Box Score |  Notes

MILWAUKEE, Wis. (Feb. 22, 2007) - The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee women's basketball team could not overcome a school-record 15 three-pointers by Butler in falling to the Bulldogs, 74-59, Thursday night at the Klotsche Center.

Butler (12-13, 9-4 Horizon) overtook the Panthers (12-14, 8-5 Horizon) for third place in the league standings, largely on the strength of a 15-for-27 (55.6%) night from beyond the arc. BU blew open a three-point game at halftime with nine 3's in the second half for the win.

"I'm disappointed with the loss. This was an important game for us in gaining in the Horizon League standings," Milwaukee head coach Sandy Botham said. "Butler came in here, showed great focus and determination. They have so many scorers, shoot the ball well. They were certainly `on' today--when it rains, it pours."

Sophomore Traci Edwards led UWM with 19 points and reached 1,000 points for her career. Her lay-up with 8:47 remaining gave her 1,001 points in just 56 career games. She is the fastest player to reach the milestone in school history and tied for the fastest in league history. She added seven rebounds and two blocks.

"Before the game someone told me," Edwards said about reaching 1,000 points. "It doesn't matter to me too much to get the 1,000th point. I knew about it, but I wasn't thinking about it."

Sophomore Jody Crumble also reached double figures in scoring, adding a career-high 13 points and seven rebounds, while sophomore Katie Fournier chipped in seven points and a career-high 11 rebounds.

Ellen Hamilton led the three-point barrage for the Bulldogs, hitting five on the night to finish with 15 points. Susan Lester scored a team-high 18 points and chipped in four 3's, while Jackie Closser and Tara Miller added two apiece and finished with eight points each.

The Panthers shot just 37.1 percent for the game, but found some success from three-point range, as well, hitting 5-of-10 attempts. BU, meanwhile, rode its hot three-point shooting to a 47.4 shooting clip for the game. UWM gained the 39-33 edge on the glass, including 16 offensive rebounds, and forced 18 turnovers compared to 17 miscues of its own.

"Butler has consistency on the border. We don't have the consistency on our perimeter," Botham said. "We need a variety of scorers. When we fall down, we try to force the ball inside and that hurt us today."

After Milwaukee cut a 10-point first half deficit to three at the break, the Bulldogs came out in the second half firing. They opened the second half on a 10-2 run to build a 43-32 lead with 15:56 remaining on a Hamilton three. Junior Meredith Onson hit a jumper and, after a Lester three, answered with a three of her own to slow the bleeding, but it was not enough.

Hamilton then hit back-to-back three's for BU as it meticulously built its lead to a game-high 20 points one a few occasions down the stretch.

"When we were trying to come back, they were hitting all their shots," Edwards said. "They weren't missing and by that time we were too far back."

Edwards was double-teamed for the entire game and suffered through a rare off shooting night, hitting just 7-of-15 from the field and 4-for-8 from the free throw line. Despite that, she notched her 18th-straight game scoring in double-digits and reached 500-point mark for the second-straight season.

The game appeared as though it would be a shootout, as both teams traded quick baskets early on. An Edwards lay-up with 11:47 to go into the half gave the Panthers their final lead of the game at 21-19, after previously holding a three-point edge three times earlier. Butler then went on a 14-2 run for a 33-23 lead with 4:55 to go in the half.

Crumble then hit a lay-up, senior Aubrey Hampton followed with a three and Edwards converted a pair of free throws to pull Milwaukee within three at 33-30 at the half.

UWM returns to action Saturday, hosting Wright State in its final regular season home game of the season. The Panthers and Raiders tip off at 2 p.m.