped up for Milwaukee, scoring all eight of her points before the break.

"They were doing a great job of smothering Traci in the first half. She didn't get a lot of good looks, but was able to score from the free throw line," Botham said. "Then, down the stretch in the second half, she was able to get a lot of points off offensive rebounds. It is what she has been doing a lot lately in our close games. That presence is what wins games and the presence last year that we did not have when we came here."

The Panthers continue their road trip in Northeast Ohio Saturday, taking on Cleveland State at 2 p.m. in Cleveland.