Feb. 21, 2006

Box Score |  Quotes |  Notes

MILWAUKEE - Joah Tucker scored 24 points and Boo Davis added 22 as the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee celebrated Senior Night by claiming a 76-57 win over Detroit Tuesday night at the U.S. Cellular Arena.

The Panthers (19-8, 12-4 Horizon) also clinched a share of their third-straight Horizon League regular season title, though they will have to wait and see if they will capture the top seed and hosting rights for the league tournament.

Milwaukee finished the first half on a 33-11 run and then led by as many as 30 points early in the second half in snapping a two-game losing streak.

Brandon Cotton led Detroit (14-15, 7-8) with 16 points.

UWM now will do some scoreboard watching, as it likely needs Butler to lose one of its final two games to claim the top seed and homecourt advantage for the tournament. But for now the Panthers, who again played without Adrian Tigert and Kevin Massiah, can take a breath and celebrate their league crown.

"It's like I told these guys, `Let's just go out and play. Let's have some fun and play,'" Milwaukee head coach Rob Jeter said. "Everyone has been talking about how I substitute - I told these guys if they have an open shot, let's take them. But what we have to do is commit to the defensive end. A lot of the talk has been about the offensive end. Defense wins championships. You have to defend, and that's what I'm more concerned about with this group."

That defensive effort saw the Panthers limit the Titans to just 42 percent shooting from the field while forcing 15 turnovers. UWM also blocked seven shots, including five by senior Derrick Ford.

But then it was the three-point shooting by the Panthers that put the game out of reach. Milwaukee his 10 threes in the first half alone and would up with a season-high 14 three-point baskets while attempting 32 of their 58 field goals from beyond the arc.

"That is big - 18 three-pointers in the first half and 14 in the second half," Jeter said of the attempts from beyond the arc. "It's uncharacteristic, but they went in, and it's good to be back home and be able to do this in front of our fans."

Detroit's final lead came following a jumper by Jon Goode that made it 11-10 with 12:45 to play in the first half. But, Tucker answered with a dunk and a three-point basket to give the Panthers a 15-11 advantage and Milwaukee never looked back.

The lead hit double figures for the first time at 27-17 on a three-pointer by Allan Hanson and a three-pointer by Nick Hansen pushed the lead to 35-19 with 4:16 to play in the half. The Panthers' long-range shooting wasn't finished in the half, though, as a three-pointer and thunderous alley-oop dunk by Davis made it 40-19 with 53 seconds left and a three by Hanson just before the horn gave Milwaukee a 43-22 at the break.

UWM then eliminated any doubt in the outcome in the opening minutes of the second half, as back-to-back threes by Davis made it 54-24 with 18 minutes still to play in the game and the Panthers cruised to the victory from there.

Regardless of the site of the game, Milwaukee knows its next outing will come Sat., March 4 in the semifinals of the Horizon League Tournament. The game will be televised by ESPNU.