Jan. 29, 2014

Box Score

MILWAUKEE - The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee women's basketball team played UIC basket-for-basket in the second half, but could not overcome a first-half scoring run in falling, 84-70, Wednesday evening at the Klotsche Center.

The Panthers (6-13, 2-4 Horizon League) shot close to 50 percent from the floor on the night, but allowed too many second-chance points and baskets off turnovers to the Flames (16-4, 5-2 Horizon League). UIC used a 12-0 scoring run in the first period to open up the game and, at 16-4 on the year, extended its best-ever start to a season in program history.

"They are a great team and they have some remarkable players out on the court," Milwaukee head coach Kyle Rechlicz said. "I thought our game plan going in was exceptional. We came up with the best plan we possibly could to put them in positions to take shots they are not used to taking. The problem was is that they scored 20 points off of our turnovers and 17 off offensive boards. That's 37 points and you really can't come back from that."

Senior Angela Rodriguez scored a game-high 26 points to lead the offense. She also added eight assists and four rebounds. Sophomore Avyanna Young chipped in 12 points and junior Ashley Green just missed her third straight double-double, finishing with nine points and nine rebounds.

Three players scored 20 or more points for the Flames. Milwaukee-natives Rachel Story and Terri Bender each netted 22 and Ruvanna Campbell finished with an impressive stat line of 21 points, 11 rebounds, four steals and three blocks.

Milwaukee was down 13 points at halftime but came out of the locker room on a mission. The team scored the first eight points of the period and, just like that, was back within five at 42-37 on a free throw by Green at the 17:02 mark.

But, UIC had an answer, and used a 10-2 run of its own to build the lead back to 13 at 52-39 and re-take any control it had lost. The Panthers would trade baskets the rest of the way and never get closer than 10.

"That seems to really be our downfall, are these runs," Rechlicz said. "We went on a great run coming out of halftime. I felt like we really came out with a spark and went on our own run but then we had some costly turnovers. In spurts, we played a really good game tonight. If we can find a way to play more spurts like that, then we can win."

UIC took a 42-29 lead into the locker room, but the half was evenly contested outside of a four-and-a-half-minute stretch where the Flames scored those 12 in a row to open it up.

Back-and-forth early, a jumper by Rodriguez at the 14:23 mark tied things at 13-13, only to see the Panthers go cold. UIC then used that scoring run to take a 25-13 advantage and force a UWM timeout.

Five points in a row by Milwaukee stemmed the tide, and it eventually trimmed the deficit to seven at 29-22, only to see another UIC run of 10-2 stretch it back out to 39-24, the largest of the period.

For the game, UWM ended the night at 46.6 percent (27-of-58) from the floor, including an impressive 47.4 percent (9-of-19) from three-point range. UIC hit 45.7 percent (32-of-70) of its field goals and held a commanding 42-33 advantage on the boards, including 17-9 on the offensive glass. The Flames outscored Milwaukee 20-5 in points off turnovers and 17-8 in second-chance points.

Up next, the Panthers wrap up the four-game homestand Saturday, welcoming Valparaiso for a 2 p.m. tip-off.