Box Score |  Notes

MILWAUKEE, Wis. (Dec. 20, 2007) - North Dakota State overcame a 64-58 deficit with 2:39 remaining in the game by scoring the final nine points to hand the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee women's basketball team a 67-64 loss Thursday night at the Klotsche Center.

The Panthers (3-6) led for almost 16 minutes in the second half before the Bison (5-5) rallied for the late win.

Holding a slim 64-62 lead with 1:34 to play, Milwaukee turned the ball over and Emily Moran hit a three-pointer to give NDSU the 65-64 lead with 54.5 seconds to go. The Panthers then turned the ball over on a jump ball, which the Bison converted into a lay-up to push their lead to three points.

In the waning seconds, UWM conceded another jump ball, but retained possession, and senior Aubri Rote could not get a final shot off with one second remaining.

"We need to get better at shot selections, especially in the final two minutes. When we were up four we didn't take the best shots, then that turnover really hurt us," Milwaukee head coach Sandy Botham said. "I was disappointed. I thought we had the game. But, watching the video on this team, we knew it was one that would fight to the end never give up. We established a lead and when they whittled into it we started playing not to lose instead of being the aggressors and continuing to do what we had been doing."

Rote was one of four Panthers in double-figures, scoring 12 points. Junior Traci Edwards tallied a team-high 14 points, including 12 in the second half, while junior Turquoise McCain turned in her first collegiate double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Senior Meredith Onson hit 3 three-pointers on her way to a season-best 11 points.

Moran led four Bison in double-figures with 18, while Lisa Bue and Brenda Slyt added 15 points apiece and Jerri Penley chipped in 11.

Milwaukee trailed by as many as 10 points in the first half, but fought back within three at halftime at 35-32 by scoring the final seven points of the opening frame. McCain then opened up the second half with an acrobatic lay-up and Onson followed with a three to make it 37-35 in UWM's favor just 1:10 after the break.

"It was a game of runs from the very tip," Botham said. "They go up, we cut it. They go up, we cut it. Then the tide changed in the second half. We started to go up, but they responded each time."

After NDSU tied the game at 37-37, Onson hit another three to establish a lead the Panthers would hold until the final minutes. They pushed that edge to nine points at 55-46 with 9:16 and looked as though they would keep the visitors at bay before the final rally.

North Dakota State shot 52.6 percent for the game, including 33 percent from beyond the arc. UWM shot just 39.1 percent on the night, including just 6-of-21 on three-pointers, but kept pace by holding a 36-33 rebounding advantage and pulling down 16 offensive rebounds.

Neither team was given much opportunity from the free throw line, but the Panthers were efficient with their chances by hitting 8-of-9 from the stripe. NDSU went to the line just five times, converting two.

The game got off to a streaky start as the opening period featured five runs of seven-straight points or better. Both teams went on extended runs, only to see the other fight back. NDSU led 11-4 before a 10-2 run, including an 8-0 stretch made it 14-13 UWM. With the score tied at 25 later on, the Bison rattled off 10-straight points, followed 12-straight by the Panthers through the early going of half number two.

Edwards was limited to just two points and no rebounds in the first half after picking up two fouls in the first five minutes. That was all she would play in the frame before returning to the court for the final 27 seconds.

"The team played really well without me," Edwards said, "hanging with them and we were down just three (at halftime). It was exciting to watch. Everyone was doing their part to keep us in the game."

Milwaukee returns to action after the holidays, hosting its third-straight home game Friday, Dec. 29. UWM will take on city foe Cardinal Stritch at the Klotsche Center starting at 7 p.m.