Jan. 5, 2009

Box Score
Milwaukee Postgame Press Conference
Valparaiso Postgame Press Conference

MILWAUKEE - Avery Smith scored 22 points and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee used a 32-8 run to overcome a slow start and claim a 61-47 win over Valparaiso Monday night at the U.S. Cellular Arena.

The Panthers (9-5, 5-0 Horizon) missed all 11 of their three-pointers in the first half but then made six of their first eight in the second half to seize control of the game.

Tone Boyle added 10 points for Milwaukee, which is 5-0 in league play for the first time since the 2005-06 season. Anthony Hill added nine points and seven rebounds while Tony Meier and Ricky Franklin pitched-in with eight apiece to pace a balanced UWM attack.

Milwaukee also posted another sturdy defensive effort, forcing 18 Valparaiso turnovers while limiting the Crusaders to a 34.6 percent effort from the field. Smith, the reigning league player of the week, led the way with five steals

Urule Igbavboa scored 12 points to lead Valpo (4-11, 1-3).

"We feel good about making outside shots, but there are times where they are not going in. What are you going to do then?" UWM head coach Rob Jeter said. "What I was proud of is these guys made more free throws than Valpo attempted, and that means we got it inside, we got fouled and we made some things happen inside the paint.

"That first half it just didn't seem like anything was going to go in for us from the perimeter, but we just stayed close enough."

In fact, UWM trailed 23-12 after going scoreless for nearly six minutes and without a field goal for over seven minutes. But, slowly but surely, UWM came back. The Panthers scored six-straight over the final three minutes of the half to pull within 23-18 at the break, then opened the half with a 26-8 burst to build a 44-31 advantage.

The second-half surge started with Franklin and Smith each knocking in three-pointers to start the half. The duo each hit another during the run while Boyle pitched-in with two more. The final three of the burst came from Boyle, who knocked one in from the corner off the break after a blocked shot by Hill.

Valpo would never get closer than six points after that, and it was the inside play of the Panthers that really made the difference from there. After going scoreless while grabbing just one rebound in the first half, Hill posted a nine-point, six-rebound effort in 16 second-half minutes.

"I am proud of him. His minutes have been in-some, out-some, and he accepts every time he gets in those stretches," Jeter said. "Early in the year, I thought his post game was very strong and very confident, and we've got to get him back to that point. It comes in circles, so we're hoping it gets to a point where we can have balance and get some things inside. We certainly tried to establish that in the second half of this game."

That inside game helped the Panthers shoot 17 free throws in the second half, using quickness to get to the rim as the game wore on.

"They are hard to defend because they can shoot the threes, but they are quick," Valpo head coach Homer Drew said. "Then they started to penetrate and of course we got into foul trouble and got them to the free throw line. They can shoot, they can penetrate and they share the ball well."

UWM will now look to extend its unbeaten run in league play when in-state rival Green Bay visits the U.S. Cellular Arena Friday night. The game begins at 8 p.m. CST and will be televised live nationally on ESPNU.