Feb. 8, 2002

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Game #24 - Youngstown State (3-18, 1-10 Horizon) at Milwaukee (13-10, 8-3 Horizon)

Sat. Feb. 9 - 7 p.m. CST - Klotsche Center - Milwaukee, WI

TV: None

Radio: 1290 AM, WMCS - Bill Johnson's pregame show begins at 6:45 p.m.

Internet: www.uwmpanthers.com

Saturday's Game

UWM returns to the Klotsche Center to begin its final homestand of the 2001-2002 season. Saturday's contest with Youngstown State begins at 7 p.m.

Saturday's Opponent

In its first season in the Horizon League, the Penguins have struggled, suffering through a nine-game losing streak and, entering Saturday's action, have lost 13 of their last 14 games. Ryan Patton leads the Penguins in scoring at 14.8 ppg, while Doug Underwood is the only other Penguin in double figures, averaging 10.8 ppg. TeJay Anderson leads YSU in rebounding, pulling in 5.8 boards per game. UWM handled Youngstown State, 77-55, in Youngstown in the first matchup this season between the two teams.

Last Time Out

UWM suffered its most heartbreaking defeat of the season Thursday night in Chicago, as Martell Bailey's running, banked-in, 30-foot three-point shot at the buzzer sent UWM to a 73-71 defeat at the hands of UIC. The Panthers appeared to have the game in hand with a 71-62 lead and just 2:22 remaining. But the Flames scored the final 11 points of the game to claim the win.

Checking The Standings

UWM now stands tied with Butler for the Horizon League lead. Each team has five games remaining. The Bulldogs' schedule finds them at home with Cleveland State Saturday and at UW-Green Bay next Thursday. The Bulldogs also have home games remaining with UIC and Youngstown State and a road contest at Loyola. The Ramblers stand a half-game behind both UWM and Butler in league play, while Detroit is a game-and-a-half back entering play Saturday

The Fast Start Continues

UWM's 8-3 record in league play is UWM's best after 11 games in a Division I league. In fact, UWM had never been two games above .500 in a Division I league before this season. Plus, the Panthers have never finished with a winning record in a Division I league. Also, UWM finds itself just two wins away from guaranteeing its third-straight winning season overall, something that hasn't happened since the early 90's.

Winning League Numbers

The eight wins UWM has already recorded in league play are the most UWM has ever won in a Division I league. UWM had won seven league games twice before - last season and during the 1993-94 season, when UWM was a member of the Mid-Continent Conference.

Oh So Close

UWM's three league losses have been remarkably close, with the three defeats coming by a combined seven points. UWM has been beaten at the buzzer by UIC and missed a shot at the buzzer that would have given them the regular season series sweep over Butler. By contrast, UWM's eight league wins have come by an average of 13 points and five of the wins have come by at least 10 points.

Tough Trio

The trio of Clay Tucker, Ronnie Jones and Jason Frederick have each been in double figures in the last two contests. Thursday night, Tucker scored 20, followed by 17 from Frederick and 12 from Jones. Last Monday against Loyola, Tucker tossed in 20 while Frederick scored 16 and Jones pitched-in with 15.

Balancing Act

UWM's balance offensively continues to be a story this season. In addition to the above-mentioned trio scoring in double figures in each of the last two games, three players scored at least seven points Thursday night after two players scored at least eight points on Monday night in the win over Loyola. Plus, six different players hit three-point shots and all five starters knocked in a three-point shot in the win over the Ramblers Monday. Those two feats also occurred during UWM's contest with Colorado, when the Panthers knocked in 17 three-point shots. Add one more note - UWM has had four players in double figures four times and five players in double figures twice this season.

Frederick Finds The Touch

After a mid-season shooting slump, junior Jason Frederick appears to have regained his shooting touch. He made three more three-point field goals Thursday night against UIC and Frederick has now knocked down a three-point basket in 13 of his last 14 games and has made a three in nine straight contests. He has connected on 22-of-48 from beyond the arc in his last eight games and has made 10-of-19 threes in the last three games.

Ronnie's Scoring Push

Junior Ronnie Jones continues to lead the Panthers in scoring during league play, averaging 17.9 ppg. He has scored in double figures in 12 straight games - equaling the fourth-best streak in the school's Division I history. The streak dates back to a 19-point effort against Colorado. He has also knocked down a three-point shot in 14 straight contests.

I'll Bet They Remember Ronnie

When UWM traveled to Youngstown State to open league play Jan. 2, Ronnie Jones put together a career night. In the win, Jones tossed in a school-record 10 three-point shots and scored a career-high 33 points. Jones made 10-of-12 three-points shots and 11-of-14 field goals overall. The performance against Youngstown included one of the best individuals halves in UWM basketball history. Jones converted all seven of his field goal attempts and made six-of-six three-point tries in the half, scoring 20 points.

Also On The Jones Performance

The 10 three-point shots Ronnie Jones hit Jan. 2 equal the second-most in a single game by a Division I performer this season. T.J. Sorrentine of Vermont hit 11 against Northeastern on Jan. 17, while Earnest Porter of Nicholls State hit 10 three-point shots on Dec. 17 in a game against Troy State. The 10 three-point shots are also the third-most in a game in league history, two off the record of 12 set by Darrin Fitzgerald of Butler in 1987.

1100 Club

Clay Tucker has now surpassed the 1,100 point mark in his career, making him just the third Panther in the school's Division I history to surpass 1,100 points. With 20 points Thursday night, Tucker now has 1,123 points. Craig Greene is second on the all-time scoring list with 1,168 points, while Chad Angeli is UWM's all-time leading scorer in Division I, recording 1,417 points in his four seasons as a Panther.

Following Clay

Clay Tucker's 20 points Thursday night marked the 21st time in 23 games the junior has been in double figures. Against Detroit Jan. 26, he had a streak of 10 straight games in double figures broken. In his career, Tucker has also posted a streak of 12-straight games in double figures. The 12-game streak, broken against Western Michigan earlier this year, ranks as the fifth-longest in the school's Division I history. Von McDade holds the record with 20 straight games in double figures, all during the 1990-91 season.

Double Trouble

Clay Tucker has already tallied four double-doubles this season and just missed a fifth two weeks ago when he collected 13 points and nine rebounds in the win over Cleveland State. Tucker recorded double-doubles against UW-Green Bay and Loyola in back-to-back games - the first back-to-back double-doubles for a Panther since the 1996-97 season, when Otto McDuffie recorded double-doubles against UW-Green Bay (Feb. 24, 13 pts., 11 rbs.) and Wright St. (Feb. 28, 18 pts., 10 rbs.). The school record for double-doubles in a season is six, last set by McDuffie in the 96-97 season.

Leading The Way

Clay Tucker continues to hold the team lead in just about every category so far this season. The junior, a first-team all-Horizon League selection in the pre-season, leads UWM in scoring, rebounding, assists, steals and even blocked shots. If he holds the team lead in the points and rebounds categories, he would become the first Panther to lead the team in each of those two categories since Roderick Johnson did it during the 1995-96 season. He also has a chance to be the first Panther to lead in all five categories in the school's Division I history.

Stolen Moments

Clay Tucker had two more steals Thursday night and stands in second place on UWM's all-time Division I steals list. Marc Mitchell holds the school's all-time Division I record with 156. Tucker has 52 steals in 23 games so far this season, putting him in the league lead.

Getting Defensive On The Boards

At just 6-foot-3, Clay Tucker is still towering over opponents on the boards. The junior leads the Horizon League in defensive rebounds, averaging 5.32 boards per game. Overall, Tucker is fourth in the league in rebounding at 6.4 boards per game.

Climbing Some Other Charts

Clay Tucker enters Saturday night's game just 4 three-point baskets shy of Pat McCabe's 196 - the top career mark in the school's Division I history. Plus, Saturday will mark Tucker's 77th career start at UWM, moving him into a tie with Cyrus Caldwell for third on UWM's all-time list. Chad Angeli is the all-time leader with 111 starts.

All-Around Game

Junior Justin Lettenberger had one of his better all-around games of late Thursday night at UIC. The forward scored seven points, grabbed six rebounds and dished out five assists. Four of his rebounds came on the offensive end.

Another New Page

Dylan Page posted a strong effort off the bench for the Panthers Thursday night. The sophomore scored eight points and grabbed four rebounds in 15 minutes of action.

Charity Case

UWM knocked down 13-of-16 free throws in the loss to UIC Thursday night, continuing a trend of improving work from the charity stripe. UWM has now made 30-of-38 free throws in its last two games and the Panthers are 51-of-66 in their last four games. On the season, UWM has pushed its average up to 66.5 percent, including 68.4 percent in league play.

Providing Assistance

UWM continues to lead the Horizon League in assists after collecting 20 Thursday night. The Panthers average 15.5 assists per game and UWM has 39 assists in its last two games. UWM recorded a season-high 23 assists in the Dec. 30 loss to Colorado. The 23 assists mark the fifth-highest total in UWM's DI history. Individually, Clay Tucker, Dan Weisse and Ronnie Jones all rank in the top 11 in the league in assists.

The Team Steals The Show

UWM tallied 10 more steals Thursday night, pushing its season total to 216 in 23 games. UWM currently leads the Horizon League in steals, collecting 9.4 steals per game. The Panthers had 17 steals in the Dec. 4 win over Chicago State - the sixth-highest total in school history. UWM has had at least seven steals in 19 of its 23 games this season and the Panthers have collected 15 or more steals three times. The current pace puts the Panthers near the school record for steals in a season. The 1990-91 Panthers tallied 308 steals.

The Margin Of Victory?

Steals equal turnovers and the Panthers lead the Horizon League in forcing an average of 18.1 turnovers per game. Twice this season, UWM has forced 30 turnovers - Dec. 4 against Chicago State and Dec. 8 against Virginia Tech. Those totals tie the opponent record for UWM. Sacramento State committed 30 turnovers against the Panthers in a game during the 1991-92 season, while Illinois Tech committed the same number in a game during the 1995-96 season. UWM has forced 401 turnovers in 22 games. The single-season opponent record is 530 turnovers forced, set during the 1990-91 season, UWM's first in Division I play.

Second-Half Push

UWM had outscored its opponents in five straight contests until UIC claimed a 42-38 advantage in the second half of the contest Thursday night. UIC also shot 46 percent in the second half, breaking a streak that saw UWM hold four straight opponents under 40 percent shooting in the second half. On the season, UWM has outscored its opponent in the second half 15 times, including in 14 of its last 19 games.

More On The Second 20

UWM has still outscored its opponents by a combined 150-124 in the second half of the last four games. UIC's most impressive number in the second half Thursday was the 9-of-15 the Flames shot from beyond the arc in the second stanza. In the three games prior, opponents had connected on just 3-of-33 shots from three-point range in the second half.

D...D...D...Defense

UWM continues to play stellar defense during the Horizon League season, limiting teams to just over 65 points per game and to just 42 percent shooting from the field, including under 32 percent from three-point range. UWM has limited two league opponents - UIC and Detroit - to under 30 percent shooting from the field, while in three other league games opponents have shot under 42 percent from the field against the Panthers. The 48 points UWM gave up Jan. 26 against Detroit marked the second-lowest total for a Panther opponent this season. Chicago State scored just 47 against the Panthers on Dec. 4.

Got Milk?

Sophomore Nate Mielke posted one of his best efforts in recent games Monday night vs. Loyola. Mielke scored eight points and pulled down six rebounds, coming just shy of career highs on both fronts. The 6-foot-11 center posted his numbers in just 14 minutes of action, and his efforts included a 4-of-4 night from the foul line.

A Real Tiger Inside

Freshman Adrian Tigert just missed out on his third double-double of the season in Monday night's win at Loyola. He collected nine points and eight rebounds. The all-stater from Oshkosh West High School has already collected double-doubles against Nebraska-Omaha and Butler.

Halves To Remember

Monday's second-half outburst of 52 points against Loyola by UWM marked the fourth time this season the Panthers have scored at least 50 points in a half. UWM scored 54 points in the first half against Colorado and 52 points in the second half against Wisconsin. UWM also scored 51 points in the second half of its first matchup with Loyola.

Packing Them In

The Jan. 30 crowd of 5,015 set a new Klotsche Center attendance record and marked the second sellout of the season for the Panthers. The season average attendance is up to 3,187 per game, on pace to set a new school record. Plus, UWM is just 2,605 fans away from setting a new single-season total attendance record. 35,058 fans have passed through the turnstiles so far this season. Last year, a record was set when 37,663 fans attended games in the Klotsche Center. The top 10 Klotsche Center crowds are:

#1 - 1/30/02 vs. Butler 5,015 #2 - 12/27/01 vs. Wisconsin 4,903 #3 - 2/5/00 vs. UWGB 4,833 #4 - 2/3/01 vs. UWGB 4,510 #5 - 11/23/99 vs. Wisconsin 4,323 #6 - 1/20/01 vs. Butler 4,234 #7 - 12/30/00 vs. Colorado 4,147 #8 - 1/26/02 vs. Detroit 4,119 #9 - 2/10/01 vs. UIC 4,112 #10 - 1/5/02 vs. UWGB 3,689

Shooting Percentages

The loss last Wednesday to Butler was just the second time this season UWM lost a game when it shot better from the field than its opponent. UWM hit 47 percent from the field while Butler hit 46 percent. The only other time this year the Panthers lost with a better shooting percentage than their opponent was at Iowa State, when the Panthers shot 42 percent and the Cyclones shot just 37 percent.

High Scoring

UWM continues to lead the Horizon League in scoring, pouring in 74.0 ppg. UIC, Wright State, Loyola and Butler also average more than 70 points per game.

Streaks

UWM has won six of its last eight games and, after opening the season 1-3, the Panthers have won 12 of 19 contests. Last Wednesday's loss to Butler brought UWM's five-game winning streak to a close. That was the longest winning streak for UWM since the 1992-93 season, when the Panthers went on streaks of eight and 10 wins en route to a 23-4 season.

Rebounding Notes

For the first time in a while, the Panthers were beaten soundly on the boards Monday night in their win over Loyola. But, after a major rebounding deficit early in the season, the Panthers have outrebounded their opponents by nearly three boards per game in league play and continue to hold a rebounding edge over their opponents in the overall season numbers.

Walking Into The Lineup

Justin Lettenberger has worked his way from reserve walk-on to starting forward for UWM. The junior first gained a more prominent role last season when James Wright suffered a sprained ankle and missed three games. This season, Lettenberger has again slid into more playing time following an injury to Wright. Lettenberger made his first start of the season at Wright State and has remained in the lineup since. Lettenberger is UWM's fifth-leading scorer in league games, averaging 7.2 ppg, and UWM's second-leading rebounder in the league, grabbing 5.5 boards per game.

Checking The Lineup

UWM fielded its seventh different starting lineup in the Jan. 17 win over Wright State, with Justin Lettenberger earning his first start of the season. The Panthers have used that starting lineup ever since. In large part due to injury, UWM has been forced to use different starting lineups throughout this season. The lineup of Clay Tucker, Dan Weisse, Ronnie Jones, Kalombo Kadima and Adrian Tigert had stayed together for the first four games of league play before the change at Wright State. Clay Tucker is the only Panther to have started all 23 games for UWM, while Adrian Tigert has started 22 of UWM's 23 games. Dan Weisse started the first seven games of the season at point guard before giving way to Ronnie Jones, who has been in the starting lineup for the last 16 games. Weisse did return to start alongside Jones for the first four games of league play. Kalombo Kadima entered the starting lineup Dec. 30 after the season-ending injury to James Wright. Lettenberger then first started for him Jan. 17. Nate Mielke and Dylan Page have each made a single start.

Weisse Is Wise With The Ball

Dan Weisse has again taken the lead when it comes to taking care of the ball, collecting 64 assists while committing just 20 turnovers in his 23 games. In league play, Weisse has 31 assists but just 13 turnovers. Last season, Weisse would have led the league in assist-to-turnover ratio but did not record enough assists to meet the minimum requirements for the list. The junior finds himself in the same position this season, averaging just under three assists per game.

These Guys Don't Miss Much

Justin Lettenberger and Adrian Tigert have posted the best shooting percentages on the team so far this season. Lettenberger has made 55-of-100 field goal attempts for a .550 clip. Tigert, meanwhile, has made 63-of-107 shots for a .589 clip. In league play, UWM has four regulars shooting at least 50 percent from the field.

Not Shy About Shooting

UWM put up 27 more three-points shots in the loss to UIC Thursday night, and UWM has now tried 569 three-point shots in 23 regular season games. The 41 three-point attempts by the Panthers Dec. 30 tied a school record. The Panthers also attempted 36 three-point shots in the overtime win over Virginia Tech, knocking down 10 threes in the second half and another one in overtime. Last year, UWM set a Division I school record by trying 666 three-point shots, eclipsing the 657 the Panthers tried during the 1999-00 season. The Panthers are on pace to seriously threaten the record again during the 2001-02 season.

National Numbers

The Panthers' long-range shooting has helped them make a mark in some of the NCAA's national statistical rankings. The 17 three-point shots UWM made against Colorado Dec. 30 are the seventh-most in a single-game nationally this season. It is also one shy of a school record, set last year in a four-overtime loss at UIC. Ronnie Jones is 22nd in the nation in three-point shooting percentage while, as a team, UWM is 15th nationally in three-point field goals made per game.

Comeback Kids

Not that UWM wants to make a habit of falling behind, but the Panthers have shown incredible resiliency in coming from behind for three big wins this season. Against Butler Jan. 19, the Panthers trailed 50-37 with 11:39 to play before rallying for the win. UWM struck back with six straight points in an 11-second span to spark the comeback, and the Panthers then won the game at the buzzer. A week earlier, the Panthers had trailed by 11 in the first half against UIC before outscoring the Flames, 52-15, over the final 24 minutes of the game. On Dec. 8, the Panthers put together the best comeback in school history, trailing by 21 points with under 11 minutes to play before coming from behind to beat Virginia Tech. Plus, UWM has notable comebacks even in defeat. Jan. 30, UWM was down 13 to Butler and closed the gap to one before losing by a point. Dec. 27 against Wisconsin, the Panthers came back from a 15-point deficit to grab a five-point lead, only to lose in the closing seconds.

Road Warriors

UWM has won four road games for the first time in its Horizon League and MCC history. The previous high was two, set during the 1998-99 season. The four road wins also equal the most UWM has ever won in a Division I league. The Panthers won four road league games while a member of the Mid-Continent Conference during the 1993-94 season.

Bucking A Road Trend

Statistically, the Horizon League had proven to be the toughest league in the nation in which to win league games on the road in 2000-2001. Last season, league road teams won just 16 of 56 contests. Yet, the road team has experienced great success this season. In 44 league games so far, the road team has won 19 times. UWM owns just over one-fifth of those wins. Interestingly, all four home teams won during league play on Thursday night.

Margin Of Victory

Two of UWM's league wins have included noteworthy margins of victory. The 26-point win at home Jan. 12 over UIC was the second-largest league win of all-time for UWM. The Panthers beat Loyola by 34 points, 92-58, in 2000. Meanwhile, the 22-point win Jan. 2 against Youngstown State marked the largest margin of victory in a league road game for the Panthers. The previous high was 19 points in a win at Loyola in 1999. In Division I road games, the margin of victory is the third-largest in school history.

Working Overtime

UWM won in overtime for the second time this season Jan. 17, adding to the list of accomplishments during the 2001-02 campaign. In fact, UWM had not won two overtime games in the same season since the 1988-89 season, when the Panthers won a double overtime game with UW-Parkside and an overtime contest at Northern Colorado that sent UWM to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight. Last season, UWM was 1-3 in overtime, and, entering this season, UWM had lost 17 of its last 19 overtime contests.

From The Depths Of The Bench

Bruce Pearl's promise to play at least 9-10 players throughout this season continues to pay dividends for the Panthers. UWM has settled into a nine-player rotation for much of league play, with all nine averaging at least 11 minutes per game and only one player (Clay Tucker) averaging more than 30 minutes per game.

Is There A Doctor In The House?

The UWM injury report has had names on it all season long. James Wright is out for the season after breaking his leg in the Dec. 27 contest with Wisconsin. Derek Huff is out indefinitely after off-season foot surgery. Transfer Rob Sanders - who was not eligible to play in games this season - injured his knee in practice, had surgery last month and will not return to practice this season. Dylan Page also missed six games after being diagnosed with mono, but has returned to play in the last nine games.

Defense Is Half The Battle

Three halves of basketball stand out in the Panthers' defensive scrapbook so far this season. UWM allowed just 11 points in the second half Jan. 12 in the win over UIC. The 11 points given up also mark the fewest UWM has ever given up in a single half of a league game, breaking the old mark of 17 points set against UIC on Feb. 17, 1996. The Panthers allowed just 18 points in the first half against UW-Green Bay Jan. 5. That beat the 19 first-half points the Panthers allowed against Chicago State Dec. 4. The Phoenix shot just 29 percent from the field in the first half. UWGB wound up shooting just 39 percent for the game, the fourth-lowest mark by an opponent this season. The season low was the 33.9 percent Chicago State shot in an 84-47 loss to the Panthers Dec. 4 until UIC shot under 30 percent on Jan. 12.

Sharp Shooting

UWM's 54.2 percent shooting from the field against Youngstown State marked the best performance of the season to date for the Panthers. The effort surpassed the 47.8 percent UWM shot against Chicago State on Dec. 4. The game against Youngstown State is one of just two times all season UWM has shot 50 percent or better.

Oh What A Comeback

The 21-point comeback UWM mounted Dec. 8 against Virginia Tech marks the greatest comeback in Division I history for the Panthers. UWM was down 58-37 with 10:27 to play in the game before outscoring Virginia Tech, 36-15, to force overtime. Other notable UWM comebacks include:

Feb. 18, 1993 * Down 11 with 16:12 remaining @ CS-Northridge - won 75-74

Jan. 13, 1993 * Down 11 with 5:11 remaining vs. UWGB - won 75-68 in OT

Jan. 24, 1994 * Down 11 with 3:52 remaining @ Western Illinois - won 74-67

Dec. 12, 1996 * Down 11 with 9:38 remaining vs. NE Illinois - won 55-54

Jan. 14, 1999 * Down 13 with 18:11 remaining @ UIC - won 52-50

Beating The Big Boys

The win over Virginia Tech at the Jim Thorpe Association Classic on Dec. 8 in Louisville marked the first time UWM has beaten a school from the Big East.

Player Of The Week

The week of Dec. 3-8 was one of the best weeks of junior Ronnie Jones' career. The junior averaged almost 20 ppg in three games during that week, and his work earned him Horizon League Player of the Week honors. The week was highlighted by his first start of the season Dec. 8 against Virginia Tech. Jones scored 25 points in the comeback win, with 23 of the points coming in the second half and OT.

Tournament Honors

Three Panthers have been honored following UWM's appearances in tournament play this season. Ronnie Jones was named to the all-tournament team at the Jim Thorpe Association Classic while Clay Tucker and Jason Frederick were each named to the Tribune Cyclone Challenge All-Tournament Team.

A Record You'd Rather Not Have

UWM's 0-for-21 stint from three-point range against Western Michigan easily became a new school record. Previously, the Panthers' poorest output from three-point range was an 0-for-7 effort against Valparaiso in 1996. UWM's 0-for-21 effort was also one shy of the most attempts without a make in NCAA Division I history. Canisius went 0-for-22 from three-point range against St. Bonaventure in 1995.

Bruce Pearl On Basketball

Fans can be a part of Bruce Pearl's radio show every Monday night live from Hooligan's on North Avenue in Milwaukee. The coach and special guests will talk Panther basketball from 7 until 7:30 p.m. each Monday night live on 1290 AM, WMCS. The show returns this coming Monday.

Lights ... Camera ... Action

The Panthers are getting plenty of TV time during the 2001-02 season, with the next TV game set for Feb. 25 at UW-Green Bay. Plus, "The Bruce Pearl Show" airs every Sunday at 10:30 p.m. on CBS-58, with a replay Mondays at 6:30 on TV-41.

Forever Young

The 2001-02 Panther squad is a young one and doesn't include a senior. Seven regulars are juniors, with transfer Jose Winston becoming eligible as a senior next year. UWM is also now regularly starting freshman Adrian Tigert and was starting sophomore James Wright before his season-ending injury. Freshman Chris Hill and sophomore Nate Mielke have also slowly worked their way into the regular rotation for UWM.

Hometown Touch

One of the themes of the 2001-02 basketball season for the Panthers is being "Milwaukee's Home Team." The Panthers are stocked with local talent. James Wright, Kalombo Kadima and transfer Jose Winston are all from Milwaukee. Jason Frederick hails from suburban Waukesha. No fewer than eight other players in the Panther program are from the state of Wisconsin, including Justin Lettenberger from Manitowoc.

Fox Valley All-Stars

Adrian Tigert is the second stellar product to come to UWM out of Oshkosh West High School and the Fox Valley Association. Dan Weisse is also from Oshkosh West. The presence of the two players gives UWM the winners of three of the last four Fox Valley Association Player of the Year awards. Weisse won the award in 1998 as a junior and again in 1999 as a senior, while Tigert won the award last season after leading the Indians to a runner-up finish in the state.

In Waiting

Two Panthers are sitting out the 2001-02 season due to NCAA transfer rules. Jose Winston, a former Wisconsin Mr. Basketball, is a transfer from Colorado. Winston was a high school standout at Milwaukee Vincent. Rob Sanders is a transfer from Toledo. Sanders sat out last season as a redshirt, and will have three years of eligibility remaining beginning next season.

Horizon League Tournament

The 2002 Horizon League Tournament is scheduled for March 1-5 in Cleveland, Ohio.

Up Next

UWM hosts Wright State Thursday night at 7 p.m.