Box Score

MT. PLEASANT, Mich. (Dec. 8, 2007) - Junior Traci Edwards scored 22 points on 9-of-9 shooting from the field to lead the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee women's basketball team to a 79-64 win over Central Michigan Saturday afternoon at Rose Arena.

The Panthers (3-4) shot 50 percent for the game to overcome 27 turnovers and roll past the Chippewas (3-6).

"It's always nice to get a good road victory. I am disappointed on how we ended the game while giving our third string some opportunities," Milwaukee head coach Sandy Botham said. "We shot the ball well, I felt we moved it well and took advantage of Traci in the post. I was worried about how they would come out in the second half. I thought we did a good job of coming out, establishing control of the game again and gaining a sizable lead."

Edwards did her damage in just 23 minutes and was one of three players in double figures. Senior Aubri Rote and freshman Jineen Williams added 10 points apiece, as the UWM bench scored 31 points.

"We have to have three or four people in double-figures to win games and the players think it has to be Traci," Botham said. "We have a lot of different weapons and I think that is why we've gained the respect to be picked first in our league. There is a lot of people that can step up and shoot it, so it was nice to get that bench production."

Litisha Luckett led CMU with 12 points, seven assists and eight steals. Three more players scored in double-figures with Shonda Long tallying a team-high 13. Angel Chan added 11 and Britni Houghton 10.

Leading 37-19 coming out of halftime, UWM had an 11-4 run to push its lead to a game-high 25 points at 48-23 on an Edwards lay-up. They then kept their lead above 20 points for most of the half before a late Chippewa run cut the gap to 15 points at game's end.

Botham cleared the bench at the last media timeout of the game, as all 14 players that dressed for the game and 12 scored. The Chippewas took advantage of four freshmen and five newcomers on the floor for the final 3:31 to post a 13-4 game-ending run and provide for the final score.

"I gave (our third string) an opportunity and it just kind of fell apart," Botham said of the end. "I knew this about Central. We knew they were a kind of team that is not going to give up. (Head coach) Sue (Guevara) is the style of coach that coaches to the very end."

Milwaukee was efficient shooting in all areas, hitting on 9-of-16 three-point attempts and going a near-perfect 16-of-17 from the line. Central Michigan overcame some early shooting woes to finish the game shooting 40.3 from the field. Neither team could hold on to the ball as the Panthers forced 21 turnovers, but saw 21 of their turnovers go as steals the other way.

UWM built a sizable first-half cushion thanks to a 21-4 run towards the end of the frame. Milwaukee held the Chippewas to just one field goal for a stretch of almost 10 minutes. In fact, Long ended a streak of 6:10 where CMU did not make a field goal. Milwaukee, meanwhile, overcome some early ball control issues and capitalized on the Central Michigan miscues.

Despite 13 turnovers, compared to 17 by the Chippewas, Milwaukee held a 20-8 advantage on points of turnovers in the first half.

The game got off to an awkward start, as UWM hit its first six shots of the game, but turned over the ball seven times, in building a 9-0 lead. At one point, the Panthers turned the ball over five-straight possessions. CMU scraped its way back into the game with an 8-0 run to make it 9-8, before remaining within one at 13-12 10:11 to go in the period.

UWM finished at 50 percent shooting from the field and held the Chippewas to just 30.4 percent shooting.

Milwaukee now returns home for a four-game homestand that will run through the end of 2007. The Panthers kick the home stretch off Dec. 13, hosting Drake.