Box Score |  Notes

MILWAUKEE, Wis. (Feb. 24, 2007) - The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee women's basketball shot just 35.2 percent and turned the ball over 21 times in falling to Wright State 65-51 Saturday afternoon on Senior Day at the Klotsche Center.

The Panthers (12-15, 8-6 Horizon) could not get their offense on track all day, trailing by as many as 15 in the first half and 32-20 at halftime. The Raiders (8-17, 6-8 Horizon) pushed their lead to as many as 20 in the second half and cruised to victory.

"We shot ourselves in the foot today," Milwaukee head coach Sandy Botham said. "This was an uncharacteristic Milwaukee team out there today. We just didn't have the fight. The season's coming to an end and our kids need to learn how to perservere."

Despite the loss, UWM clinched at least the fourth seed in the upcoming Horizon League Tournament and a home game in the quarterfinals March 7.

Brittney Whiteside scored a game-high 19 points for WSU, which had four players in double figures. Steph Comisar added 11 points and Whitney Lewis added 10.

Sophomore Traci Edwards led Milwaukee with 11 points, eight rebounds and three blocks. Senior Aubrey Hampton added nine on three 3-pointers and sophomore Emily Markert finished with six.

"(Traci) is consistently seeing double and triple teams and has been carrying a lot of weight for us," Botham said of Edwards. "Mentally she's carrying all the weight as well. We need more people to step up for us and take some off that off her."

UWM struggled on offense in the first half, setting the tone for the remainder of the game. The team turned the ball over 16 times in the frame and shot just 30.4 percent. Meanwhile, Wright State hit 14 of its 28 first half shots to pull away. The Raiders also won rebounding advantage, 34-32. Each team hit five free throws, while Milwaukee attempted just five and WSU nine.

"The played tough defense and clogged up the passing lanes. Also, we had our seniors starting (for Senior Day), so there were some jitters and we made mistakes," Hampton, one of four seniors honored before the game, said. "We had 16 turnovers in the first half. You can't have 16 turnovers in the first half and expect to win."

Junior Meredith Onson hit a three-pointer at the 13:42 mark of the first half to pull the Panthers within one at 11-10, but Wright State rattled off a 14-0 run, holding UWM without a field goal until 8:19, when an Edwards lay-up made it a 25-12 game.

In the second half, Milwaukee looked to be pulling back in the game, cutting an 18-point deficit to eight with a 12-2 run. After Danielle Duncan put WSU ahead 43-25, sophomore Kim Wypiszynski hit a lay-up and freshman Jodie McClain followed with a jumper. Markert then hit three-pointers on consecutive Panther possessions.

McClain then grabbed a defensive rebound on the other end and drew a foul, prompting a media timeout. Sophomore Katie Fournier led UWM out of the timeout with a jumper to make it 45-37 midway through the second half.

"We thought we were coming back and getting into the game. Our bench was getting into it and the crowd was getting into it. Then they hit a shot and (it ended)," Hampton said of the Panthers' comeback attempt in the second half.

The Raiders once again pulled away, scoring the next 12 points of the game over four minutes to build a game-high 20-point lead at 57-37 with 6:47 to play.

Milwaukee closes out the regular season with a two-game trip through Chicago next weekend. The Panthers play at UIC Thursday and Loyola next Saturday.