Box Score

Post-Game Wrap-Up

DAYTON, Ohio (March 9, 2011) - Lindsay Laur scored 17 points and pulled down 13 rebounds in her final collegiate game, but it was not enough as the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee women's basketball team fell to Wright State, 63-58, in the Horizon league Quarterfinals Wednesday evening at the Nutter Center.

The fifth-seeded Panthers (12-18) led for much of the second half and as late as 2:52, 56-54, but the No. 4 seed Raiders (19-11) closed out the game with a 9-2 run to advance to the semifinals Friday.

"I'm proud of our kids' effort," Milwaukee head coach Sandy Botham said. "We came down here and executed, offensively and defensively, extremely well, especially on the defensive end. We were able to keep them in check most of the game and held them to 32 percent from the floor--much different than the last time we played them. A couple of things didn't go our ways and we didn't make enough shots. We had good looks, but were just unable to finish."

Laur was joined in double-figures by Anne Breland and Angela Rodriguez. Breland scored 15 of her 17 points in the second half, putting UWM ahead with eight-straight points early in the frame. Rodriguez added 15 points and four assists. Both Laur and Rodriguez played all 40 minutes.

LaShawna Thomas was all over the court for the Raiders, finishing with a team-high 21 points to go with five rebounds, five assists and four steals. The frontcourt duo of Ta-myra Davis and Shaunda Sandifer each had double-doubles with 15 rebounds apiece. Davis added 14 points and Sandifer 11.

Milwaukee built a game-high nine-point advantage early in the second half. Breland tied the game with the first basket at 30-30 and then hit back-to-back threes to make it 36-30. Laur followed with another three and the Panthers had their lead. UWM fended off the home team as best it could, but WSU would eventually tie the game at 46-46 with 6:29 to play.

The game was within one possession for much of the remainder of the game, until a final Wright State run. After Laur gave the Panthers a 56-54 lead with two free throws, Thomas answered with a layup and the Raiders hit four-straight free throws to make it 60-56. Laur hit a layup to pull her team within two points, but WSU scored the final three points of the game to ice the contest.

UWM had two three-point looks on its second-to-last possession while down four, but couldn't get either to fall.

The Panthers had a much-improved game over their last trip to the Nutter Center, shooting 34.4 percent from the field and 9-of-25 from three-point range. Unfortunately, they got to the free throw line just six times, making five.

Their defense did a tremendous job, limiting the Raiders to 32.8 percent shooting in the game and just 2-for-19 from three-point range. Wright State did get to the free throw line 20 more times than UWM, making 17-of-26, despite drawing just three more fouls in the game (17-14). Behind Davis and Sandifer, WSU held a 47-43 rebounding advantage.

Wright State jumped out early in the first half with the first five points, but Milwaukee fought back, staying close. A 7-0 Panther run gave them their first lead at 21-17, but the Raiders quickly responded with eight-straight points. A three-pointer from Stephanie Schell made it 29-28 at halftime.