Dec. 13, 2011

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MILWAUKEE - Jared Berggren had 17 points including a three-pointer that gave 14th-ranked Wisconsin the lead for good as the Badgers claimed a 60-54 win over the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Tuesday night at the U.S. Cellular Arena.

The Panthers (8-3) had rallied from a 17-point deficit to tie the game at 48 before the Badgers (9-2) pulled it out.

Milwaukee played without starters Kyle Kelm and Ja'Rob McCallum, who were both sidelined by injuries. But, once the Panthers found their stride, they thrilled the regular-season record crowd of 10,143 and nearly sprung the upset.

Tony Meier led UWM with 15 points, including a pair of three-pointers during the Panthers' big rally. Milwaukee wound up outscoring Wisconsin in the paint (30-20), outrebounding the Badgers (34-32) and committing just six turnovers. But UWM was hurt by 7-of-17 shooting from the line and 30 percent shooting in the first half.

James Haarsma added 11 points and Evan Richard 10 for Milwaukee, which also got 13 solid minutes from Christian Wolf and 12 minutes from Ryan Haggerty in place of the injured Kelm.

The Badgers had just enough late in the game. In addition to the three by Berggren, Jordan Taylor scored seven points in the final four minutes, including a stare-down three late in the shot clock with less than a minute remaining.

"It came down to kids making a couple of tough shots," UWM head coach Rob Jeter said. "We talk about teams having to beat us that way and Wisconsin made two big dagger shots. For our guys to be down and to play a team that's as sound as Wisconsin and for them to battle back and to do it in a way that was inside and not from the outside is encouraging. As much as it hurts right now to lose this game, I thought we were better tonight than we were on Saturday."

Milwaukee looked like it might not be able to make a game of it over the first 25 minutes. Wisconsin led by as many as 14 points in the first half and then claimed a 44-27 advantage on a three-point play by Ryan Evans with 15:17 remaining.

The Panthers sprung to life from there, outscoring the Badgers 16-1 over the next five-plus minutes to pull within 45-43. Meier had 11 points during the run, which also included a three-pointer and layup from Richard.

Milwaukee eventually tied the game at 48 on a layup by Meier with 5:22 remaining, but Berggren answered with a three and Wisconsin would never give the lead back. The Panthers were still within four with 22 seconds remaining, but a pair of Berggren free throws sealed the game.

"They came back and fought," Jeter said. "When you are playing a really good basketball team defensively like Wisconsin you are going to have those stretches. You have to be patient and keep throwing it inside. I enjoyed seeing us battle against those bigger guys. It's who we are and it's how we have to play."

UWM stays home but returns to campus for its next contest. Nebraska-Omaha visits the Klotsche Center for a 7 p.m. tipoff Saturday.