Nov. 29, 2008

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Jeter postgame audio
Meier postgame audio
Boyle postgame audio

MADISON, Wis. - Trevon Hughes scored a game-high 16 points as #25 Wisconsin claimed a 67-46 win over the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Saturday morning at the Kohl Center.

Tony Meier and Deonte Roberts scored 11 points apiece for Milwaukee (3-4), which started well on offense but fell cold over the final 30 minutes.

Marcus Landry and Joe Krabbenhoft added 12 points apiece for the Badgers (5-1), who held the Panthers to a season-low offensive output.

Tone Boyle added nine for UWM

UWM held a 19-17 lead after a second-straight basket from Anthony Hill with 9:25 to play. But Wisconsin responded to finish the half on a 20-8 run. The Badgers then quickly extended their lead to more than 20 points as the Panthers made just one field goal over the first 11-plus minutes of the second half.

In fact, the Panthers made just three of their final 12 field goals in the first half after making 8 of their first 14 tries from the field. Then, Milwaukee made just 5-of-19 from the floor in the second half.

"The first 17 minutes of the game, we seemed to be doing the things that followed the game plan. We seemed to be in tune with what we were trying to accomplish," UWM head coach Rob Jeter said. "The last three minutes of the first half, which then carried into the second half, was a dry spell. That was a big part of the lack of success."

UWM built its early advantage behind the hot shooting of Meier, who scored eight points in the early going. But, when he went to the bench midway through the half with two fouls, the Panthers went quiet on offense.

"We were playing well at the beginning of the first half but we have to be able to put 40 minutes together now," Meier said. "We were executing really well. I was getting open shots and was able to knock them down."

"I thought he came out ready to make some shots for us, and then he sits down," Jeter said. "It has been a common theme for us. We've had some foul trouble that has taken some guys out of a rhythm. Then in the second half we're fighting uphill to get the rhythm back."

The Panthers will now turn their attention to league play, as UWM hosts Detroit Thursday. The game tips off at 7 p.m. at the U.S. Cellular Arena.