Nov. 16, 2010

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Post-Game Wrap-Up

CHICAGO - Courtney Lindfors scored a school freshman-record 35 points and pulled down 13 rebounds to lead the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee women's basketball team to an 82-69 win over Chicago State Tuesday evening at the Jones Convocation Center.

The Panthers (1-1) shot 54.1 percent and scored 53 points in the second half, led by 22 from Lindfors, to bolt to their first win of the season. Meanwhile, the Cougars dropped to 0-2.

"Great victory. It's nice to get the first one under your belt and we grinded it out," UWM head coach Sandy Botham said. "Chicago State played well, with great effort and a lot of aggressiveness. I'm proud of our kids because they held their composure. Every time Chicago State made a run, we were able to match it."

Milwaukee had four players get to double-digits in scoring, with Angela Rodriguez scoring 13 to go with six assists and three steals, while Lindsay Laur and Sami Tucker added 10 points apiece.

Lindfors, who added three blocks to her stat line, went 12-for-19 from the field and made 11-of-15 free throws on her way to tying the sixth-most points in a game in school history. She is the first freshman in school history to score 30 points in a game, doing so in just her second collegiate outing.

Courtney Waldon, the Great West Preseason Player of the Year, led CSU with 25 points and five 3-pointers. Caila Desroches added 10 points and two more Cougars contributed nine points apiece.

UWM led 61-59 with seven minutes to play before pulling away for the final time with a 10-0 run. Anne Breland and Rodriguez hit three-pointers to start the run. Kimee Chandler followed with a tip-in and Lindfors hit a lay-up to make it 71-59 less than two minutes later. Milwaukee would lead by as many as 14 before sealing the game down the stretch.

The Panthers overcame 31 percent shooting and 11 turnovers in the first half with an efficient offensive effort in the second period. They shot 54.1 percent, turned the ball over just eight times in the second half and forged a 24-14 advantage on the boards. The team shot 43.9 percent for the game, was 18-of-24 from the free throw line and outrebounded CSU, 40-37.

Chicago State shot 42.9 percent from the field, hitting on 6-of-12 three-point attempts, but finished with 27 turnovers.

The Cougars jumped out to a 9-4 lead to start the game, but the Panthers responded with a 13-1 run to take control. UWM would hold that lead until CSU scored back-to-back baskets coming out of halftime. The teams traded the lead back and forth until Milwaukee took the lead for good at 40-37 on a Tucker three-point play, which was followed by a Chandler three-pointer to make it 43-37.

The Panthers return to action this weekend at the Subway Classic in Minneapolis, Minn. Milwaukee opens the tournament against host Minnesota Saturday at 1 p.m.