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Post-Game Wrap-Up | Lindfors Post-Game Radio Interview

MILWAUKEE, Wis. (Feb. 26, 2011) - Lindsay Laur hit a layup with 4.9 seconds remaining to send the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee women's basketball team to a 70-69 win over Valparaiso on Senior Day, Saturday afternoon at the Klotsche Center.

The Panthers (11-16, 8-8 Horizon) overcame a 10-point deficit midway through the second-half to win their second-straight game. The Crusaders (7-22, 4-13 Horizon) led 67-61 with 1:54 to play before UWM's dramatic comeback.

"Wow. That was a thriller. Who's a better person (than Lindsay Laur) to get the ball in her hands at the end," UWM head coach Sandy Botham said. "For her to put that game-winner in was exciting for her and it was great for it to happen on Senior Day. We played a great game, showed great resilience, perseverance, kept poise and found a way to win."

Laur got the final run started with a three-pointer, then, after Courtney Lindfors grabbed a defensive rebound, she was fouled and made both free throws to make it quickly a one-point game. Another defensive rebound by Lindfors, and a subsequent Crusader foul, put the freshman center at the free throw line. She sank both attempts to put Milwaukee ahead, 68-67.

Betsy Adams put Valpo back up one, hitting a floater with 19.4 seconds remaining. The Crusaders then called timeout, setting the stage for Laur's dramatic layup. After the shot fell, the visitors called one more timeout to set up its final play. Skylar Gick took an inbounds pass at midcourt and went all the way for the final shot, with her jumper in the paint falling off the mark just before the buzzer.

Laur finished with 13 points and nine rebounds, despite playing much of the second half with four fouls. Lindfors had a team-high 18 points to go with eight rebounds, while Anne Breland tallied 13 points and Angela Rodriguez finished with 12 points, five assists.

Four Crusaders scored in double-figures, led by Rashida Ray's 21 points. She hit her first seven 3-point tries and finished 7-for-8 from beyond the arc. Tabitha Gerardot scored 12 points and Gick and Maegan Callaway scored 10 points apiece.

UWM led by as many as five in the opening half, but for the most part it was a back-and-forth frame. Valpo struggled on its two-point field goal attempts, but hit 9-of-12 from three-point range to lead for much of the half. It would be the Panthers leading at halftime, however, as Breland hit back-to-back three-points to give her team a 38-35 lead at the break.

Valparaiso opened the second half on a 17-4 run to lead by as many as 10 at 52-42 with 13:27 remaining in the game. Milwaukee missed its first eight field goal attempts of the second period and did not hit its first until the 14:24 mark.

Once the shots started falling, the Panthers quickly got back in the game. They rattled off a 13-3 over the next 5:28 to even the game at 52-52. Lindfors had nine points during the run. Unfortunately, the Crusaders rebuilt a lead up to six by the final media timeout of the game, setting up the late game drama.

Milwaukee had one of its more efficient offensive games, shooting 40 percent from the field and 38.9 percent from three-point range. The Panthers were 19-of-22 (.864) at the free throw line and had a 14-to-8 assist-to-turnover ratio. They tied their school record for fewest turnovers in a game for the second time this season. UWM also used its size advantage to grab a 36-33 rebounding advantage.

The Crusaders set a Milwaukee opponent record by hitting 68.8 (11-for-16) of their three-point attempts, but shot just 32.6 percent inside the arc to finish at 41.9 percent for the game. They also turned the ball over just eight times, dishing out 16 assists in the process.

The Panthers close out the regular season on the road, heading to Detroit and Wright State this week. UWM tips off with the Titans at 6 p.m. central time on Thursday at Calihan Hall.