Box Score |  Quotes

Post-Game Wrap-Up

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (Jan. 29, 2011) - Lindsay Laur had a double-double of 16 points and 11 rebounds and Angela Rodriguez hit five 3-pointers on her way to 17 points, but it was not enough as the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee women's basketball team fell to Butler, 72-64, Saturday afternoon at the Hinkle Fieldhouse.

The Panther (7-13, 4-5 Horizon) defense came alive in the second half as they faced an 18-point deficit and whittled it to six, and later seven on several occasions. The Bulldogs (14-7, 8-1 Horizon) hit enough free throws late to thwart the comeback attempt and secure the win.

"I'm proud of our players' perseverance and determination," UWM head coach Sandy Botham said. "They showed a lot of resilience. They stayed with it and really fought back. Give Butler credit, they hit big shots down the stretch when we were trying to cut into the lead. We're disappointed with the loss, we would loved to have won two on the road. But, we can take a lot away from this and there's no question we are getting better."

In addition to Laur and Rodriguez, Courtney Lindfors also got into double-figures with 12 points and nine rebounds. Rodriguez was 6-for-7 from the field and 5-for-6 on three-point attempts, while Laur played all 40 minutes to notch her eighth double-double of the season.

Devin Brierly led the Bulldogs with 19 points, while Chloe Hamilton and Alyssa Pittman added 15 points apiece.

Butler took a 50-32 lead at the 17:04 mark of the second half, but Milwaukee then rattled off a 16-4 run to get back in the game. UWM's post players played a large role, as Lindfors and Jenilee Klomstad combined for 11 points over that stretch, pulling the Panthers back in the game.

The Bulldogs would push their lead back to 12 with an 8-2 run, but UWM got five-straight points from Laur to make it just a seven-point game. That would be the closes it would get, despite holding Butler to only free throws over the final 4:14 of the game. BU went 10-of-14 at the charity stripe in that time.

Milwaukee's offense was up and down throughout the game, but finished at a solid 41.5 percent shooting from the field and 8-of-20 from three-point range. The Panthers were an uncharacteristic 12-of-19 from the free throw line, but they won the rebounding battle, 44-32.

UWM was the first league opponent to outrebound Butler this season.

BU was limited to just 35.7 percent shooting from the field in the second half to level off at 42.4 percent for the game. The Bulldogs had shot 48.4 percent in the first half to build a 38-28 lead, but relied on 18 second-half trips to the free throw line (making 13) to hold off the Panther charge. They also committed just eight turnovers to UWM's 19 for a 22-6 advantage on points off turnovers.

The Panthers return to action Thursday, starting the second half of the Horizon League season hosting Youngstown State at the Klotsche Center. UWM and YSU tip off at 7 p.m.