Feb. 12, 2009

Box Score
Milwaukee Postgame Press Conference

CLEVELAND, Ohio - J'Nathan Bullock scored 16 points to lead four players in double figures as Cleveland State captured a 70-61 win over the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Thursday night at the Wolstein Center.

The Panthers (14-10, 9-5 Horizon) trailed by as many as 18 points in the first half but cut the deficit to three with 11:13 remaining in the game. Then, Cleveland State scored the next nine points to regain control and move into a third-place tie with UWM.

Milwaukee played without leading scorer Tone Boyle, who was sidelined by back spasms. James Eayrs scored 19 points and had nine rebounds to lead the Panthers, who also got 13 points and eight rebounds from Ricky Franklin.

Norris Cole had 14 points, D'Aundray Brown 13 and Cedric Jackson 11 points, nine assists and nine rebounds for the Vikings (18-8, 9-5), who shot 57.1 percent in the first half in building their big lead.

CSU also outscored UWM, 16-5, from the foul line, as the Vikings were called for just nine fouls in the game.

"The game is pretty simple. It's about getting easy shots and getting the best shots you can get. We were taking a lot of shots from the perimeter, and had some good looks but didn't knock them down," UWM head coach Rob Jeter said. "Not having Tone Boyle out there creates some of that, but clearly if you can't get to the free throw line - seven free throw attempts - that's just not going to get it done on the road."

It was a 28-8 burst that allowed Cleveland State to take control of the game in the first half. The Vikings turned an 11-10 deficit into a 38-19 lead. Milwaukee did pull within 39-25 at the half and then used a 21-10 run at the start of the second half to draw within 49-46 with 11 minutes to play. But, CSU's 9-0 run allowed it to regain control.

"I think there was a time there where I don't think they made a field goal, it was all free throws," Jeter said. "That's how you seal victories."

UWM continues its weekend road swing through northeast Ohio, taking on Youngstown State in a 7 p.m. contest Saturday at the Beeghly Center.