Nov. 11, 2011

Box Score

MILWAUKEE - Sophomore Courtney Lindfors led three players in double-figures with 13 points but it was not enough as the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee women's basketball team lost to the University of Wisconsin, 68-51, in the season opener Friday night at the Klotsche Center.

The Panthers (0-1) played the Badgers (1-0) evenly until deep into the second half before foul trouble played a significant role. Both Lindfors and junior Sami Tucker fouled out of the game, allowing Wisconsin to pull away and close the contest on a 22-to-10 run in front of a crowd of 1,316.

"I was pleased how we came out and competed," UWM head coach Sandy Botham said. "Sometimes, your biggest fear is they'll break it open and it's never a game - so I was pleased. I thought our players did a lot of positive things. Us getting in foul trouble was the big difference. Give Wisconsin a lot of credit. They stayed with it, they persevered, they crashed, they created opportunities for themselves. It was a good game. We had three sophomores, a freshman and a junior out there and this is a game that we can definitely build from."

In addition to Lindfors, Milwaukee got 11 points from freshman Kiki Wilson and 10 points from sophomore Emily Decorah. Tucker added eight points and a team-high six rebounds.

Taylor Wurtz had 17 points and 14 rebounds to lead the Badgers, who also got double-figure scoring efforts from Anya Covington (12) and 10 each from Ashley Thomas and Jade Davis. Covington added eight rebounds to help the Badgers to a substantial 48-to-24 advantage on the boards.

Down 28-22 at intermission, Wilson started the Panthers with a layup to get within four. The teams continued to trade baskets, with Milwaukee getting a pair of big makes from both Decorah and Lindfors, with Lindfors making it 42-38 on a layup with 11:42 to go.

The Badgers responded, with Wurtz converting a three-point play and picking up the fourth foul on Lindfors in the process.

Wilson again came through, drilling a three-pointer to get back within five at 46-41 before Lindfors would foul out at the 8:07 mark. Tucker would foul out a few minutes later and the Panthers could get no closer.

UWM shot 37.5% (21-of-56) from the floor, with the Badgers at 44.6% (25-of-56) for the game. The Panthers did force 18 turnovers but were hurt by 22.2% (4-of-18) shooting from three-point range and 45.5% (5-of-11) from the line.

Back and forth at the start, the Panthers led by as many as three midway through the first half and were tied, 13-13, with just over eight minutes left in the half. A Davis three gave Wisconsin a 16-13 lead and UW would add another to make the advantage five, but a basket by Tucker and a three-pointer by Decorah had UWM right back in it at 20-18 with just over five to go. A 6-to-2 run to close out the half gave the Badgers a six-point cushion heading into the locker room.

Up next, the Panthers prepare for their first road trip of the season, heading to Iowa to take on Drake Nov. 18 in a game set to tip off at 7 p.m.