Jan. 29, 2010

Box Score
Milwaukee Postgame Audio |  Valparaiso Postgame Audio

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MILWAUKEE - Ricky Franklin hit a three-pointer with 2.4 seconds remaining to give the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee a thrilling 85-82 win over Valparaiso Friday night at the U.S. Cellular Arena.

Franklin's three came after Brandon McPherson had tied the game on a three-pointer with 27.1 seconds left.

On the ensuing possession, Franklin dribbled down the clock before making a move to the left wing. He was knocked off-balance slightly but regained his footing to get a shot off that hit nothing but net.

Franklin's shot capped a night that saw UWM (13-9, 5-5 Horizon) lead by as many as 10 points and that saw Jason Averkamp score 15 Panther points in a row during one stretch.

Averkamp and Franklin each wound up with 22 points, while James Eayrs added 17.

Cory Johnson had 21 points and Brandon McPherson 17 for Valpo (10-12, 5-5).

"I told him to dribble around and just shoot it before the clock runs out," UWM head coach Rob Jeter said with a chuckle about the instructions he gave before the winning shot. "We really wanted to get the last shot, and we were just going to get a little flat-screen action at the top. If a coach came in here and said they drew that up, or we practiced that shot, it would be a mistake. That's all the guys and that's all Rick just being a basketball player."

For Franklin, the plan was simple.

"I was kind of leaning back, but I just wanted to get the ball up the air before the clock ran out."

UWM was up 69-59 after a three-point play by Averkamp with 5:39 remaining. But McPherson hit a pair of threes to close the gap to four and then got within a point at 80-79 on a Brandon Wood layin with under a minute to play. Ja'Rob McCallum made two free throws to push the lead back to three, but McPherson responded with the tying three on the next possession.

That set the stage for Franklin, whose shot allowed to UWM to avenge - at least somewhat - a buzzer-beating loss at Valpo on New Year's Eve.

"If you had a chance to see both of our games, some of the crazy things and the unbelievable shots, it's fitting that tonight kind of ended the same way," Jeter said. "It's hard for me to forget the first meeting with Valpo and the shot and the play that McPherson made, and I'm sure they're going to be thinking the same thing here with the shot that Ricky Franklin made."

UWM appeared to lead by as many as 11 points in the first half, with two 3-pointers from Franklin and a three-pointer from Eayrs giving Milwaukee a 42-31 advantage heading into the locker room. But, officials reviewed a shot by Johnson from the 13-minute mark that had been ruled a two, and changed it to a three. That officially made the halftime score 42-32.

Milwaukee still led 48-40 early in the half but Valpo fought back to first tie the game at 50 on a three by Ryan Broekhoff and then took the lead at 53-52 on a three by Howard Little.

From there, UWM restored a 10-point lead, only to see the Crusaders fight back to tie before Franklin won the game.

UWM wraps up the weekend by welcoming league-leading Butler to the U.S. Cellular Arena Sunday for a 1 p.m. contest.