Dec. 4, 2008

Box Score
Milwaukee Postgame Press Conference
Detroit Postgame Press Conference

MILWAUKEE - Tone Boyle scored 21 points to lead the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee men's basketball team to a 71-62 victory over Detroit Thursday night at the U.S. Cellular Arena. The Panthers (4-4, 1-0 Horizon) trailed the Titans (2-4, 0-1 Horizon) by seven points early in the second half, but used an 11-4 run to tie the game and took the lead for good with just under 10 minutes to play.

Boyle finished with the game-high 21 points on 5-of-7 shooting from the floor and also made 8-of-11 free throws in the contest. Anthony Hill had 16 points and six rebounds, while Tony Meier filled the stat sheet with nine points, 10 rebounds and four of UWM's eight blocks. Avery Smith chipped in with a game-high seven assists and grabbed five rebounds to help the team snap a three-game losing skid.

Xavier Keeling led Detroit with 19 points. Two others were in double-figures, with Woody Payne adding 17 and Donavan Foster 11.

"I thought tonight was a big game for us in regards to our confidence," Milwaukee head coach Rob Jeter said. "A lot has happened over the past few weeks and we could have allowed that to let us lose our way or try to get back on track. I thought tonight, the energy, the effort, again was there early. We were able to do enough at the end of the first half and the start of the second half. That is where we have grown."

Trailing 44-41 at the 11:47 mark, UWM would reel off another run, this time a 12-2 spurt, to take control of the game. Deonte Roberts gave Milwaukee its first lead with 11:04 to play and then added another layup about a minute later that gave the Panthers the lead for good at 47-46. A three-pointer by Deion James capped the run and pushed the lead to seven.

"I thought for us, we matured in a few areas," Jeter said. "We tried to get some positive things to happen in the last four minutes of the first half and we were able to do that, we were able to go into the half tied. The second half, the start was a little slower but not one that put us in a huge deficit. But, we were able to respond."

Detroit would get back within five on three occasions, but James Eayrs made a pair of layups to put the Panthers up by nine at 61-52 with just under two minutes left in the game.

The Titans would get no closer than six points the rest of the way, with Milwaukee making 10-of-12 free throws down the stretch to put away the win.

The game was tied at the half, 27-27, with Milwaukee shooting just 33.3% (9-of-27) and Detroit 37.0% (10-of-27) before intermission. UWM hit 11-of-23 in the second to finish at 40% for the game. The defense held UDM to an 0-for-11 showing from three-point range on the night.

The Panthers return to action after a short break, continuing the homestand with another league game against Wright State Saturday, set for a 2 p.m. tip-off.