Box Score |  Notes

MILWAUKEE, Wis. (Jan. 26, 2008) - Junior Traci Edwards scored 22 points and pulled down nine rebounds to lead the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee women's basketball team to a 54-51 win over Loyola Saturday afternoon at the Klotsche Center.

The Panthers (11-8, 62 Horizon) have now won eight of their last 10 games, while the Ramblers (3-15, 1-6 Horizon) fell for the 15th time in their last 17 games.

"It felt great to get a victory at home. We really persevered through stretches where we just could not find the bottom of the hoop," Milwaukee head coach Sandy Botham said. "Defense won this game. We did a great job versus (Maggie) McCloskey, holding her well below her average. Our team rebounded well from a disappointing loss to UIC Wednesday to beat a balanced Loyola team."

Edwards was the lone Panther in double-figures, while junior Turquoise McCain added eight and freshman Jineen Williams seven.

Brittany Boeke led Loyola with 12 points. Keisha Collins and Shannon Finnegan scored 10 points apiece.

Milwaukee prevailed in the contest despite shooting just 36.2 percent from the field, including 29.6 percent in the second half. UWM did, however, get to the free throw line 26 times, converting 16. Loyola shot 56.5 percent in the second half and finished at 44.7 percent, but could not overcome 20 turnovers.

UWM gained a slight 31-30 advantage in rebounding, pulling down all 11 of its offensive boards in the second half.

The Ramblers would not go away, despite trailing by as much as 10 midway through the first half. They tied the score for the sixth and final time at 47-47 with 2:23 remaining on a Boeke lay-up. Milwaukee then scored the next six points to put the game away.

"This game against our last, we were playing to win, instead of playing to not lose," Edwards said. "We came out of (a timeout) and I didn't know it was tied. We just went out there, played and came out on top."

Collins and Jessica Hilton bookended a Williams free throw in the final seconds to provide for the final score. Hilton's lay-up came with two seconds remaining and UWM just held the ball to seal the victory.

In the first half, the Panthers used runs of 7-0 and 10-0 to combat long droughts without a field goal. After taking a 7-0 lead in the game, Loyola tied the game while holding the home team without a make for 7:55.

Sophomore Jodie McClain hit a lay-up to end the skid and kick-start a 10- run that game Milwaukee its largest lead of the game at 17-7 with 9:12 remaining in the half. UWM then did not hit a field goal for 7:48 as the Ramblers went on a 16-5 run to take their first lead of the game at 23-22 with 16 seconds before the intermission, but Edwards answered with two ticks on the clock to give Milwaukee a 24-23 lead at the break.

UWM tied season-lows with just four 3-pointers on only 10 attempts. It held its opponent to just 2-of-10 from behind the arc, despite Loyola's Maggie McCloskey entering the game as the team's leading scorer and among the nation's leaders with 3.4 made per game. She was held to just one 3 and three points.

The Panthers have a week off before hosting Green Bay Saturday, Feb. 2, at the Klotsche Center. Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m. in what could be a showdown for first place in the Horizon League standings.