Feb. 16, 2008

Box Score |  Photo Gallery By Trevor Thompson 

MILWAUKEE - Deonte Roberts scored 17 points and Marcus Skinner added nine points and a collegiate-best 17 rebounds as the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee captured a 66-56 win over Green Bay Saturday night at the U.S. Cellular Arena.

UWM led by as many as 11 points early in the first half before Green Bay built a 12-point lead with just over 14 minutes to play. But, the Panthers dominated the game from there, using a 22-3 run to reclaim control and pull out the win.

Ten of Skinner's 17 rebounds came on the offensive end as the Panthers (13-11, 8-6 Horizon) totaled 20 offensive boards as a team. That led to a 41-27 overall edge on the glass and a 27-7 advantage in second-chance points.

Milwaukee also got 16 points off the bench from Deion James and 10 points, six rebounds and five assists from Ricky Franklin.

Rahmon Fletcher scored 15 points and Ryan Tillema added 11 for Green Bay (13-12, 7-8), which went nearly nine minutes of the second half without a basket.

"I see 27 second-chance points and I think that really sums up this game and sums up the character of these young men," UWM head coach Rob Jeter said. "We started the game well and then had a little lull that seemed to carry over to the second half. But we definitely made some plays down the stretch."

Skinner was a dominant force inside throughout the game, with his 17 rebounds ranking as the second-most by a Panther in the school's Division I history.

"It's special," Jeter said of Skinner's effort. "He has really had to prove himself when it has come to basketball. He has had to prove himself at every stop but he keeps on doing it."

Milwaukee started strong in the first half but could not sustain it, seeing an 11-point lead trimmed to one by the break. UWM's advantage hit its peak when James knocked in a three to make it 18-7 with just eight minutes gone in the game. Green Bay quickly recovered, though, scoring 14 of the next 15 points to capture a 21-19 lead.

The Phoenix still led 26-24 with 6:43 remaining after a three-pointer by Tillema only to see the Panthers score five-straight for a 29-26 edge. UWM's lead was still 33-30 after a Skinner tip-in with 3:38 remaining but both team stumbled the rest of the half. The teams combined for eight turnovers over the final three-plus minutes with a Fletcher jumper pulling the Phoenix within a point at halftime.

Green Bay started the second half quickly, building up their 12-point lead as Milwaukee wound up going nearly nine minutes without a basket. But, the Panthers then outscored the Phoenix 33-11 over the final 14 minutes of the game.

The Panthers return to action Wednesday night, heading to the road for a contest at Cleveland State. The game begins at 6 p.m. CST and can be seen live across eastern Wisconsin on Time Warner Sports.