Box Score |  Notes

MILWAUKEE, Wis. (Feb. 5, 2009) - Senior Traci Edwards had 13 points, 11 rebounds and blocked four shots, but it was not enough as the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee women's basketball team dropped a 53-45 decision to Cleveland State Thursday evening at the Klotsche Center.

The Panthers (9-12, 4-6 Horizon) continue to alternate wins and losses, doing so for the seventh-straight game. Milwaukee held the Vikings (13-9, 7-3 Horizon) to just 29.3 percent shooting, but turned the ball over 28 times.

"I thought defensively we did great, obviously held them to 29.3 percent. We beat ourselves with our turnovers," Milwaukee head coach Sandy Botham said. "We're just not executing well offensively. It's discouraging because we beat ourselves. Give Cleveland State credit, they fought, they were aggressive, they stayed with it. We just couldn't get over the hump."

Edwards was one of two players UWM had in double figures, collecting her third-straight double-double. Sophomore Ashley Imperiale added 12 points and senior Turquoise McCain chipped in eight.

Shawnita Garland led three Vikings scoring in double-digits with 15 points. Jessica Roque scored 13 and Kailey Klein 10. Dominique Butler missed a triple double by one point, scoring nine, pulling down 10 boards and coming away with 10 steals.

Milwaukee struggled at the beginning of each half, but after Cleveland State pulled away, the Panthers were able to pull back into the game. In the first half, CSU jumped out to a 12-3 lead as UWM shot 1-of-6 and committed eight turnovers over the first 7:22 of the game.

From that point on, the Panthers shot 9-of-15 for the rest of the half and pulled within two at 23-21 on a three-pointer from sophomore Lindsay Laur. Cleveland State then tallied six of the last eight points of the half for a 28-23 halftime lead.

UWM was once again within two points early in the second half before the Vikings rattled off a 13-2 run for a game-high 13-point lead at 8:15. At that point, the Panthers were shooting 4-for-20 from the field in the frame.

"Against Butler, we had 28 turnovers and we won," Botham said. "Usually you look at that stat line (and you are not going to win). Well, there is that stat line again. It's disappointing. We had shots we just didn't knock down, some good looks we just weren't able to finish."

Then, the offense clicked in the form of an 11-0 run. The Panthers shot 4-of-6 over the stretch and cut the 13-point lead down to two at 44-42 with 4:18 to play. Edwards then pulled down a defensive rebound off a missed Butler shot, but, UWM missed a lay-up with a chance to tie.

It was still a two-point game at 47-45 with 50.3 seconds remaining, but Milwaukee did not score again and CSU converted six-straight free throws in the final minute to seal the game.

Milwaukee shot 36.7 percent on the game, buried 5-of-16 three-pointers and forged a 39-37 advantage on the boards. Cleveland State sank just 17-of-58 shot attempts in the game, including 3-for-18 from three-point range. The visitors did get to the free throw line 19 times, making 16, while UWM was a scant 4-of-9 for the game at the charity stripe.

"We just can't take advantage of the opportunity. That's what's tough," Botham said. "We closed the gaps and just weren't able to get over the hump. They got to the free throw line and I think that was a big difference. They were aggressive and they got the free throw line and we didn't."

The Panthers' four-game homestand comes to an end Saturday when Youngstown State visits the Klotsche Center. UWM and YSU tip off at 2 p.m.