Jan. 27, 2001

CLEVELAND, Ohio - The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee men's basketball team continues its weekend road swing through Michigan and Ohio. Saturday night, the Panthers play at Cleveland State. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. CST.

Team Updates: UWM fell 54-51 to Detroit Thursday night. Cleveland State claimed a 76-72 win over UW-Green Bay Thursday night.

On The Radio: The game will be joined in progress on 1340 AM, WJYI, in the Milwaukee area. The radio broadcast will begin at 7 p.m. CST. But, fans across the country can also listen to the entire game on the officially sanctioned website of UWM Athletics, www.uwmpanthers.com. Coverage on the internet will begin just before 6 p.m. CST. Bill Johnson will call the play-by-play.

The Head Coach: Bo Ryan (Wilkes College, `69) is in his second season as the head coach at Milwaukee. His record at the school is 25-23, and his overall collegiate head coaching record is 378-99. Last year, Ryan led the Panthers to a 15-14 mark - their best in seven seasons - and a trip to the MCC Semifinals for the first time ever.

Ryan's Background: Prior to coming to Milwaukee, the head coach spent 15 stellar seasons at UW-Platteville. At Platteville, Ryan - the winningest coach in NCAA Division III history - led the Pioneers to four NCAA Division III National Championships and eight conference championships. Ryan led Platteville to the NCAA Tournament every year once the Pioneers moved to the ranks of the NCAA for the 1990-91 season. Ryan has also won gold medals at the 1993 U.S. Olympic Festival and 1995 World University Games. The Chester, Pa., native also spent eight seasons at the University of Wisconsin under Bill Cofield and Steve Yoder, and has worked at the College of Racine in Wisconsin, and at Sun Valley High School in Philadelphia.

Inside The Detroit Game: UWM built a 10-point second half lead, but the Titans fought back to keep their lengthy home-court winning streak alive. Rashad Phillips scored the game-winning three-point shot with 4.6 seconds remaining. Chad Angeli scored 15 points and Ronnie Jones added 11 to pace the Panthers.

Cleveland State Series History: The Vikings lead the all-time series with UWM 9-4. The two teams split a pair of games last season, with each team winning on the road. The win marked UWM's second in Cleveland in six tries.

Last Year's Matchups: The Vikings overcame a late deficit on the strength of amazing shooting from Damon Stringer to claim a 109-105 overtime win at the Klotsche Center in January of last year. UWM returned the favor by scoring a 70-67 win in Cleveland last February.

Vikings Scouting Report: Cleveland State has taken full advantage of playing on its home floor during the first half of conference play, winning all four home games and entering play Saturday in a three-way tie for first place in the MCC. Three players score in double figures for the Vikings, led by Theo Dixon and his 17.3 ppg. Cleveland State shoots just 42 percent from the field overall but the Vikings make 36 percent of their three-point attempts. They also hold a slight rebounding edge on their opponents.

Viking Slayer: Senior Chad Angeli recorded double-doubles in each of the two games against Cleveland State last year. At the Klotsche Center, Angeli scored 24 points and grabbed 11 rebounds. Then in Cleveland, Angeli added 19 points and 10 rebounds. Meanwhile, he'll make his 103rd career start Saturday night. Last Thursday against Wright State, Angeli became the ninth player in UWM history to appear in at least 100 games. In fact, Angeli has never missed a game or a start since coming to UWM at the start of the 1997-98 season. The Wausau native started 27 games in both the 1997-98 and 1998-99 seasons, and 29 games a season ago. Maurice Turner tops the all-time appearance list at UWM, playing in 112 games from 1986-89.

On The Road ... Again: Saturday's game will mark the 13th time in 20 games the Panthers will play away from home. But, while the road remains a tough place for UWM, the Panthers are seeing more successes away from home. The win Jan. 14 at Loyola was the fourth on an opponent's home court for UWM - surpassing the total of three from a season ago and giving the Panthers as many road wins as any Panther squad since the 1995-96 season, when UWM also won four away games. UWM has also played toe-to-toe with nationally-ranked foes Iowa and Wisconsin on the road. UWM won five road games in `93-'94 and 10 in `92-'93. UWM will get to see a lot more of home as the calendar turns to February. The Panthers will play five of seven in the Klotsche Center next month.

Bouncing Back: UWM has made a habit of bouncing back quickly from losses since Bo Ryan took over last season. The Panthers are now 15-6 in games following a loss, and UWM has never lost more than two in a row under Ryan.

Quiet Kalombo: For the eighth straight game Thursday night, sophomore Kalombo Kadima shot above 50 percent from the field, making his only field goal attempt. The sophomore scored 8 points on 3-of-4 shooting against Loyola Jan. 14 after back-to-back 11-point performances in the league. You have to go back to the Mt. Senario game to find one where Kadima shot under 50 percent in a game, and in that contest he still hit on 3-of-7 field goal attempts. In the last eight games, he has made 18-of-24 field goal attempts (75 percent), including 9-of-14 three-point tries. He has also committed just nine turnovers in those eight games, and Thursday night he added four assists while not committing a turnover.

Value The Basketball: For the seventh time this season, the Panthers kept their turnover stat in single-digits Thursday night. UWM has committed 10 or fewer turnovers in six of its last nine games. The Panthers average just over 11 turnovers per game, and have a 1.3 assist-to-turnover ratio, which has ranked at or near the top of the MCC all season long. Point guard Dan Weisse has 45 assists and just 24 turnovers in 19 games this season.

`D' It Up: Bo Ryan has always preached defense, and the Panthers are beginning to respond consistently. UWM has given up just 52.3 ppg in its last three league games, the best three-game defensive performance in UWM's brief MCC history. The only better performance in any three games for the Panthers since moving into the MCC for the 1994-95 season came earlier this year, when UWM held Wisconsin and San Diego to 55 points apiece and Mt. Senario to 21 points - a three-game average of 43.7 ppg. For the year, UWM is holding opponents to 43 percent shooting from the field and giving up 65 points per game. The 43 points UWM gave up last Thursday vs. Wright State is the second-lowest total UWM has ever given up in an MCC game - only the 42-point performance against UW-Green Bay last year is better. And, if you throw out the six overtime periods UWM has endured in MCC play, the Panthers allow under 60 points per game in league games.

Conference Leader: Jason Frederick has been quiet on the offensive end in the last handful of games for UWM, but the sophomore is still the Panthers' leading scorer in MCC games. He's averaging 11.5 ppg in six league games. That includes a 27-point performance against UIC, and a 21-point performance against Loyola.

Wright Update: Freshman forward James Wright is expected to miss at least three more weeks after suffering a severly sprained right ankle and foot during last Thursday night's win over Wright State. The injury was originally believed to be a fracture, but further analysis of the x-ray determined it was a sprain. Following about one week in a cast, Wright will be able to begin rehabilitation. Wright is averaging 7.8 ppg and 6.9 rpg.

Getting On The Boards: Without James Wright inside, the Panthers will count on a team effort to clear the boards, and so far the numbers have shown that. In the two games Wright has missed, Chad Angeli is averaging 6.5 rebounds, Clay Tucker is averaging six rebounds, and Justin Lettenberger is averaging five rebounds. The Panthers were outrebounded 41-30 Thursday night, but for the season the rebounding numbers are virtually even.

Big Days Against Big Teams: Sophomore Justin Lettenberger is starting in place of the injured James Wright, and as he has all season, the walk-on is making the most of his opportunities. In a career-high 29 minutes against Butler last Saturday, Lettenberger tallied 11 points - a career-high - and six rebounds. All season long, Lettenberger has made a habit out of playing his best basketball against the Panthers' strongest opponents. Against Wisconsin, Lettenberger recorded career-highs in points (10), rebounds (7), and three-point baskets (2), while he equaled a career high in assists (2). He then equaled his rebounding career-high with seven more against San Diego. His biggest days have come in UWM's three games against Big 10 teams, when Lettenberger averaged 5.3 ppg and 5.3 rpg, while playing 17 minutes per game.

Tucker Honored: For the second straight month, Clay Tucker has been honored as the Coca-Cola/UWM Male Athlete of the Month for December. Tucker also won the award in November. The award is voted on by various members of the UWM Athletics staff, and all athletes nominated are eligble to win the Coca-Cola/UWM Athlete of the Year award, handed out in May.

Stat Check: It's late enough in the season to take stock in where UWM ranks in the MCC and nationally in some statistical categories. The Panthers are making their biggest mark from behind the three-point arc. UWM is fifth in the nation in three-pointers per game at 9.4. The 13-of-18 (72.2 percent) performance at San Diego is the fourth-highest single-game three-point field goal percentage of the season. The 18 three-point goals UWM made against UIC Jan. 11 are the third-most nationally in a game this year. In the MCC, the Panthers have the best assist-to-turnover ratio, and UWM is second in the league in turnover margin. UWM also leads the league in assists.

Fans In The Stands: The crowd of 4,234 last Saturday for the Butler game marked the third-largest crowd ever at the Klotsche Center, and the largest crowd of the season. Earlier this year, 4,147 watched the Panthers and Colorado. That crowd also marked the second-largest ever for a non-conference game - only the 4,333 that witnessed the Panthers battle with Wisconsin a season ago ranks higher in that category. Overall, the 4,833 that watched UWM and UW-Green Bay battle last year stands as the largest crowd in Klotsche Center history. The Panthers currently average 2,890 fans per game, a number expected to rise the rest of the season.

Hot Ticket: Ticket demand is high for the Feb. 3 contest vs. UW-Green Bay at the Klotsche Center. Tickets are being made available to students in advance of the contest. Students with a valid UWM ID can pick up single tickets beginning Tuesday at one of three campus locations - the UWM Union outside the bookstore, Sandburg Hall, or at the UWM Ticket Office in the North Building. Tickets will be available to students from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. through Friday, or while supplies last. Not counting the allotment set aside for students, approximately 500 tickets remain for the contest. Those tickets are available at the UWM ticket office or by calling 1-877-661-GOUWM.

Strenth Of Schedule: The 2000-2001 schedule finds UWM playing five teams that made post-season play a year ago. Wisconsin, Illinois, Butler and Valparaiso all made the NCAA field, while Colorado made the NIT. In addition to those four, Iowa and San Diego are likely post-season qualifiers in 2001. The record of the five teams UWM lost to during the non-conference season entering this week was 61-24, and three of UWM's non-conference opponents are in the top 11 of the latest RPI ranking. Illinois is fourth, Wisconsin is seventh, and Iowa is 11th.

About All Of Those Overtimes: Against UIC and Loyola two weeks ago, UWM played six overtime periods in two games, and the Panthers have played seven overtime periods for the season. It's the first time the Panthers have played back-to-back overtime games since the 1977-78 season, and the first time in school history UWM has played back-to-back multiple overtime contests. An initial read through the current season shows no team having played six overtimes in a two-game stretch, or any MCC team having ever played back-to-back multi-OT games. Also two weeks ago, Iowa State played five overtime periods (one vs. Oklahoma State, four vs. Missouri).

Those Records Were Made To Be Broken: As one would expect, the four-overtime game UWM and UIC Jan. 11 broke a number of school and league records.

*Three Panther players set new career-highs in points, with Jason Frederick scoring 27, while Dan Weisse and James Wright scored 18 apiece.

*Wright became the second Panther this season to record a double- double, adding 15 rebounds to his 18 points. The 15 rebounds are also a career-high for Wright, and an individual season-high for the Panthers. He also set a new career-high with five blocks.

*As a team, UWM set a school record and tied an MCC record for three-point baskets made (18) and tied a record for three-point attempts(41), while UIC set a Panther opponent record by attempting 54 free throws.

*The four-overtime game is the first on record for UWM, which previous to Jan. 11 had played in nothing longer than a two-overtime contest. It was also the first four-overtime contest in MCC history. Two MCC games had gone three overtimes.

*The 106 points UWM scored are a season-high, and are the most points the Panthers have scored since a 110-106 double-overtime loss at Sacramento State Jan. 9, 1992. The 1991-92 season is also the last time UWM has scored 100 points or more twice during the season.

Other Record Setters: The Panthers have had two other notable record-setting performances this season. Against Mt. Senario Dec. 27, UWM set a new record for victory margin in the 100-21 win. Also, the 21 points given up were the fewest since a 28-21 win over Carroll College in 1940. Then at San Diego Jan. 2, the Panthers shot 72 percent from beyond the arc, setting a new school record for three-point efficiency, breaking the mark set a year ago against Michigan Tech. For the year, UWM shoots just under 36 percent from three-point range. The Panthers have launched 464 three-point attempts, accounting for about 40 percent of UWM's attempts from the field for the season.

Double Your Fun: James Wright and Clay Tucker have each recorded double-doubles this season. Wright got his against UIC, tallying 18 points and 15 rebounds. Meanwhile, Tucker's 22 points and 11 rebounds against Colorado gave him the second double-double of his career. The first came in a 21-point, 10-rebound performance against Troy State last season.

Taking The Lead: UWM has held a second-half lead in seven of its nine losses, and while never taking the lead, UWM tied their game with Wisconsin in the second half. The only other game in which the Panthers did not lead in the second half was the contest at Illinois. UWM has led at halftime in 15 of its 19 contests, trailing at the half only against Illinois, Wisconsin and in the first matchup with San Diego, while the Panthers were tied with Wright State at halftime last Thursday.

UWM Teams Up With CBS-58: Officials from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and WDJT-TV in Milwaukee have formalized an agreement to provide greater television exposure for the UWM basketball programs. The agreement calls for at least five more regular season men's and women's games to air on CBS-58, and its sister station, over-the-air TV-41. TV-41 is also scheduled to air games from the MCC Tournament. Upcoming games in the package include road games at Butler (TV-41) and Wright State (CBS-58) Feb. 15 and 17, and the Panthers' home game with Cleveland State (TV-41) Feb. 22. In addition to the games on TV-41 and CBS-58, the Panthers have two more appearances scheduled for Midwest Sports Channel. MSC will televise the Panthers' Feb. 3 battle with UW-Green Bay, and UWM's Feb. 24 contest with Detroit.

The Coach On TV, Too: CBS-58 is also airing "The Bo Ryan Show," Sunday nights at 10:30 p.m. The show, hosted by Rock Rote, has a second airing on TV-41 at 11 on Monday nights.

Checking The Record Book: Current Panthers Chad Angeli and Clay Tucker continue to move up in the UWM record book in various categories. Angeli has moved to seventh on the all-time Panther scoring list, and remains number one on the all-time field goal percentage list. Angeli is also up to eighth in career rebounding, first in career free throws made, and seventh in career free throw percentage. Tucker is sixth all-time in career three-point field goals, and seventh in career three-point field goal percentage.

The Next Class Of Panthers: UWM signed three players to national letters of intent during the November signing period. Oshkosh West's Adrian Tigert is a 6-foot-8 forward who earned all-Fox Valley Association and all-state honors following his junior year. He was a pre-season all-state selection before this season. Reedsburg's Clayton Hanson is a 6-foot-4 all-state guard. This season, Hanson is Reedsburg's all-time leading scorer, and this past summer was a second-team All-American at the AAU Nationals. The third member of the class is point guard Chris Hill from Whitney Young in Chicago, Ill. Young was nationally-ranked to begin the season, and is again picked to contend for the Chicago Public League championship and an Illinois state championship. Hill has started for Young all four seasons of his high school career.

Up Next: UWM entertains in-state rival UW-Green Bay Saturday night at 7:05 p.m. CST. The game will be televised on Midwest Sports Channel.