Jan. 22, 2010

Box Score
Jeter Postgame Audio |  Franklin Postgame Audio

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - Ricky Franklin scored 21 points and Anthony Hill added 16 as the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee claimed a 69-59 win over Youngstown State Friday night in front of a national-television audience and 6,087 fans at the Beeghly Center.

The Panthers (12-8, 4-4 Horizon) led by as many as 13 points in the second half before the Penguins (7-11, 2-7) pulled within four with 2:52 remaining. But, Franklin hit a deep three on UWM's next possession and Milwaukee then hit 13-of-15 free throws in the final two minutes to secure the victory.

Sirlester Martin and Vytas Sulskis scored 11 points apiece to lead Youngstown State, which shot just 34.8 percent from the floor against a stellar Milwaukee defense.

Milwaukee, meanwhile, shot a solid 47.8 percent from the floor, again establishing its inside game before adding key three-point baskets. UWM wound up with 28 points in the paint and 19 from the foul line along with six 3-point baskets.

"We have to play our style of basketball and we have to be able to get the ball inside," UWM head coach Rob Jeter said. "It's who we are as a team. We have some bigs inside, we have to try to establish that inside game and we shoot the ball much better when it comes from the paint back out to the perimeter."

Franklin had an answer every time Youngstown tried to make the game interesting. When Mays scored a layup to pull his team within 45-41 with eight minutes left, Franklin countered with a challenged jumper from the corner to stem the tide. Then, with the score 51-46, Franklin somehow got off a left-handed shot from 19-feet away as the shot clock expired. It rimmed off, but James Eayrs was able to tip it in and restore a seven-point lead.

Finally, Franklin's three-pointer from the right wing with 2:20 left started the Panthers final run.

"He really put us on his back and carried us through some of those anxious moments," Jeter said. "The shot clock is running down, they made their run ... and then a quick bucket or a timely bucket by Ricky. He did an unbelievable job."

"I just tried to keep everything calmed down," Franklin said. "Coach relies on me for a lot. I try to keep myself calm and keep everyone else calmed down, too.

"They really fought hard in the second half. We made some key stops and a couple of tough shots down the stretch to pull out the win."

UWM started the first half by pounding the ball inside. Hill had eight of Milwaukee's first 13 points as the Panthers claimed a 13-9 advantage nine minutes into the game. After Youngstown rallied to tie the game at 13 on an alley-oop dunk by Kelvin Bright, Milwaukee responded with five in a row for an 18-13 advantage.

Franklin put on a shooting show from there, knocking in three 3-pointers in a row to give Milwaukee a 27-17 lead with 3:48 remaining. Meanwhile, UWM held YSU to just two field goals in a six-minute span in building the double-digit advantage.

The lead actually grew to 31-20 on a spinning basket by Eayrs with just under two minutes remaining, but Ashen Ward banked in a three-pointer with six seconds left to bring the Penguins within 31-23 at the break.

The Panthers quickly extended the lead to 36-23 in the first 68 seconds of the second half, as Jerard Ajami knocked home a three from the corner before Hill scored off the glass.

Youngstown State fought its way back in the game, with a three-point play by Ward bringing the Penguins within 42-34 with 13 minutes remaining. The Penguins eventually closed to within 45-41 on a layin by DeAndre Mays with 7:55 remaining, and Mays then hit a three with 2:52 remaining to again pull the Penguins within four at 53-49.

But, Franklin buried a deep three on UWM's next possession and Milwaukee converted on its free throws in the final two minutes to secure the win.

"We knew we had to be strong down the stretch," Jeter said. "Ricky hit some tough shots at the end of the shot clock and Deonte Roberts came up with some big free throws."

UWM continues its weekend stay in Ohio with a Sunday afternoon contest against Cleveland State. The Panthers and Vikings square off at 2 p.m. EST/1 p.m. CST at the Wolstein Center, with live coverage on Sports 32 in eastern Wisconsin as well as nationally on ESPN Full Court.