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MILWAUKEE, Wis. (Nov. 25, 2009) - The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee women's basketball team jumped out to a 20-1 lead and held off a late rallying charge in defeating Northern Illinois, 73-65, Wednesday evening at the Klotsche Center.

The Panthers (3-1) shot 64.3 percent in the opening half and did not allow the Huskies (3-2) to make a field goal until the 10:56 mark in the first half, but it turned into a four-point game late in regulation before UWM held on for the victory.

"It was a great win over an up-and-coming Northern Illinois team," Milwaukee head coach Sandy Botham said. "It was a great team effort. A lot of people contributed offensively and defensively. I thought defensively, we did a tremendous job, especially the first half."

Junior Lindsay Laur tied a career high with 20 points and added nine rebounds to lead four players in double-figures for Milwaukee. Senior Jodie McClain added 11 points and nine assists, while junior Ashley Imperiale and sophomore Amanda Viehauser added 10 points apiece.

Marke Freeman scored a team-high 16 points for Northern Illinois, including back-to-back three-point plays in the final minute to pull her team within four. Tenisha Wilson added 10 points and four other players had at least eight points for the visitors.

After getting off to a monstrous start in the first half, Milwaukee's offense struggled to get rolling in the second half. The Panthers committed 12 turnovers in the frame, while shooting a respectable 45 percent for the half. NIU, meanwhile, took 21 more field goal attempts in the half and managed to whittle a 20-point halftime lead to four at 69-65 with 23 seconds remaining.

Milwaukee held its ground over the last 23 seconds, as Laur hit a pair of free throws and Imperiale came up with a steal with just 10 seconds remaining. Her free throws then iced the game.

The Panthers shot a season-high 56.3 percent for the game and went 17-of-22 from the free throw line. They were also outrebounded for the first time this season, 39-35. The Huskies finished at 35.3 percent shooting for the game, despite hitting on just 25.9 percent of their shots in the first period.

UWM had 17 assists, but turned the ball over 21 times in the game, leading to 23 NIU points. After forcing the visitors into 11 first-half miscues, the Panthers forced just five in the second half for two points.

Northern Illinois missed its first 13 field goal attempts of the game and the Panthers continually converted on the offensive end as they built their lead as high as 25 late in the first half. Sophomore Danielle Jorgenson hit back-to-back jumpers to make it 38-13 with 3:58 to go before halftime.

A 7-0 Huskie run made it 38-20, before an Imperiale jumper just before the buzzer provided for the 40-20 halftime score.

The Panthers hit the road for four-straight road games, beginning this weekend at the SeattleU Thanksgiving Tournament in Seattle, Wash. UWM takes on South Alabama Saturday, then the host Redhawks Sunday.