Jan. 3, 2009

Box Score
Milwaukee Postgame Press Conference

CHICAGO - Avery Smith scored 28 points and Tone Boyle added 19 as the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee won its fourth-straight Horizon League game in capturing an 80-66 win over Loyola Saturday afternoon at the Gentile Center.

The Panthers (8-5, 4-0 Horizon) built a 14-point first-half lead and then led by as many as 20 points late in the second half in continuing their best league start since the 2005-06 season.

Milwaukee made 13 three-pointers, the third-straight game where it has connected on at least 10 shots from long range. And, the Panthers shot 51.8 percent from the field overall in breaking the 80-point mark for the fifth time.

J.R. Blount scored 19 points to lead Loyola (8-6, 0-2), which had won four in a row and five of six entering the contest.

"I am pleased with the kind of shots we are getting because they are shots we take every day and they are shots within our offense," UWM head coach Rob Jeter said. "I do like the patience we have had, too, of really probing the paint. We've tried to get it into the paint and have it come out."

Though there were some tense moments in the second half, UWM really controlled the game from wire-to-wire. The Panthers jumped to a 17-6 lead in the first seven minutes of the game and were still up 27-16 after back-to-back threes by Boyle and Ricky Franklin. Milwaukee eventually pushed its lead out to 32-18 on another three from Boyle, but Loyola was able to rally within eight points at the half.

The Panthers then tried to eliminate any doubt at the start of the second half, scoring eight-straight points to build a 43-27 advantage.

Loyola did cut the lead to nine with 11:56 remaining after converting four-straight free throws thanks to a foul on James Eayrs and a technical foul on Smith. And, after the Panthers rebuilt a 13-point edge, the Ramblers pulled within 53-45 on a three-pointer by Marcus Thomas with 8:52 left.

But Smith made sure Loyola would get no closer. He knocked down a pair of three-pointers with under five minutes to play and wound up scoring 20 of his 28 points in the second half to help seal the win.

"I think we all understood that being away from the game for a year, it was going to take him a little time to get into a rhythm," Jeter said. "What I am really proud about is that he really blends in well with the rest of the group. That's what is exciting - he passes, he's making some shots, and he's playing at a good pace. His ability to blend in with our group and allow Tone Boyle to get some touches and Tony Meier and some of our other bigs (to get some touches), that's the strength of our team."

UWM returns to action Monday night, starting a five-game homestand by welcoming Valparaiso to the U.S. Cellular Arena. The game tips off at 7 p.m.