Box Score | Post-Game Audio
MILWAUKEE, Wis. (Nov. 6, 2009) -
Five players scored in double-figures as the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee women's basketball team stormed back from an 11-point, second-half deficit to run past Michigan Tech, 70-61, in overtime Thursday evening at the Klotsche Center.
UWM used an 11-0 run to force overtime and run away with the game in that extra period and stave off the seventh-ranked team in the nation in Division II in Michigan Tech.
"A lot of programs play exhibition games against teams against teams that they can beat by 20. We chose to play one of the top Division II teams in the country and it was great," Milwaukee head coach Sandy Botham said. "It was a really nice exhibition victory for us. To have five players in double figures (is key). We've been saying it all along, we need to have (a number of) players in double-figures (to be successful)."
The Panthers trailed the Huskies, 40-29, with 11:58 to play in the game. Milwaukee went on a 16-6 run to pull within one late in the half, before trailing 54-52 with 59 seconds to go. Senior Traci Edwards then pulled down a defensive board and sent a long outlet pass to senior Markita Barnes, who took the ball the length of the floor for a layup with just two seconds to play.
In overtime, UWM scored the first nine points of the period to run away with the game. Senior Jody Crumble scored the first seven of those points before freshman Amanda Viehauser hit a layup to make it 63-54 midway through the frame. The Panthers then hit 7-of-12 from the free throw line to ice the game.
"I think that kind of played into our psyche a little bit, that we were playing a little tentative," Botham said in reference to her team's 2-9 record in games decided by five points or less last season. "Really, they controlled a lot of the game until the end. I think when you get down, you are able to relax and play without abandon. I think that's exciting. To get this victory, to grind it out and get the win, make plays down the stretch, have different people make plays, I think that is just big for us to start the year (like this)."
Viehauser and senior Turquoise McCain each scored a team-high 13 points to lead Milwaukee, with Viehauser contributing eight rebounds and McCain seven. Edwards finished with 12 points, nine rebounds and five blocks, while Crumble chipped in 11 points and junior Jodie McClain 10.
Michigan Tech was led by Katie Wysocky's 17 points and 11 rebounds. Sarah Stream scored a game-high 18 points and Katie Zimmerman added 11 points of her own.
After struggling on offense through the first 28 minutes of the game, the Panthers turned it up on defense and carried that success over onto offense to storm back into the game. Over the last 12 minutes of regulation and the overtime frame, Milwaukee shot 50 percent from the field and got to the free throw line 28 times.
On defense, the team limited Michigan Tech to 30.8 percent shooting and six turnovers, while outrebounding the Huskies 21-13.
"I was just proud of our kids' effort," Botham said. "They just stuck with it. They had a lot of great looks that just didn't fall for us, but then we just turned it up. We generated offense from our defense."
For the game, UWM shot 38.3 percent from the field and hit on just 4-of-20 three pointers. The home team also held a 45-42 rebounding advantage and had 15 assists compared to 16 turnovers. MTU shot 36.4 percent on the night, including just 27.3 percent in overtime and was forced into 20 turnovers.
The Panthers close out their exhibition slate Sunday, hosting Dubuque at the Klotsche Center at 4 p.m. The regular season gets underway Nov. 15 at North Carolina State. UWM and NCSU tip off at 11 a.m. in the first game of the Wolfpack Invitational.