Box Score |  Quotes

Post-Game Wrap Up | Laur Post-Game Interview | Radio Highlights

VALPARAISO, Ind. (Jan. 27, 2011) - Lindsay Laur scored a career-high 27 points and dished out a career-best seven assists in leading the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee women's basketball team to a 73-61 win over Valparaiso Thursday evening at the Athletics-Recreation Center.

The Panthers (7-12, 4-4 Horizon) outscored the Crusaders (4-16, 1-7 Horizon) by 15 over the final 14 minutes to take the lead for good and pull away for their fourth win in five games.

"It's great to get a road victory. We struggled here last year, so it was a nice team victory," UWM head coach Sandy Botham said. "I thought they were focused on both ends of the court, worked and executed the game plan well. (Lindsay and Angela Rodriguez) were so engaged tonight, communicating with each other in terms of things that were open and really got into a great rhythm."

The tandem of Laur and Angela Rodriguez sparked the Milwaukee offense after the team had fallen down 43-41 at the 14:14 mark of the second half. UWM responded with nine-straight points and never looked back.

Rodriguez added 16 points and six assists, burying all four of her three-point attempts and was 6-for-7 from the field. Laur was an efficient 10-for-13 from the floor, hitting both of her three-point tries. Sami Tucker had eight points and 10 rebounds and Courtney Lindfors added nine points and six boards.

Betsy Adams led Valpo with 22 points, including her team's last 13 points over the last five-plus minutes. Kelly Watts and Tabitha Gerardot scored 11 points apiece and combined for 13 rebounds.

The Panthers pulled away in the second half with hot shooting, finishing 16-of-24 from the field (.667) in the frame, with 5-of-7 shooting from three point range. They finished the game at a season-high 57.4 percent. UWM also went 9-of-14 from beyond the arc tying the fourth-best three-point percentage in school history.

After being outrebounded by five at halftime, Milwaukee forged a +10 rebounding advantage in the second half and finished +5 at 32-27 for the game. The team committed 19 turnovers, but had 17 assists.

Valparaiso overcame 33.3 percent shooting in the opening frame, but it was not enough as it finished at 37.5 percent for the game. The league's best three-point shooting team entering the game, made 7-of-22 from three-point range. They turned the ball over 16 times with 16 assists.

The Milwaukee offense took a little while getting going early, seeing Valpo jump out to a 15-8 lead. The Panthers then quickly tied the game after back-to-back three's by Rodriguez and Anne Breland. The game was back and forth for the rest of the half, with Milwaukee heading into the locker room leading, 28-25.

UWM continues its road trip through Indiana Saturday, playing at Butler in Indianapolis. The Panthers and Bulldogs tip off at 1 p.m. central time at the Hinkle Fieldhouse.