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CLEVELAND, Ohio (Jan. 14, 2006) - The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee women's basketball team shot 50 percent from the field and surrendered a season-low point total in defeating Cleveland State, 68-53, Saturday afternoon in Cleveland.

Senior Nichole Drummond led the Panthers (8-7, 4-1 Horizon League) with 18 points, while freshman Traci Edwards posted her fourth-straight double-double with 12 points and 14 rebounds.

Meanwhile, Chenara Wilson led the Vikings (3-13, 1-4 Horizon League) with a career-high 18 points, while the team's 53 points were the fewest allowed by UWM this season.

The Panthers brought a 17-point halftime lead out of the break and built it over 20 points late in the second half in coasting to the victory. They finished their Ohio road trip 2-0 after defeating Youngstown State on Thursday.

"It's great to get two road wins here in Ohio. In our quest to win a league championship, that's what you have to do: bring your game on the road as well as at home," head coach Sandy Botham said. "I thought we came out with good intensity and sustained our runs. We talked about containing Cleveland State. They are a team that can create shots for themselves and for others."

Cleveland managed to cut Milwaukee's second-half lead to 12 points with a 7-0 run capped by a three-point play from Dominique Butler to make it 50-38 with 10:51 to play. Junior Aubrey Hampton answered right back with a three-pointer. After an Erin Martin jumper, Hampton hit another three to kick-start an 11-2 run to give the Panthers their biggest lead of the game at 64-42 with 4:33 to play.

Milwaukee's lead remained at-or-above 20 points until the 1:13 mark when Martin hit a three-pointer as a part of a 9-2 Vikings run to end the game.

In addition to shooting 50 percent on the game, the Panthers hit a season-high eight 3-pointers on 18 attempts (44.4 percent) after attempting just 14 their last two games and six in their last outing. UWM also won the battle on the boards by 17 (42-25), but committed 25 turnovers for the game. CSU shot just 37 percent for the game, committing 19 miscues and grabbing 16 steals.

"Our goal was to shoot 45 percent from the field tonight," Botham said. "We felt like we were patient in the offense and get the ball reversed a couple times, things would open up against their zone.

"I felt like Cleveland State was tired and we wore them down, especially towards the end of the first half. We got some easy baskets on some offensive boards, manufacturing some points by attacking the glass. That was a goal of ours to get on the boards and to see us outrebounding them by 17 helped the cause and in turn our shooting percentage."

UWM was not threatened in the first half, taking the lead for good 4:24 into the game when Drummond hit a three-pointer to put the Panthers ahead 5-3. Milwaukee pushed its lead over 10 for the first time at 20-9 on an Edwards layup and did not allow Cleveland State any closer than six the rest of the frame.

After Natalie Miller hit a layup with 3:33 to go before halftime, pulling the Vikings within six at 28-22, the Panthers ended the frame on an 11-0 run. Drummond, who at one point scored 11-straight UWM points, began the run with a layup and back-to-back jumpers.

Edwards hit a layup and Onson banked in a 40-foot three-pointer at the buzzer to cap the run and send the Panthers into halftime ahead 39-22. Milwaukee shot 53.3 percent for the half, including 45.5 on three's (5-11), and outrebounded the Vikings by nine (19-10). Cleveland shot 40.9 percent in the frame, hitting two of their three 3-pointers and both free throws.

Drummond scored 14 points in the first half, while freshman Emily Markert came off the bench to hit her first three 3-point tries and finish with nine points.

"Nichole had been struggling from the field. She's been getting some good looks at the basket, but hasn't been able to finish," Botham said. "Tonight, she got some easy baskets in transition versus their press and off offensive boards. The 8-for-18 (on three's), with their zone, we knew we were going to see more things open up outside as they tried to take away the post and Traci."

Milwaukee is in action next with a break from league play, when it travels to Northwestern Wednesday, Jan. 18, for a non-league game.