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Phoenix Soar Past Panthers
Edwards injured in loss
By Tim Prahl
All five University of Wisconsin-Green Bay starters scored in double figures as the Phoenix defeated the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee women’s basketball team 79-64.
Going into the game ranked as the top two teams in to conference, fans filled the Klotsche Center Saturday afternoon expecting to see a nail biter. The Panther faithful were disappointed though, as Green Bay set the tone early and took a twelve-point lead into the locker room at halftime.
“They’re very balanced. They’re the Green Bay team we know,” Milwaukee head coach Sandy Botham said. “They really break you down and just kind of pick you apart.”
UWGB’s goal was apparent right from the start. Shut down preseason Horizon League player of the year Traci Edwards. The Phoenix were extremely successful, as Edwards was held to a season low 5 points, ending her 41 game streak of scoring in double figures.
Part of that season low performance was due to an ankle injury early in the second half. Coach Botham said Edwards could have returned but said opted to go with a healthy lineup to keep up with Green Bay’s speed.
“We didn’t play to our potential and Green Bay did a really good job of taking us out of our game,” Botham said. “We couldn’t get things going on offense. We had good looks that were just not falling.”
The Panthers did make runs in the second half, cutting the lead to 9 with just under three minutes to play.
Those runs were sparked by the play of two freshmen, guard Maurika Hickman and forward Lindsay Laur. Both had career and game highs of 20 points, with 17 of Hickman’s coming in the second half.
“I was happy with the comeback,” Botham said. “Our youth gave us a lot of energy and fire, but in the end it was too little, too late.”
UWGB was able to establish their inside-out game from the start, and shot fifty percent from the floor for the game. They also made 19-20 from the charity stripe, which proved to be the reason the Panthers could not get any closer to the Phoenix on the scoreboard in the second half.
The loss moves UWM (6-3 in conference) into third place in the Horizon League, one game behind Cleveland State (7-2) and two games behind Green Bay (8-1).
“They’re obviously the best team in conference in their ability to score,” Botham said. “They’re tough to guard. You can’t key on one or two people, and that’s what makes them so difficult.”
Milwaukee will return to action this Thursday with a shot to get a big win, facing a Cleveland State team they beat by 11 just one month ago.
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