Nov. 1, 2007

Box Score

MILWAUKEE - Tim Flowers and Ricky Franklin scored 17 points apiece to lead the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee to an 86-83 win over UW-Parkside in an exhibition men's basketball game Thursday night at the U.S. Cellular Arena.

The Panthers led by 13 points with five-and-a-half minutes to play before the Rangers made a late run to make things interesting.

LaVontay Fenderson scored 22 points to lead Parkside, which beat Milwaukee last season.

Torre Johnson pitched-in 13 points, six rebounds and four blocks for the Panthers, who also saw five other players score at least six points.

After each team struggled offensively in the first 20 minutes, the two teams combined for 107 points in the second half. UWM also used its size and strength inside to generate 42 free-throw opportunities and 20 offensive rebounds.

"I am just proud of the way our guys battled through some highs and lows," UWM head coach Rob Jeter said. "The difference was that we were able to get some post play and get to the free throw line."

Neither team shot the ball well in a first half that ended 31-apiece. The Panthers bolted to a 6-0 lead in the first 90 second and eventually led 19-11 on two Torre Johnson free throws with 13:01 remaining. But, the Rangers steadily cut into the lead, tying the game at 25 on a D.J. Danzler layup with 5:13 left. Parkside did then hold a pair of one-point leads before a pair of Anthony Hill free throws tied the game at the break.

UWM pushed out to a 61-50 lead on a three-pointer by Franklin with 10:21 remaining and then led 70-57 on a Johnson basket with 5:34 left. The Rangers converted four layups and three 3-points down the stretch, which the Panthers countered by making 14 free throws in the final four minutes.

"I has been a long time since we've shot 42 free throws in a game. I think that was really the difference in the game," Jeter said. "This game was a perfect situation for us to be in. Parkside is very difficult to defend and it will allow us to look at the film and correct the things that we struggled with tonight."

The game also provided the first true look at a number of new Panthers. Torre Johnson and Flowers were both in the starting lineup while Deonte Roberts (6 points, 6 rebounds, 23 minutes), Kevin Johnson (6 points, 5 rebounds, 16 minutes) and Hill (8 points, 3 rebounds, 16 minutes) all made notable contributions off the bench.

"I felt very good," Flowers said of his first game in a Panther uniform. "I know coach and my teammates have a lot of confidence in me to go out and do what I need to do. Whatever I need to do to help my team get `W's is what I am going to do. I felt a lot of confidence from my team and just went out and performed as well as I can."

UWM will now start the regular season Nov. 9 by hosting Upper Iowa. The Panthers will play five of their first six games at home.