March 5, 2011

Box Score| Audio: Postgame Press Conference| Postgame Extra
Hill Interview| Jeter Interview| Audio Highlights

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MILWAUKEE - Anthony Hill scored 24 points and added 11 rebounds as the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee claimed a 70-63 win over Valparaiso Saturday night in a Horizon League Men's Basketball Tournament semifinal at the U.S. Cellular Arena.

The top-seeded Panthers (19-12) now advance to face second-seeded Butler, which beat Cleveland State earlier Saturday, in Tuesday's championship contest. The game tips off at 8 p.m. at The Cell and is televised nationally on ESPN.

UWM also got 16 points from Kaylon Williams and 15 from Tony Meier in advancing to the league title game for the fifth time. The Panthers led by as many as 10 points in the second half in sending the crowd of 7,431 home happy.

Brandon Wood scored 24 points for Valparaiso (23-11), which had a five-point lead in the first half but never could get back on top in the second 20 minutes.

"Yes, sir, we're playing on Tuesday," UWM head coach Rob Jeter said. "To think about where we've come from and how we've arrived to this point is amazing. The guys have really committed to each other and it is great to see The Cell rocking and the fans and the city excited."

The decisive run for Milwaukee started with a pair of three-point baskets by Williams, pushing the lead to 55-47 with 10:40 remaining. A three-point play by Hill made it 58-49 and then a Meier three pushed the edge to 61-51 with eight minutes remaining.

"I feel like when it's a clutch situation, we have a lot of guys we can go to," Williams said. "We've proven it all year. Tony Meier proved it at Cleveland State, Tone Boyle proves it all the time, and obviously Ant Hill. I know that I can do it, that I'm not just a passer, and tonight was my night."

The Crusaders did make it interesting from there, closing to within 64-60 on a basket by Erik Buggs with 2:03 remaining. But Milwaukee hit its next five free throws to seal the victory.

"Valpo is a tough team. You saw it all year the way they battled back," Jeter said. "Brandon Wood is a special player and Cory Johnson makes it difficult. But, I really thought our work on (Ryan) Broekhoff tonight was probably the difference because he is a player that can really fill up the stat sheet."

In fact, the Panthers limited Broekhoff to just 1-of-11 shooting from the field and held Valpo to just 40.6 percent shooting as a team. Plus, one night after making a league-tournament record 15 three-pointers, the Crusaders converted just 6-of-29 from three-point range.

The Panthers built an early 19-11 lead after a Meier three by Valpo scored the next eight points to get back in the game. The Crusaders then went ahead 27-25 and led 30-25 after a three from the corner by Wood.

Boyle buried a three to tie the game at 32 with just over two minutes remaining, and then made two free throws to push the lead to 34-32 a minute later. Hill then added two more free throws just before the break, giving Milwaukee a 36-32 lead after 20 minutes.

The game stayed tight in the opening minutes of the half before Milwaukee started to pull away behind Hill's inside play and the perimeter shooting of Williams.

Tuesday's championship game airs live in ESPN. Tickets for the game are available through all Milwaukee-area Ticketmaster outlets while UWM students can purchase special $10 tickets on campus beginning Sunday.