Box Score |  Notes

MILWAUKEE, Wis. (March 12, 2008) - Junior Traci Edwards scored 26 points and pulled down 11 rebounds to lead the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee women's basketball team to a 67-60 win over Valparaiso in the quarterfinals of the 2008 Horizon League Tournament Wednesday evening at the Klotsche Center.

The third-seeded Panthers (17-13) advanced to the semifinals, where they will face No. 2 Wright State (15-15). The Raiders defeated Youngstown State, in Dayton, Ohio. UWM and WSU will square off Friday at the Kress Center in Green Bay, Wis. Tip off is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.

"Wright State is a very talented team," Milwaukee head coach Sandy Botham said of her team's semifinal opponent. "I'm happy for (WSU head coach) Bridgett (Williams) to get (Horizon League) Co-Coach of the Year. We played them just a week ago. I remember the game plan well and I hope (our players) do too. It's fresh in our minds. We know their personnel and that is fresh for us."

Edwards picked up her 17th double-double of the season, while adding a pair of blocks. She pushed her season scoring total to 614, just one point off the school record she set last season. Senior Aubri Rote added 10 points, knocking down three 3-pointers, while junior Jody Crumble chipped in seven points, nine rebounds, three assists and three steals.

Sarah Ott led three Crusaders (14-16) in double-figures, hitting five 3-pointers for 15 points. Aimee Litka also did all of her scoring from behind the arc, making four 3's, and Agnieszka Kulaga finished with 10 points and nine assists.

Milwaukee led by as many as 18, but could not shake a sharp-shooting Valpo squad. Edwards converted an old fashioned three-point play with 4:19 to play, giving UWM a 60-42 advantage. The Crusaders then rattled off a 15-1 run to pull within four at 61-57 at the 41-second mark. The Panthers converted 6-of-8 free throws the rest of the way to hold off Valpo's charge.

UWM shot 45.1 percent in the game, including 8-for-19 on three-pointers, while it held Valparaiso to just 37.9 percent from the field. The Crusaders did make 14-of-30 three-point attempts, but Milwaukee's size was too much, as the visitors were limited to 8-for-28 inside the arc.

The Panthers gained a 26-14 advantage in the paint and cleaned up on the boards with a 42-31 edge. They also tied a season-high with five blocked shots.

"In the first half when we shot 40 percent, I thought we were missing opportunities on the block," Botham said. "I talked about getting the ball inside at halftime and the outside opened up."

Milwaukee looked as though it would run away with the game a number of times, including after building a 15-6 lead less than halfway through the first half. A 10-0 Valpo run gave it its only lead of the game at 16-15 before back-to-back threes from freshman Lindsay Laur and sophomore Jodie McClain gave UWM the lead for good.

In the second half, it was a back-and-forth battle, as the Panthers used a 12-3 run to take a 14-point lead. Then the Crusaders had a 10-2 run of their own, before going 5:40 without a point to allow Milwaukee to build its largest lead of the game of 18 points.