Feb. 27, 2010

Box Score
Milwaukee Postgame Press Conference
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CHICAGO - Anthony Hill scored 20 points to lead four players in double figures as the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee hung on for a 78-74 win over UIC Saturday afternoon at the UIC Pavilion.

With the win, Milwaukee (18-13, 10-8 Horizon) clinches the fourth seed for the upcoming Speedway Horizon League Men's Basketball Championship and will face the Flames again Tuesday night in a first round contest in Milwaukee.

UWM ends the regular season having won five-straight league contests, including three-straight on the road.

James Eayrs added 19 points and Ricky Franklin contributed 16 for Milwaukee, which led by as many as 16 points in the second half.

Lonnie Boga also pitched-in with 10 points, making all eight of his free throws, including a pair that helped clinch the win with 5.7 seconds remaining.

Robo Kreps had 16 points and Zavion Neely 15 for UIC (8-21, 3-15), which used a big comeback to beat Green Bay Thursday night but could not come all the way back Saturday.

The Panthers were solid on offense throughout the contest, making 49 percent of their shots overall and 19-of-27 from the line. UWM also held a big, 41-27, rebounding edge and never trailed in the contest.

"I don't know that I have to look at the stats to know how proud I am of this team," UWM head coach Rob Jeter said. "We've really fought our way back to this point. We found a way to come together as a group and fight and scratch and claw and take care of our own business.

"We've improved, I'm so proud of how they've stuck together and this game really kind of sums that up. It was a fight to the end. It says a lot about the character of these guys and the fight of these guys."

Milwaukee's final 16-point advantage came when a Hill basket made it 55-39 with 13:36 remaining. UIC did get as close as six points just over four minutes later, but UWM was able to restore a 69-58 lead when Ja'Rob McCallum hit a pair of free throws with 5:34 left.

UIC didn't go away, though, pulling within 69-64 on a Kreps three with 3:29 left. The Flames eventually got within 69-67 on a layin by Neely with 1:44 remaining, but the Panthers scored four points on their next possession, as Franklin made a basket and missed a free throw, only to see Eayrs grab the rebound and convert a layin to make it 73-67 with 1:22 left.

The lead was still five points after Franklin made a single free throw with 19.2 seconds remaining, but Kreps hit a three to make it 76-74 with 13 seconds left. After UWM ran some clock, Boga was fouled and - for the second-straight game - was poked in the eye. After a delay, he decided to shoot the free throws himself, making both to complete his perfect day from the line and seal UWM's 18th win of the season.

UWM looked like it might put the game away in the first half. The Panthers scored the first eight points of the game and never really let up in the first 20 minutes. The lead grew to 15-6 on a tip-in by Eayrs with 14:14 remaining and UIC would never get closer than five points the rest of the half.

Milwaukee's advantage was still 24-15 on a three-pointer by Franklin at the midway point of the half and reached double digits for the first time on two free throws by Jerard Ajami with 2:18 remaining.

Ajami then hit two more free throws and Hill added an inside hoop for a 41-26 lead before Kreps converted a late free throw to make it 41-27 at the half.

Milwaukee quickly extended the lead to 43-27 on the first possession of the second half and still led 55-39 on a Hill jumper with 13:36 remaining. That's when UIC started its comeback, aided by Franklin spending over four minutes on the bench with four fouls.

UWM's Speedway Horizon League Championship first round game with UIC tips off Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the U.S. Cellular Arena. Tickets are available through all Milwaukee-area Ticketmaster outlets or just call the Panther Ticket Office at 414-229-5886 for more information.