Box Score |  Notes

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Nov. 22, 2008) - Senior Traci Edwards scored a team-high 18 points and the Panthers forced 23 turnovers as the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee women's basketball team picked up its first win of the 2008-09 season, 57-48, over Air Force Saturday afternoon at Clune Arena.

Milwaukee (1-2) never trailed and led by as many as 11 in the first half, but still held off a pesky Falcon team that pulled within two on a pair of occasions during the second half.

"It felt really good. It's nice to get a `w' on the road and find a way to win," Milwaukee head coach Sandy Botham said. "Air Force was what we thought they would be. They are very scrappy and there is no quit in them. They gave us a really good game. I was proud with how we found a way to hold on to it."

Edwards added eight rebounds and four assists, while junior Jodie McClain also reached double-digits in scoring with 10 and four steals, while sophomore Lindsay Laur checked in at nine points and senior Turquoise McCain added eight points, four rebounds and six assists before fouling out in the final minute of regulation.

Brooke Cultra scored a career-high 25 points for the Falcons (1-2), who also got a game-high 19 rebounds and nine points from Kim Kreke.

The Panthers seemed to pull away coming out of a media timeout with 7:21 remaining and the team clinging to a 40-37 advantage. Coming out of the break, Edwards drew four defenders and found a wide open Laur for a jumper. After an Air Force missed, Edwards converted an old fashioned three-point play to make it a 45-37 game at the 6:23 mark.

Throughout the game, UWM's defense forced Air Force to wear down the shot clock, leading to the home team's turnover total. The Panthers turned up the defensive pressure over the final minutes of the game, not allowing the Falcons a field goal in the final 3:43. Milwaukee then converted 5-of-8 free throws in the final 90 seconds to seal the victory.

"Our offense wasn't clicking. We were really struggling scoring," Botham said. "(Air Force) did a nice job of controlling the boards. That is a-typical when you go on the road. Your offense might not always be there. That's when you need to count on your defensive side. The game plan was to dictate them and take them out of what they wanted to do, force turnovers."

For the game, the Panthers shot just 33.3 percent, including 20 percent from three-point range, but it was enough for the win. UWM turned the ball over just 11 times, compared to 16 assists.

"(Turnovers have been) our Achilles heel in the past," Botham said. "We have really been trying to work the halfcourt offense. I think the work we put in this off-season and this preseason is paying off because we are doing a better job of taking care of it and giving ourselvbes more opportunities."

On the other side of the floor, USAFA shot just 35.8 percent from the field and made just one of 11 three-point tries (9.1 percent), staying close on the boards with a 44-38 advantage.

Fighting a dramatic 6,546-foot altitude change from the comfortable 617 feet above sea level in Milwaukee, the Panthers utilized their depth, getting 25 points from the bench, compared to just three bench points by the home-standing Falcons.

Milwaukee came out of the gates strong and scored the first six points of the game while Air Force missed its first six shot attempts. The Panthers built their lead as high as 11 at 28-17 with just over four minutes to play in the first half.

The Panthers' defense was stout, forcing 13 turnovers in the half. But, the Falcons were able to find their shooting touch and finished the frame on an 8-1 run to provide a 29-25 score at halftime.

After Milwaukee came down with eight of the first nine rebounds of the game, the stats leveled off and USAFA eventually took the lead on the boards, 25-19. UWM's defense kept them ahead throughout the half as it shot just 34.3 percent from the field, compared to 39.3 percent by Air Force.

The Panthers return home to open their home slate, hosting SIU-Edwardsville Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the Klotsche Center.