Jan. 17, 2007

Box Score |  Quotes |  Notes

MILWAUKEE - Avery Smith scored 19 points to lead four players in double figures as the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee claimed a 76-65 win over the University of Illinois-Chicago Wednesday night at the U.S. Cellular Arena.

The Panthers (6-14, 3-4) made a school-record 12 first-half three-pointers to build a 23-point lead before hanging on against the first-place Flames (9-10, 4-2).

Paige Paulsen added 18 points and eight rebounds for Milwaukee, which has won three of its last four home games. Allan Hanson (15) and Ricky Franklin (14) also reached double digits for the Panthers.

Othyus Jeffers has 23 points and 11 rebounds to lead UIC, which had beaten 12th-ranked Butler and preseason league favorite Loyola last week.

The deciding run came after a free throw by Jeffers tied the game at 21 with 8:29 to play in the first half. UWM then outscored UIC, 27-4, the rest of the half. The Panthers hit seven 3-pointers during the run, with Franklin hitting three of them and freshman Roman Gentry adding two.

"If I didn't say `wow,' I think I might be hiding my emotions a little bit. But that first half, I thought, shows the potential of this team," UWM head coach Rob Jeter said. "It's one of best halves of basketball we have played. And not just because of the shots going in, but the way we got them. We made the extra pass, guys were in position and guys were ready to shoot."

After UWM built up its big first-half lead, the Panthers did enough to hang on in the second 20 minutes. The lead was still at 23 points after a Smith layin made it 56-33 with 14:56 remaining and another layup by Paulsen a minute later made it 58-35.

The Flames did make a run, pulling within 64-52 on a dunk by Jeffers with just over five minutes left and to within eight at 72-64 on a three-pointer by T.J. Gray with 1:16 remaining. But, two free throws by Hanson and a layin by Kaylan Anderson helped provide the final cushion for Milwaukee.

"We knew they were going to start taking some long threes, and they happened to go in," Paulsen said. "But we still have to attack the basket and get to the free throw line, because that can negate what they do. If we get to the free-throw line and make free throws, we can still keep our big lead."

UWM won a number of the key statistical categories, outrebounding UIC, 38-32, including 14-5 on the offensive end. The Panthers also forced 17 UIC turnovers while committing just 12 of their own.

The Panthers return to action Sunday afternoon, hosting Wright State at the U.S. Cellular Arena. The game tips off at 1 p.m. CST.