Nov. 24, 2009

Box Score
Jeter Audio Postgame
Audio Highlights

FORT WORTH, Tex. - Ricky Franklin scored 19 points to lead three players in double figures and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee rode a big second half to post a hard-fought 69-60 win over Colgate Tuesday in its final game of the NIT Season Tipoff Tournament.

The Panthers (4-2) scored 46 points in the second half and led by as many as 13 points in claiming their third-straight win.

Freshman Lonnie Boga provided a huge spark for the Panthers, scoring a collegiate-best 17 points. James Eayrs also added a double-double of 15 points and 10 rebounds.

Kyle Roemer scored 26 points to lead Colgate (0-4), which has also dropped a 12-point game to UCONN and a 13-point game to TCU in the early season.

UWM struggled from the floor in the first half, making just 8-of-27 from the field. But the Panthers recovered quickly in the second 20 minutes, grabbing the lead for good just five minutes in before pulling away.

Milwaukee also posted a solid defensive effort throughout. The Panthers limited the Raiders to 40 percent shooting from the field and held Yaw Gyawu, who had 25 points against TCU Monday night, to just eight points.

"It's something we've been talking a lot about but, quite frankly, really haven't accomplished it. We haven't really put (together) a great defensive effort or even a solid defensive effort," UWM head coach Rob Jeter said. "In that first half, that's exactly what kept us in the game. We knew Roemer was going to make some shots but we didn't want that second threat to get them going. Defensively, as a team, we pulled it off."

Boga kept UWM close in the first half, knocking in three 3-pointers to tally nine points in the first 20 minutes.

"You look at the points that Lonnie Boga scored and then the seven rebounds to go along with that - that's pretty tough basketball," Jeter said. "I like the fact we were able to come on the road and get two wins. Now that makes it three in a row and we're just trying to build on that to keep gaining some confidence."

The Panthers trailed by as many as seven points in the opening 20 minutes, with a basket by Roemer pushing Colgate out to a 12-5 advantage almost nine minutes into the game.

UWM did recover nicely, going ahead 18-17 on a conventional three-point play by Eayrs with 6:29 remaining. But, Milwaukee scored just five points the rest of the way and Colgate carried a 26-23 lead into the locker room.

Milwaukee took lead right away in the second half, with a layin by Deonte Roberts making it 27-26. The Panthers then took the lead for good at 34-33 on a follow up by Eayrs, and had the advantage into double digits after an Eayrs three with just over nine minutes remaining.

Colgate got as close as five after that, but the Panthers used a 10-2 run to seal the victory.

The Panthers return to action Saturday afternoon with a contest at Bowling Green. That game tips off at 2 p.m. EST/1 p.m. CST.