Box Score |  Quotes |  Notes

MILWAUKEE, Wis. (Jan. 18, 2007) - The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee women's basketball team allowed Youngstown State to shoot just 22.6 percent from the field and had three players reach double-digits in scoring as it handed the Penguins a 60-44 loss Thursday night at the Klotsche Center.

The 44 points allowed were the fewest by the Panthers (8-10, 4-1 Horizon) since the teams' last meeting at Klotsche, Feb. 18 of last season. YSU's (4-12, 2-4 Horizon) shooting percentage was also the second-lowest by a UWM opponent in school history.

Sophomores Katie Fournier and Traci Edwards each scored 12 points to lead Milwaukee. Junior Meredith Onson chipped in 10 and sophomore Emily Markert added nine. In addition to her career-high point total, Fournier added a pair of blocks on the defensive end, while Edwards fell just shy of a double-double off the bench with nine rebounds.

"We thought we'd give Traci the chance to come off the bench. She was able to sit back and see is going one and then come in," Milwaukee head coach Sandy Botham on Edwards coming off the bench. "As a starter, she's just been going right out into the fire. Youngstown State has strong post players. This way she can see what they are doing and adapt. Dana (Schultz) and Katie are our best defensive post players, so we also wanted to get them out there."

Ashley Pendleton scored nine points for the visiting Penguins and Monique Godfrey added seven.

The Panthers shot 45.1 percent from the field for the game and held the 42-40 advantage in rebounds, but committed a season-high 26 turnovers. On the defensive end, they did tie a season high with nine steals and forced 23 Penguin turnovers and allowed their lowest shooting percentage since Northeastern Illinois shot an opponent-record 22.4 percent from the field Feb. 2, 1995.

YSU did get to the free throw line 18 times, converting 13, but struggled from outside the arc, hitting just three of 21 three-point attempts (14.3%). The visitors did come up with 12 steals on the night and pulled down 19 offensive boards.

Milwaukee held Youngstown without a field goal for 7:29 late in the first half in building a 36-19 lead at the break. YSU led 6-3 just over five minutes into the game before the Panthers went on a 12-6 run to take a 15-10 lead at the 8:52 mark.

Pendleton hit a layup 49 seconds later to pull the Penguins within three at 15-12. UWM then went on a 19-4 lead, led by six-straight points from Fournier, to take control of the game at 34-17 in the final minute of the period. Godfrey ended YSU's cold spell with a jumper, before Onson answered with a jumper to cap the first half scoring.

"Traci got the ball to Katie and got her in the groove," Botham said. "Katie is such a hard worker for us. It is nice to see her get the offensive production."

Godfrey opened the second half with a jumper before seven-straight Panther points gave them their largest lead of the game at 45-23 with 14:18 to play. Milwaukee's lead was cut to as low as 15, but was not threatened the remainder of the game.

The Panthers return to action Saturday, hosting Cleveland State at the Klotsche Center. Tip off is scheduled for 2 p.m.