Dec. 3, 2011

Box Score

KALAMAZOO, Mich. - Junior Sami Tucker posted her third-straight double-double with 21 points and 11 rebounds and sophomore Courtney Lindfors added a season-high 20 points, but it was not enough as the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee women's basketball team came up short in a 69-63 loss to Western Michigan University Saturday afternoon.

Playing from behind after the first 10 minutes, the Panthers (2-4) tied it up late in the second half and were within two points of the Broncos (1-5) on a pair of occasions in the final three minutes. However, a big three-pointer by Corie Buchanan and four made free throws in the final 20 seconds put the game away for WMU.

Tucker's 21 points was a season-high and Lindfors added a career-best four blocks. Freshman Ashley Green chipped in with seven points and a season-high nine rebounds. Buchanan led the Broncos with 18 points, with teammate Michelle O'Brien adding a double-double of 12 points and 14 rebounds.

"Western Michigan played a great game," UWM head coach Sandy Botham said. "They came out aggressive and had us back on our heels and playing catch-up all night. Once we had that tie and had some momentum, give them credit - they made plays down the stretch and we did not. They did a great job rebounding early, especially on the offensive glass and really took advantage of that."

Milwaukee overcame a 10-point second-half deficit, turning a 47-37 hole into a 48-all tie with an 11-1 scoring run, capped by a pair of free throws by Green that tied it with 8:22 remaining.

Turnovers on back-to-back possession seemed to take the steam out of the Panthers next, who then gave it all back when Western countered with an 11-2 run of its own, taking a 59-50 lead on a jumper by Buchanan with 5:36 to go.

"Once we fought back all that way and had it tied, I felt like we really made two careless turnovers," Botham said. "I just felt like we were never able to recover from that. Western was hungry for its first win and we didn't respond. We need to play with heart and value every possession. I just really felt like they outhustled us."

UWM would counter with one more run, using an 8-1 spurt to get within two at 60-58 on a layup by Green with just over three minutes left.

But the Panthers were unable to take advantage of free throws, which was the case all game. UWM went just 51.7 percent (15-for-29) from the line, missing six important attempts down the stretch while WMU hit 77.8 percent (21-of-27) overall and made eight of its final 10 attempts in the contest.

"One of our goals was to get to the free throw line more than they did," Botham said. "To get there more, but to then not capitalize on that was big. Any momentum we would get going was that much harder when you miss free throws."

The Panthers jumped out to an early 12-7 lead and, after a couple of lead changes and four ties, were still within two points at 24-22 on a jumper by Tucker with 9:30 left in the first half. That was when they would go cold, stuck on 22 points for close to a five-minute span in eventually falling behind by 10 at 34-24.

Tucker, who scored 19 of her points in the first half, took over during the last four minutes of the half, scoring all seven of UWM's points before intermission as part of a 7-1 run to cut the deficit to 35-31 heading into the locker room.

In addition to their struggles from the line, UWM hit just 2-of-15 from three-point range (13.3 percent). The defense played well overall, forcing 16 Broncos turnovers and limiting WMU to 38.6 percent (22-of-57) shooting from the floor.

The Panthers finish the five-game road trip with their most challenging opponents, starting with top-ranked Baylor Dec. 8. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m.