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Jan. 28, 2004

MILWAUKEE -

Panthers Return Home For Crucial League Game

While it's still to early in the season to call any game a "must-win", Thursday's (Jan. 29) showdown with the University of Detroit-Mercy is about as close as they come for the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee women's basketball team. The Panthers, who are 7-10 overall and 4-3 in Horizon League play, currently sit in fourth place in the league standings. Meanwhile, the Titans bring a 9-8 record and 6-1 league mark, with the latter standing good enough for first place in the loop. If the Panthers have visions of winning the league regular season crown, a win Thursday would go a long way towards that goal. The game will begin at 7:00 p.m. at UWM's Klotsche Center and can be heard live via the internet by visiting UWM's Official Athletic Website, www.uwmpanthers.com. Dan Pfeifer will call the play-by-play with Assistant Sports Information Director Bret Seymour adding color commentary.

Rough Time In Green Bay

From the poor weather, tough driving conditions, and the team on the other sideline, the UWM women's hoops team would just soon forget Monday's (Jan. 26) game at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. The Panther team endured a three-plus hour trip in a driving and blowing snowstorm before facing an avalanche by the host squad. The Phoenix took an 18-5 lead early in the game and never let up en route to a 72-52 victory. Milwaukee turned the ball over 29 times in the loss while shooting just 32.3% from the floor. One bright spot for the Panthers, rebounding, as the visitors snatched 57 boards on the game while outrebounding the hosts 57-26. Maria Viall led UWM with 17 points and 16 boards while Nicole Soulis led four UWGB players in double figures with a game-best 22 points. The win helped Green Bay extend its Horizon League homecourt winning streak to 43 games.

Scouting the Titans

It should come as no surprise that stifling defense has been the calling card of the 2003-04 University of Detroit-Mercy women's basketball team. The surprising Titans, who were picked sixth in the league's preseason poll, currently sit atop the league standings under first-year head coach and former UDM men's assistant, Mickey Barratt. Taking a page from mentor Perry Watson's book, Barratt has his troops playing by far the best defense in the league. The Titans are allowing just 54.1 points per game while holding opponents to 35.2% shooting from the floor. Offensively, junior Lindsay Pasquinzo leads a balanced attack with a 10.9 ppg average. Seniors Nicole Anejionu and Sara Crum boast arguably the league's best frontcourt, thanks to per game norms of 9.9 points and 6.8 rebounds for Anejionu and 8.3 points and 6.1 caroms for Crum. Thursday's battle will mark the 24th meeting all-time between the two schools with UDM holding a 13-10 edge. The two teams split the two games last year with each team winning on the opponents' home court.

Home Sweet Home

The UWM women's hoops team couldn't get back to the Klotsche Center soon enough. The Panthers, who have played just five home games in 2003-04, will look to make a run with three consecutive games and six of the next seven in Milwaukee. UWM has excelled in the friendly confines this season with a 4-1 home record. Conversely, the Panthers have struggled on the road, as evidenced by a 1-9 road record. Both of UWM's other two wins came in neutral court tournament games at the beginning of the season. On the season, Milwaukee is outscoring the opposition by 10.0 points at home while shooting 42.8% from the floor and 79.1% from the free throw line. One major key to the home success: ballhandling. The Panthers have turned the ball over just 17.4 times per game in the five home games while registering 17.0 assists per contest.

Owning The Glass

In a continuation of last season, the 2003-04 Panther hoops unit is absolutely dominating Horizon League opponents on both the offensive and defensive glass. On the season, UWM owns a league-best +3.8 rebound margin, but that number has grown exponentially in league action. Through six conference games Milwaukee has grabbed 261 total rebounds to 189 for the opposition, good for a +12.0 league-leading margin. While the Panthers are clearly owning the defensive boards, it's the offensive glass where UWM is really excelling. Milwaukee has grabbed 101 offensive rebounds in the five games to just 567O-boards for the opponents. Furthermore, UWM has held the opposition to just 122 defensive rebounds, just 21 more than Milwaukee has offensive boards. In Saturday's game versus Butler, Milwaukee grabbed a season-high 52 rebounds while posting a season's best +23 rebound margin.

Witte Delivers From Downtown

While her duties may have changed due to the injury of point guard Aubrey Hampton, UWM sophomore Anne Witte continues to be one of the top three-point shooters in the Horizon League. The sophomore from Mukwonago sits second on the team with 21 three-pointers on the season while placing sixth in league only games with 1.71 trifectas per contest. Witte has really dialed in of late, nailing at least one three-pointer in eight straight games while connecting on 13-of-27 (48.1%) during the stretch. Witte, who ranks as UWM's all-time leader in career free throw shooting, has drilled 43 three-ball's in her two-year career while shooting 36.9% from the arc.

Panthers In The Giving Mood

What has been a problem all season just hit alarming proportions during UWM's recent three-game Horizon League road stretch. That problem: Turnovers. The Panthers, who sit last in the Horizon League in turnovers with 22.2, are also last in the loop in turnover margin at -5.3. Unfortunately, things have gotten worse since league play began in December, as the Panthers are averaging 22.4 miscues through seven contests. In UWM's last three games (road contests at Wright State, Butler, and UW-Green Bay) the Panthers committed a total of 89 turnovers which led an alarming 53 steals by the three opponents. The Panthers committed 33 miscues versus Wright State, second only to the 36 versus DePaul in the season-opener, before delivering 27 turnovers at Butler on Saturday and 29 at Green Bay on Monday. Conversely, Milwaukee has created just 16.9 turnovers by the opposition this season while averaging just 8.2 steals per game.

"SA" Gets To The Point

In the absence of the injured Aubrey Hampton, junior reserve point guard Kerri St. Aubin has wasted no time in taking advantage of her increased playing time. In the last three games, St. Aubin has averaged 17.3 minutes per game, with a career-high 23 coming versus Butler on Saturday. In the three games, the fiery leader has gone three-of-seven from the floor, and two-of-three from three-point land to go with five rebounds, eight assists, and eight points. The starting goalkeeper on UWM's four-time league champion women's soccer team, "SA" has averaged 3.5 assists in the last two games, highlighted by a career-high four versus UWGB on Monday while her four rebounds versus Butler on Saturday also marked a career-best.

Support In The Post

After being picked as a Second-Team All-Horizon League in the preseason, UWM forward Kimberly Becker has lifted her game to another level over the last two weeks. In the last five games, the Platteville-native has averaged 10.1 points, 7.4 rebounds, 1.0 steals, and 0.4 blocks per contest. Furthermore, Becker has added some versatility to her game, as evidenced by nailing two three-pointers in five attempts during the stretch. On the season, Becker has upped her season totals to 6.9 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game.

Miss Versatility

While scoring points grabs most of the attention in the game of basketball, UWM sophomore Molly O'Brien is making a name for herself as one of the most versatile players in the Horizon League. Over the last six games, the Columbus-native has played every position on the floor except center. During that time frame, No. 25 has averaged a modest 4.2 points per game but that doesn't tell her story. In the six contests O'Brien is second on the team in rebounding with 7.2 rpg while pacing the squad in assists with 14 and steals with 10, all while adding three blocked shots and guarding the other teams top offensive player. A forward by nature, O'Brien has seen time at the point guard spot in Panthers' last three games.

Injury Bug Bites Freshman Leader

Reality sure can bite. Just ask UWM point guard Aubrey Hampton. The freshman floor general had been playing some of the best basketball of her young career before a knee injury more than likely ended her rookie season in the Horizon League. Hampton, who leads the Panthers in assists (3.5 per game) and free throw shooting (80.8), was averaging 10.0 points and 2.5 rebounds per game in Horizon League play before being hurt. The fearless Hampton injured her right knee on a drive to the basket versus Cleveland State and will miss the rest of the year with a torn Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) in the knee.

Maria Moves On Up

With each passing game, not only does Maria Viall solidify her place as the potential Horizon League Player of the Year, she also creeps up the all-time UWM and Horizon League statistical charts. The senior recently moved into second place on the school's all-time scoring list. Viall, who has 1,643 points in her career, needs just 188 points to break the all-time scoring mark of 1,830 set by Jaci Clark (1979-83). At her current pace of 17.9 points per game, Viall would break the mark in the quarterfinals of the Horizon League Tournament on March 4. Furthermore, Viall already owns two UWM career records, thanks to 152 blocked shots and a .549 field goal percentage. The Waukesha-native is currently fifth all-time in the Horizon League in scoring while sitting fifth in blocked shots and seventh in rebounding.

League Tourney Comes To Milwaukee

On the heels of the hugely successful 2003 Horizon League Men's Basketball Tournament, the 2004 Horizon League Women's Tournament will look for similar excitement when it comes to Milwaukee in March. The tourney, which is scheduled for March 2-8 at the Klotsche Center, has changed formats from the previous years. The four quarterfinal games on March 4 will be held at the campuses of the top four seeds. If UWM is a top four seed and it wins it's quarterfinal game then the two semifinal battles and championship match will move to Milwaukee on Sunday, March 7 and Monday, March 8.

Coach Botham--Live And In Stereo

Exposure for UWM women's basketball coach Sandy Botham has increased exponentially this season. In addition to adding a slate of 20-plus games on either radio, television or the internet, coach Botham will also star in her own coaches show on both the radio and TV. The TV show, which will be hosted by CBS 58 Sports Director Rock Rote, will run every Saturday night during the season. Furthermore, Botham will be featured in her own radio show beginning Wednesday, January 28th. The show will take place live in the Gasthaus in the basement of the UWM student union beginning at 6:00 p.m. and can be heard live on WMCS 1290-AM.

Dear Diary

For those that really want to get to know UWM All-America Candidate Maria Viall, nows your chance. The Horizon League Preseason Player of the Year has been selected by ESPN.com to keep a diary throughout the 2003-04 season. Viall will share her thoughts on the team, classes, life on the road, and what its like as a Division I women's basketball player. The Waukesha-native will report twice a month to the women's basketball section of the national sports website. Viall's fourth diary entry, which talks about her time at home during the Holiday season and the squad's "secret santa" get together is now online. Fans can read each diary by clicking on the Women's College Basketball Link from the ESPN.com homepage.