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MILWAUKEE, Wis. (Feb. 9, 2006) - The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee women's basketball team held Loyola without a field goal over the final 11:41 of the second half to overcome a late three-point deficit and win, 67-58, Thursday night at the U.S. Cellular Arena.

The Panthers (13-8, 8-2 Horizon League) won for the eight time in their last nine games and pulled within one game of idle UW-Green Bay (9-1) for first place in the Horizon League standings. Meanwhile, the Ramblers dropped to 3-19 on the year and 3-8 in league play.

Senior Nichole Drummond scored 17 points to lead Milwaukee, while freshman Traci Edwards added 15 points and nine rebounds. Jenna Real scored a game-high 22 points to lead Loyola with Marquise Hanser, the league's leading scorer, picking up 13.

Real converted a three-point play in the paint to put Loyola ahead 50-47 with 11:41 to play, but the Ramblers would be held to just eight free throws the remainder of the game. UWM tied the game less than a minute later, when freshman Katie Fournier converted a three-point play of her own.

Drummond then put Milwaukee up for good at 52-50 with her layup at the 9:12 mark and UWM ended the game on a 20-8 run.

"These are the kind of games that scare you most as a coach," Panther head coach Sandy Botham said of playing a 3-19 team as part of a critical league stretch. "You get worried that your players think mentality, `it's a W,' and that they are focused more on what's ahead than what's in the present.

"I think our players did get rattled a little bit and I think we tried to force things. We got a little impatient and tried to force things. But, I thought we settled down, turned things up defensively, took them out of some of the looks they had early and closed them out."

After the game started out as a shootout, both teams cooled off with the Panthers shooting 47.2 percent for the game, including a season-high 54.5 percent on three's. Loyola shot 44.2 percent on the night, but kept the game close by hitting 15-of-19 free throws. Both teams were on fire in the first half, combining to shoot 52 percent in the opening period, including a robust 62.5 percent on three-point attempts.

UWM had 18 assists on the night, compared to 16 turnovers, and came away with 10 steals. LUC had 23 turnovers, but had assists on 15-of-19 field goals made.

"This was a great victory and I am proud of our players' efforts," Botham said. "I give a lot of credit to Loyola. This is a quality Loyola basketball team. They are not a 3-19 team. I though they played extremely well. They fought to the finish and I'm proud of how our players responded to it."

Coming out of halftime with Milwaukee holding a two-point advantage, the Ramblers opened the half with a 7-1 run to take a three-point lead at 43-40 on a layup by Erin Ponder 3:26. Junior Megan Rogers immediately tied the game with a three-pointer, as each team answered the other until UWM tied the game at 50-50.

Loyola had taken the lead at 20-17 midway through the first half with a 7-0 run, but the Panthers then rattled off 10-straight points to take a commanding lead at 27-20. Edwards and Rogers hit back-to-back jumpers, before Rogers and junior Aubrey Hampton sank consecutive three's.

With the Milwaukee lead reaching eight in the final 30 seconds, Hanser scored the final five points of the half on a three and then a jumper with five seconds remaining to make it 39-36 at halftime.

Rogers finished with 10 points, while sophomore Meredith Onson also reached double figures with 11.

The Panthers continue their busy stretch of three games in five days Saturday at Butler. UWM and the Bulldogs will tip off at 1 p.m. central time at Hinkle Fieldhouse.