Box Score | Notes
Post Game Press Conference (Sandy Botham, Traci Edwards, Ashley Imperiale)

GREEN BAY, Wis. (March 13, 2009) - Senior Traci Edwards and sophomore Ashley Imperiale scored 24 points apiece and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee women's basketball team overcame a 14-0 deficit to move past Cleveland State, 63-57, in the 2009 Horizon League Semifinals Friday evening at the Kress Center.

Despite being the seventh seed, the Panthers (15-17) now advance to their third Horizon League Championship game and first since 2006. Milwaukee will meet the winner of the second semifinal contest between No. 1 Green Bay and No. 5 Wright State.

"I'm really proud of our players' perseverance and their `never-quit' to get down 14-0 and to stay the course, stay poised and chip away at it," UWM head coach Sandy Botham said. "They continue to amaze me. We're the only team that was playing on Monday and here we are in the championship. I am very thrilled and happy for these guys. We got knocked out last year and now we're one step further than last year."

Edwards collected a double-double with 11 rebounds and became the state of Wisconsin's all-time collegiate scorer in the process. She surpassed Wisconsin's Jolene Anderson (2,312) and now has 2,329 career points. Imperiale set a career high on 9-of-11 shooting, sinking 3-of-5 from three-point range and playing all 40 minutes for the second time this season. She was named the U.S. Army Horizon League Player of the Game.

"I love this gym. I feel like this is a shooters' gym," Imperiale said. "Last time we were here I thought I shot well, too. I just got some good looks and my teammates got me some great passes."

Sophomore Lindsay Laur, remarkably, was the only other Milwaukee player to score, finishing with 13. The rest of the team combined to go 0-for-10 from the field, but received a number of strong efforts including senior Markita Barnes who had seven boards and 10 assists.

Shawnita Garland scored 18 points to lead Cleveland State (19-13), while Kailey Klein and Dominque Butler each tallied nine.

Cleveland State jumped out to a 14-0 lead as the Panthers did not crack the scoreboard until 13:26 on an Imperiale jumper. That basket started a 14-2 run that pulled Milwaukee within two at 16-14 at 9:37. UWM caught up to the Vikings at 21-21, eventually took the lead as part of a 14-4 run and went into the locker room ahead at 35-31.

"We (knew) that we still had it," Edwards said of being down 14-0 six minutes into the game. "They were going to make runs at us all game, but we just stuck with it. We switched up our defense and we locked down."

After missing its first five shots, Milwaukee finished the frame 10-for-16 and shot 47.6 for the half. The team also settled down and committed just one turnover over the final nine minutes of the half.

The Panther defense stepped up in the second half, as they never trailed and limited Cleveland State to just 27 percent in the half. The Vikings did put a scare into UWM with a late 12-4 run to pull within two at 59-27 with 43 seconds to go. But, Edwards hit a lay-up and Laur converted two free throws with 2.1 seconds to go to seal the win.

Milwaukee shot 51.2 percent in the game, including 6-for-14 from three-point range. It was also 13-of-15 at the free throw line. The Panthers won the battle of the boards, 37-30, and managed to overcome 22 turnovers.

The Vikings shot just 32.3 percent on the night and made just 4-of-17 three-point attempts. They committed just eight turnovers and had 14 steals.

UWM is the first seventh seed to advance to the Horizon League Championship game since Detroit lost to Green Bay in the 2003 title game. That season, No. 7 started play in the quarterfinals, while the Panthers will be playing their fifth game in eight days Sunday.

"I think as the seventh seed, you don't have that mentality that we have to win because you are not expected to win," Imperiale said. "Everybody is above us and a higher seed. We are playing as the underdog and have nothing to lose. It's actually a really nice feeling to have."

Milwaukee has played in two championship games, defeating Green Bay in 2001 and UIC in 2006.

"I think that would be amazing," Edwards said of a possible championship game meeting with Green Bay. "It hasn't happened in (a while). I think it is the rivalry of the conference, I would think. Usually we finish one-two. We both are going to go at each other."