Complete Release in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader

Jan. 10, 2003

The Sandy Botham File A 1988 Notre Dame graduate, Sandy Botham is in her seventh season at the helm of the UWM women's hoops program. The two-time MCC/Horizon League Coach of the Year owns a 124-84 career mark, good for a .601 winning percentage. The second- winningest coach in school history and the all-time leader in Division I victories, Botham is 102-80 in her six-plus seasons in Milwaukee. Last season, Botham led UWM to it's first 20-win season in the school's ten-year Division I history. Botham's teams have posted a 60-28 record in Horizon League play over the years, including regular season and tournament titles in 2000-01. Assisting Botham on the sidelines are first year assistants Joe Conroy, Lea Robinson, and Nicole Luchsinger with 1997 Horizon League Player of the Year Jen Greger serving as Director of Basketball Operations.

Scouting The Penguins Youngstown State University, led by longtime coach Ed DiGregorio, enters tonight's game 3-9 overall and 0-2 in Horizon League play. The Penguins feature the most balanced attack in the conference, with five different players averaging 9.0 points per game or better. Sophomore guard Jessica Olmstead leads the YSU attack with a 10.3 ppg average while senior perimeter player Devin Novak is close behind at 10.2 markers per game. 2001-02 Horizon League Newcomer of the Year Jen Perugini, the league's leading free throw shooter, averages 10.1 ppg and 5.7 rebounds per game. Milwaukee leads the all-time series between the two schools 5-3, including a pair of victories last season. The Panthers defeated YSU 100-46 in Milwaukee and 67-46 in Youngstown.

Offense Begins To Click After struggling to score throughout most of the 2002-03 season, it appears the UWM offense is beginning to click on all cylinders. The Panthers, who have scored over 70 points just three times this season, have done so in each of the last two contests. UWM scored a season-high 89 points in a win over Cleveland State on Jan. 4 before tallying 73 markers versus UIC on Thursday. Milwaukee has averaged 81 ppg over the last two contests while notching assists on 45 of the 59 field goals made. UWM has hit nine three-pointers in the last two games while connecting 35-of-51 from the free throw line. The magic number for the offense appears to be 69, as UWM is currently 3-2 on the season when scoring at least 69 points.

Road Unkind To Young Squad It's always been said that one of the toughest things to do in sports is win games on the road. Unfortunately the old adage has held true this season as the UWM women's basketball squad is 0-5 in road games thus far in 2002-03. That mark includes an 0-2 showing in Horizon League road games after the Panthers dropped an 84-7 decision at UIC and a 66-57 game at Loyola in their two league road jaunuts. On the year, UWM is averaging just 59.8 points per game on the road while giving up 80.4. The Panthers have hit just eleven three-point shots on the road and have been outshot from the floor, three-point land, and the free throw line. Furthermore, UWM has commited 136 turnovers away from the Klotsche Center while dishing out just 464 assists and shooting just 41.5% from the floor and 20.4% from the three-point line.

Viall Close To Joining Another Elusive Club Yes, she's only a junior but UWM's Maria Viall is close to joining her second "elite" club of the season. The 6-3 center is just 13 rebounds away from becoming just the 11th player in school history, and the fourth in the Division I era, to grab 500 career rebounds. When Viall reaches the plateau she will join Jaci Clark (1979-93), Umenia White (1985-89), Marsha Housley (1979-83), Cammie Nonof (1985-89), Niki Flack (1989-93), and Darla Wack (1981-85) as the only players in school history to score 1,000 points and grab 500 rebounds in a career.

Becker Provides Support Inside While often overshadow by fellow frontcourt mate Maria Viall, UWM sophomore Kimberly Becker has played solid basketball the last week or so. The 6-2 forward tied her career-high with 14 points versus UIC on Thursday, while grabbing six boards and making a career-best eight free throws. The Platteville, Wis.-native's showing came on the heels of a nine-point, seven- rebound showing versus Cleveland State on Jan. 4. In the last two games Becker is averaging 12.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per game while going 6-10 from the field and 11-16 from the free throw line.

Witte Shines Off The Bench If the last three games are any indication, it appears freshman Anne Witte has made her mark on the college basketball scene. The 5-10 combo guard has played an average of 29 minutes per contest off the bench in the Panthers last three games, and has been one of the team's most productive players. Witte has connected on nine-of-21 shots, hit four three pointers and all eight of her free throws in averaging 10.0 points per game over the last three contests. In addition, No. 23 has added nine rebounds, eight assists, four steals, and two blocked shots in the span. With her 3-3 showing from the free throw line at UIC, Witte has now connected on 18 straight charity tosses while leading the team with a 91.3% clip from the line.

Wilhite Out, Soccer Star In No, Jessica Wilhite doesn't have a deal with UWM women's soccer coach Michael Moynihan. Although one would wonder looking at the last two times the senior didn't start. Wilhite, who didn't start on Thursday after missing two practices with an infection, was replaced in the starting lineup by UWM soccer player Kerri St. Aubin. The streak broke a string of 33 consecutive starts for Wilhite. The last time No. 15 didn't line up for the opening tip came Dec. 8, 2001 versus Bowling Green. And who replaced her in the starting lineup that night? Former UWM hooper and current All-Horizon League soccer player Elizabeth Chudy.

Valuing The Ball Leads To Victory Give to your teammates, sure. Give to the opposition, not so much. Giving the ball away has been a bit of a problem for the UWM women's hoops team in 2002- 03. However, when the Panthers can finish a game helping teammates (assists) more than the opposition (turnovers), the results are definitely positive. Milwaukee, who averages 22.2 turnovers per game and 15.2 assists per game, is currently 2-0 on the year when posting more assists than TO's in a game. UWM posted 24 assists to 18 TO's versus CSU and 19 and 18, respectively, versus San Francisco.

Panthers Rank Among The League's Best According to the latest Horizon League statistics released on Wednesday (Jan. 8), several UWM individuals rank among the leaders in several different statistical categories. Junior Maria Viall is ranked in the top five in four different statistical categories as she sits first in blocked shots (2.2 pg), first in field goal percentage (56.2%), second in rebounding (9.0 pg), and third in scoring (18.0 pg). Senior guard Jessica Wilhite is third in three- point field goals made (2.15 pg) and fourth in free throw percentage (82.6%) while fellow senior Antoinette Gregory sits fourth in assist-to-turnover ratio with a 1.30 mark.

Milwaukee Struggles From Beyond The Arc The three-point shot has been more of a problem than a weapon for the UWM women's hoops team this season. Milwaukee has connected on only 73 trifectas on the year while the opposition has more than doubled that amount with 95 three- balls. Furthermore, UWM is struggling percentage-wise from downtown, making just 26.6% of its tri-lighters while opponents are connecting on 38.3% from three-point land. While senior Jessica Wilhite has drilled 31 three-pointer's on the season, the rest of the UWM roster has made only 16 total shots from long range, ten of which have come from freshman Anne Witte.

Milwaukee-Native Performs Well In League Play Milwaukee has become more than the Maria Viall show in the paint thanks to the recent play of Teri Huff. The Milwaukee-native has been a solid force at the power forward position for the Panthers, scoring 8.0 points per game while grabbing 6.3 boards per contest in Horizon League action. In conference-only games, the athletic Huff is currently tied among the the top of the blocked shot chart with 2.0 rejections per contest. For the season, Huff is currently fourth on the squad with a 7.8 ppg norm while her 4.6 rebound average is good for second on the team.

Bench Leads The Way Versus Flames While the attempt ended in defeat, the output of the UWM bench versus UIC on Thursday was the best of the season. Versus the Flames the Panther bench scored 41 of the team's 73 points, the first time the bench has outscored the starters all season. Three Panthers reached double figures off the pine as Kimberly Becker scored 14, Anne Witte 12 and Jessica Wilhite 11.