Box Score |  Quotes |  Notes

MILWAUKEE, Wis. (Dec. 28, 2006) - Senior Megan Rogers hit a three-pointer with 4.2 seconds remaining and finished with 17 points off the bench to lead the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee women's basketball team to a 73-72 win over Loyola, Thursday night at the Klotsche Center.

The game was the league opener for both teams and ended a three-game losing streak for the Panthers (5-9, 1-0 Horizon). The Ramblers, meanwhile, fell to 1-10 on the year.

"This is a huge win for us, coming off those losses. We've been hesitant, playing with fear," Rogers said. "Last year, we lost a couple of league games and it cost us a true championship. So we came out hard because we know how important these early games are."

Milwaukee had led for the majority of the contest, but saw Loyola take a two-point lead via a 14-2 run over 6:19 down the stretch. The second of three-straight UWM turnovers led to a Maggie McClosky three-pointer to give the visitors a 72-70 lead with 1:16 remaining.

Another Panther turnover was nullified by an Emily Markert steal and Rogers saw her first game-winning attempt fall short with 22 seconds to go. The rebound came to junior Aubri Rote, who threw the ball off a Rambler player for a final UWM possession with nine ticks remaining. Five seconds later, Rogers saw her second attempt hit nothing but net for the game-winner.

"We set up in the box and that usually gets us a lot of looks--mostly three-pointers. I saw a Loyola girl run at me and I just tried to get it off," Rogers said of her first three-point attempt. "We went to the huddle, everyone told me I could make it and Coach Botham said I could make it. When we came out they triple-teamed Rote because she had been hitting her shots. I popped out again and hit it."

On the other end, Rote came up with a steal just before time expired to seal the win.

While Rogers tallied 17 points off the bench for the second-straight game, Rote added a UWM career-best 14 in a reserve roll to help Milwaukee outscore Loyola in bench points, 40-3. Rote added four rebounds, three assists and three steals in her best game as a Panther. Sophomore Traci Edwards finished with a team-high 18 points and 10 rebounds for her fifth double-double of the season.

"I think being in that situation at La Salle helped. Afterwards we talked about it. I told them you have to cut off your head and not think. In that game, La Salle made plays. We had plays and just didn't make them," Botham said. "Both (Megan and Aubri), when the game is on the line, they want to take the big shot. It's all about making big plays and Aubri and Megan did that for us."

Marquise Hanser led four Rambler players in double-figures with 19. Emily Ponder finished with 18, Jennifer Juergens with 14 and McClosky with 12 for LU.

Milwaukee shot 49.2 percent from the field on the night and held a 38-32 rebounding advantage. The team was hampered by turnovers, committing 21, but countered with 24 assists on 29 made baskets. Loyola was limited to 41.2 percent shooting, but hit on 41.2 percent of three-point tries and 17 free throws in 24 trips to the free throw line.

The Panthers held a 40-28 lead at halftime and led by as many as 13 with 13:21 to play in the game. Rogers hit back-to-back lay ups to put UWM ahead 55-42. Loyola answered with a 12-2 run to pull within three at 57-54. Milwaukee once again answered, using an 11-4 stretch to once again make it a 10-point game at 68-58 with 6:23 to play.

Rote was the story in the first half, scoring 11 points in the opening period to lead UWM to a 12-point advantage at the break. After the Panthers fell behind for the only time in the first half at 13-10, they rattled off eight-straight points to take the lead until the final minutes. Rote then scored six-straight Milwaukee points and senior Aubrey Hampton later capped the period with a running finger roll in the pain as the halftime horn sounded.

The Panthers return to action Saturday, hosting UIC at 2 p.m. at the Klotsche Center.