Feb. 2, 2013

Box Score

MILWAUKEE - Senior Sami Tucker and sophomore Ashley Green each had a double-double but the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee women's basketball team could not upend second-place Detroit, falling 61-59 Saturday afternoon at the Klotsche Center.

"I am very proud of our team," Milwaukee head coach Kyle Rechlicz said. "They stepped up and played a great game against a great team in our league. I think when people saw this game, they weren't expecting a 61-59 game - a lot of people were expecting a game in the 80's."

The Panthers (5-13, 1-5 Horizon League) held the Titans (12-7, 5-2 Horizon League) a dozen points below their league-leading scoring average and also held Shareta Brown - who came into the game third in the NCAA in points per game - nearly 14 points below her average.

Tucker finished with a team-high 18 points and tied her career-high with 14 rebounds. Green recorded 13 points and 12 rebounds as each player posted consecutive double-doubles. Junior Emily Decorah was also in double-figures, finishing with 12 points on four made 3's.

"Both of us were prepared game plans where we came in to try and stop the other one's offense," Rechlicz said. "There is a lot to be said for what our effort was. But, we didn't shoot the ball well enough. That was a surprise to me."

Senee Sheareer led the Titans with 19 points. Brown was held to 10 points - well off her average of 23.4 ppg coming in - but did manage a double-double with 11 rebounds.

"Our players really locked into the game plan," Rechlicz said. "We wanted to shut down one of the best scorers in the country in Shareta Brown and we did it."

The Milwaukee defense limited UDM to 32.1 percent shooting in the first half and won the rebounding battle by a 40-33 count, including 17-12 on the offensive glass.

In a game that featured nine lead changes and plenty of scoring runs by each team, Detroit made the biggest move after UWM had regained a 39-38 advantage on a Tucker three with 12:12 to go. From there, the Titans scored nine points in a row as part of a 17-6 run to retake the momentum and held a 55-45 advantage with 5:40 to play.

But, the Panthers had more fight left in them, scoring eight in a row of their own as part of an 11-2 run. Tucker hit another big shot from long-distance to get UWM within one at 57-56, with just 2:24 left on the clock.

Down three, 59-56, UWM had an opportunity to tie but missed a three-pointer with just under a minute to play. Green would get the rebound and drive the lane, but Brown was there with a big play on defense, forcing a tie-up and jump ball situation with Detroit's favor on the possession arrow.

A couple of free throws gave the Titans some breathing room and they would hold off the Panthers from there.

Milwaukee came out strong, building off an early 12-7 advantage to lead by as many as 12 at 29-17 on a Green layup with 3:35 left before intermission. But, Detroit battled back to trim the deficit to five at intermission despite Brown being limited to just one made field goal in the first 20 minutes.

Up next, the Panthers are back on the road, traveling to Chicago to take on UIC next Thursday. Tip time is scheduled for 7 p.m.