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EVANSTON, Ill. (Jan. 18, 2006) - The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee women's basketball team shot 66.7 percent in the second half and had five players score in double figures as it came from behind to defeat Northwestern, 81-73, Wednesday evening in Evanston.

The Panthers (9-7) shot a season-high 55.6 percent for the game and finished with 25 assists on 30 baskets made in overcoming an early 10-point deficit. Northwestern (4-13), which led at halftime, 28-26, also found trouble missing, finishing at 55.8 percent for the game.

"We spread things out in the second half and just ran our offense. Traci (Edwards) was such a presence for us," head coach Sandy Botham. "In the first half, we forced it into her, but in the second half we stuck to our offense and the ball came to her much easier. That opens things up for our perimeter."

Sophomore Meredith Onson and freshman Traci Edwards shared team-high scoring honors, finishing with 18 apiece, while senior Molly O'Brien and junior Aubrey Hampton scored 14 and senior Nichole Drummond added 13. A.J. Glasauer finished with a game-high 23 points for the Wildcats.

Just six players saw more than five minutes for UWM, while just eight players played. O'Brien played all 40 minutes and added six rebounds, six assists, five steals and was 6-for-6 from the field.

"The lineup we saw tonight has been a work in progress. We are finally starting to learn how to play together," Botham said. "I'm not playing as many and just letting those players get into more of a rhythm. I didn't want to break that rhythm."

The first eight minutes featured nine lead changes, including seven in less than three minutes before the Panthers took the lead on a Hampton three-pointer to make it 44-42. NU tied the game immediately at 44-44, before Hampton answered back with another three with 11:13 to play to give UWM the lead for good at 47-44.

Milwaukee's lead reached a game-high 10 at 61-51 when Hampton converted two free throws. Its lead reached 10 once again at 70-60, while Northwestern managed to cut the lead to four on two occasions down the stretch, but could get no closer.

UWM had taken the lead for the first time in the game after scoring the first five points after halftime, but saw NU rattle off six-straight points to re-take the lead 2:29 into the frame for the first of many lead changes of the second half.

Northwestern had gotten the Panthers into a hole early, scoring the first five points of the game and taking an early 12-4 lead when Sara Stutz hit a jumper five minutes into the game. The Wildcats pushed their lead to 10 at 18-8 just prior to the midway point before UWM mounted a comeback.

Edwards ignited a 14-4 run as UWM pulled within one at 22-21 with 5:25 to go before halftime. After Edwards sunk a pair of free throws, Drummond hit a layup. Onson hit one three and Hampton hit back-to-back treys to pull Milwaukee within one.

A free throw with just less than three minutes in the half tied the game at 24-24 before NU scored the next four points. O'Brien hit layup inside the final minute of the half as Milwaukee headed into the break trailing 28-26.

Both teams struggled with ball control early, as the Panthers committed 13 turnovers, but forced 14 by Northwestern in the opening half. Milwaukee shot 41.7 percent for the frame and picked up assists on all 10 made field goals, but struggled to just 3-of-10 from the free throw line. The Wildcats shot 50 percent, getting all but four of their points from Glasauer (13) and Okonkwo (11).

UWM returns to league play Saturday, hosting UIC at the Klotsche Center at 2 p.m.