Jan. 29, 2002

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MILWAUKEE -- The UWM women's basketball team (13-6, 7-1 Horizon) travels to Chicago this week to take on host UIC Thursday night at 7 p.m. The Panthers fell to second place after losing to league-leader Green Bay in overtime Saturday, 83-75.

UIC (11-10, 3-6 Horizon) hosts Milwaukee after a two-game skid on the road, including Monday night's 77-62 loss to Youngstown State. The Flames also dropped one to Detroit last Thursday, 83-65.

The Panthers already beat the Flames this season at home, 67-62, on Jan. 5. Milwaukee shot just 39 percent on the game compared to UIC's 43 percent shooting. Despite committing 21 turnovers, UWM pulled through at the line and on the boards. The Panthers made 21-of-24 free throws and outrebounded UIC, 33-23. Maria Viall led UWM with a double-double, recording 17 points and 12 rebounds, while Stefanie Kaufmann added 10 points. Four players scored in double digits for UIC, who made 15 assists and 13 turnovers on the game. Stesha Rhodes led with 14 points and Jaysie Chambers scored 12. LeKesha Williams and Josie Cole each added 10 points.

The Panthers hold the 13-7 all-time record against the Flames. UWM swept the series last year and last lost to UIC on Feb. 26, 2000, when the Flames hosted Milwaukee to a 63-45 score. Under head coach Sandy Botham, UWM is 9-2 against UIC.

Milwaukee will return home Saturday to host Youngstown State (8-11, 5-4 Horizon) at 2 p.m. Two events will occurs prior to the Panther's league match-up: First, UWM will pit former players against each other in its annual alumni game at 11 a.m. Second, the Klotsche Center will host National Girls & Women In Sports Day and feature guest speaker Lisa Krzykowski at 1 p.m. Krzykowski is a former UWM women's soccer standout and now plays professionally for the Atlanta Beat of the WUSA. Tickets for the speech may be purchased at the door for $3.

SCOUTING THE FLAMES

UIC is currently in sixth place in the Horizon League standings. The Flames shot 36 percent from the field while allowing Youngstown State to shoot 53 percent in Monday night's game. Jaysie Chambers led the Flames with 21 points and 10 rebounds, while LeKesha Williams added 12 points. UIC made just 2-of-14 three pointers while Youngstown State made 11-of-22 from beyond the arc. The Flames also shot 61.5 percent at the line, connecting on 16-of-26 attempts.

The Flames average 63.3 ppg, outscoring opponents by 0.5 points per game. They also average 42 percent field goal shooting, but have shot less than 37 percent in their past two losses. They are at the bottom of the league in free throw pct., averaging 65.3 percent at the line. UIC ranks first in rebounding margin in the league, outrebounding opponents by 4.3 boards per game. The Flames fare middle of the road in most other categories, but rank second in field goal pct. defense (.396). They rank third in assists (16.24) and scoring defense (62.8), and rank fourth in field goal pct. (.421) right behind UWM (.422).

Jaysie Chambers, a second team all-league preseason pick, leads the team with 11.8 points and 6.8 rebounds per game. LeKesha Williams is second on the team with 10.5 ppg. Chambers ranks 11th in the league in scoring and fourth in rebounding, while Williams ranks 17th in scoring.

INSIDE UWM'S LOSS TO GREEN BAY

Milwaukee led for most of the game, but Green Bay scored seven straight points to tie it up at 73 a piece and force overtime. Malika Willoughby hit a jumper to make it 75-all with 3:10 to go in the game, but that came as UWM's only basket past regulation. Green Bay scored the final eight points, including the last three on free throws, to take the edge over Milwaukee.

Maria Viall led UWM with a double-double, recording 20 points and a game-high 10 rebounds. Jessica Wilhite scored 17 points, while Angela Wenzel added 11 off the bench and Willoughby chipped in 10. Four Phoenix players scored in double figures and were led by Amanda Leonhard's 25 points.

Both teams shot well through regulation, but Milwaukee made just 1-of-6 from the field in overtime. The Panthers finished shooting 47 percent from the field and Green Bay connected on 45 percent. The opportunities came at the line for the Phoenix as they connected on 18-of-25, while UWM made just 4-of-11 free throws.

The Panthers led by 12 points in the first half, but Green Bay closed it down to trail 38-37 at halftime following a 12-1 run. Milwaukee then led by eight points with four minutes to go in the second half after a three-point play from Holly Tamm. But Leonhard and Loiselle charged Green Bay's comeback with a 9-1 run to force overtime.

1,000-POINT CLUB

With 17 points against Green Bay, junior guard Jessica Wilhite moved into 12th place on the school's career scoring list. With 1,009 career points, Wilhite becomes just the 12th player in school history to reach 1,000 points and the fourth player in the school's Div. I history. The last player to reach 1,000 points was Daryl Schaffeld (1996-00), who ended her career with 1,310 points. If Wilhite keeps on pace, she would be ranked eighth entering the league tournament on the all-time career leaderboard.

DOUBLE VISION

Maria Viall grabbed her eighth career double-double against Green Bay on Jan. 26. She scored 20 points and grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds for her fourth double-double of the season. Her others this season have come against Saint Mary's (30 points, 12 rebounds) and in back-to-back league game with Loyola (22 points, 10 rebounds) and UIC (17 points, 12 rebounds).

DOUBLE-DOUBLE FACTS FACTS

With eight career double-doubles, sophomore Maria Viall has moved into a tie with Apryl Rodman for fourth place on the school's career double-double list. The school record is 22 career double-doubles by Erica Young. Viall is also just the second player in UWM's Div. I history to post a double-double in back-to-back games twice in a career, having done so once this season and once last season. Young is the only other player to do so, having accomplished the feat four times. Young also holds the record with five consecutive double-doubles.

FREE THROW WOES

The Panthers made just 4-of-11 free throws against Green Bay to record a season-low 36.4 percent at the line. That percentage also ranks as the second-lowest in school Division I history, with the lowest coming in at 35.3 in 1995. UWM's game against the Phoenix tied a season record for fewest free throws, with the other coming on a 4-of-7 performance at Valparaiso. The game against the Phoenix also came as just the fourth time this year UWM has recorded single digits at the line.

YEAH, BUT CAN THEY PLAY DEFENSE?

For the second game in a row, the Panthers did some editing in their record book. On Jan. 19 against Detroit, it was the Milwaukee offense that stole the show with a 102-71 victory. On Jan. 23, it was the patented UWM defense that put on a clinic. Butler's 39 points and 12 field goals made stand as the second-lowest among opponents in school history. The Panthers also held the Bulldogs to just 24 percent shooting on 12-of-50 shots, including 4-of-25 in the second half. The shooting percentage ranks third lowest among Milwaukee opponents.

GIANT VICTORY

The 102 points UWM scored against Detroit came as the second highest total in school history. It also came as the first time since 1996 that the Panthers scored over 100 points. On Feb. 17, 1996, UWM beat Cleveland State in overtime, 101-99. The school record for most points scored is 104, which UWM recorded in a 104-57 win on Jan. 22, 1991 against Northeastern Illinois.

HALF A RECORD

The win over Detroit did allow UWM to reset the school record for most points in a half. The Panthers poured in 59 points in the second half, beating the previous record of 55 points scored in a half against St. Francis in the 1990-91 season.

MARGIN OF VICTORY

The Panthers' consecutive 31-point league wins against Detroit and Butler at home mark the fifth and sixth time the Panthers have won by 20 or more points, setting a new school mark. Milwaukee has posted four of those wins in league play, and have outscored league opponents by 22.7 points per game.

STREAKS A' PLENTY

After starting the season 4-5, Milwaukee rattled off nine-straight wins to tie the school record. The Panthers' streak ended this past weekend after their loss to Green Bay, but the nine-game ride came for the second year in a row. UWM broke the previous record of eight-straight wins last season, with the ninth win coming in the MCC Championship game against UW-Green Bay. Duke ended that streak by handing the Panthers a 96-63 loss in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.

STEALING HOME

With the recent victory over Butler, UWM extended its home league winning streak to 21 games. The Panthers haven't fallen to a league team at the Klotsche Center since UW-Green Bay upended Milwaukee, 73-54, on Feb. 20, 1999.

LEAGUE STREAK ENDED

Though UWM hasn't been beaten by a league foe at home through 21 consecutive games played at the Klotsche Center, the Panthers saw their 16-game win streak against league teams end this past weekend. Green Bay handed UWM its first league loss since Feb.8, 2001, when the Panthers lost. UWM won its first seven games in the league this season after finishing last season having won the last nine meetings against league opponents. The Panthers were on a six-game winning streak entering the MCC Tournament last year and then swept all three opponents to claim the championship.

BENCH POINTS

Angela Wenzel has come in to every game off the bench for UWM this season. She has scored in double figures in three of the last four games, with her biggest spark coming as a 17-point performance on Jan. 17. She has averaged 14.3 points while shooting 75 percent from the field in the last four outings. Her new career high of 17 points came on 7-of-8 shooting from the field and 3-of-4 from the line. Against Green Bay, she scored 11 points in 17 minutes played off the bench after connecting on 4-of-5 from the field, including 3-of-4 three pointers.

HELPING HAND

Senior guard Holly Tamm currently has 87 assists on the season, averaging 4.58 per game for second among league leaders. She has recorded more than four assists in eight games, and has recorded fewer than three assists just three times. If she keeps dishing out assists at her current pace, she will eclipse the 100-assist mark and rank among the school's top ten in season assist leaders. The last time a Panther averaged at least four assists per game was during the 1996-97 season.

ROAD WARRIORS

UWM has won six games on the road so far this season, tying a Division I school record for most road wins in a season. UWM accumulated six road wins in 2000-01, 1999-00 and 1997-98. UWM has five away games left on its schedule, with a potential of one more if they play host Loyola at the Horizon League Tournament.

UWM'S RPI

Milwaukee is currently ranked 98th in the latest release of the RPI according to collegerpi.com. The latest ranking is the highest for UWM in the three-year history of the women's RPI. In 2000-01 Milwaukee was at 116, while the Panthers finished the 1999-00 season at 157. The Panthers are projected to finish the season 78th in the RPI, with a 20-7 record.

PANTHER DEFENSE

UWM's tenacious defense forced 31 turnovers from Butler on Jan. 23, the highest amount an opponent has coughed up this season. UWM forced 30 turnovers at Wright State, as well as 26 against Cleveland State on Jan. 17. The Butler game last week marked the 11th time this season the Panthers have forced more than 20 turnovers. UWM forces an average of 21 turnovers per contest and ranks second in the league with a +3.95 turnover margin.

FRESHMEN LEADERS

Point guard Malika Willoughby led the team in scoring against Wright State, registering 13 points. She shot 5-of-13 from the field, including 2-of-5 from the arc. That came as the second time this season a freshman has led the Panthers in scoring. Forward Christine Gutierrez led UWM with a team-high 14 points at Bowling Green on Dec. 8.

MUST-SEE TV

The premiere of the Sandy Botham Show, featuring UWM's own 2001 MCC Coach of the Year, was shown Thurs., Jan. 10, on Channel 41. Botham can be seen at 6:30 p.m. every Thursday night throughout the rest of the season. CBS 58 sports reporter Trenni Kusnierek hosts the show.

PREP PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Future Panther Nichole Drummond, who committed to UWM next season, was named the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel's Prep Player of the Week. The 5-foot-10 forward led Kenosha Tremper with a career-high 32 points, 11 rebounds and three assists in victory over Kenosha Bradford. She averages 20 points and 11 rebounds per game.

CAREER DAY FOR VIALL

Maria Viall scored 33 points against Butler to eclipse her previous career high of 30 against Saint Mary's on Dec. 28th. Against the Bulldogs, Viall made 13-of-19 from the field and 7-of-11 from the line.

VIALL NAMED PLAYER OF THE WEEK AGAIN

Maria Viall was named the Horizon League Player of the Week on Jan. 14 for the second consecutive week. She was recognized by the league after pouring in a career-high 33 points to lead UWM past Butler in their first match-up this season. In the week prior, she helped UWM to a pair of league wins at home with two double-doubles, averaging 18.5 points and 11 rebounds in both contests. She is off to a torrid pace in league games, averaging 19.3 points and 7.1 rebounds through seven games.

CONSISTENT IN APPEARANCE

When Stefanie Kaufmann took the floor on the road at Green Bay, it was the 104th consecutive game she has appeared in. In her fourth year, Kaufmann has played in all 104 team games, while starting 32 times. The record for most games in a career, without missing one, since UWM moved to Div. I is 108 by Trina Rathke (1995-98) and Apryl Rodman (1994-98). Both Rathke and Rodman played all 108 team games in their careers. If Kaufmann stays healthy, she will eclipse the mark Feb. 7 at Wright State. Junior Jessica Wilhite (77), sophomore Maria Viall (49) and freshman Malika Willoughby (19) are the only other players on pace for the same feat.

SCORING STREAK

It may appear as though center Maria Viall has been hot as of late, but really she's been doing it all season. Viall had recorded 12 consecutive games with double-digit scoring, but that streak was cut short when she was held to six points against Wright State. That game came as just the second time this season Viall scored in single digits, with the first coming in the season opener. Her streak of 12 games marked a career best, and tops among all active players. The record, however, is 21 games set by Pam Bartnik during the 1993-94 season.

STARTING SPOT

Freshman guard Malika Willoughby made her first start with the regular rotation in the game against Saint Mary's and has started each game since. She replaced senior guard Allison Klaas, who now gives the Panthers experience off the bench. With Willoughby in the starting five, the Panthers rattled off nine-straight wins, and hold a 10-1 record overall when she starts.

UP THE CHARTS

Also making news with career leaderboards is sophomore center Maria Viall. Viall has 30 blocks this season, giving her 62 career blocks and sole possession of seventh place in the records book. She needs a total of 68 to tie Jaci Clark for sixth place, and 70 to tie Apryl Rodman for fifth place. With 29 blocks through 18 games, Viall is looking to make a run at UWM's Division I school record of 47 blocks in a single season. The current mark is held by Erica Young during the 1993-94 season. The all-time career leader in blocks is Carrie Nonof with 136 blocks. Viall registered 32 blocks last season and ranks third in individual season records for blocks.

POLE POSITION

Following the Wisconsin game on Dec. 11, sophomore center Maria Viall became the team's leading scorer. Viall becomes the first Panther player other than Jessica Wilhite to have the team lead in scoring since 2000. Corrin Von Wald ended the 1999-00 season with 11.9 ppg, tops on the team. Viall now averages 17 points per game, while Wilhite is second with 13.2 ppg. Viall leads all Horizon League players in scoring, while Wilhite ranks ninth.

WILHITE FOR THREE

The game against Wisconsin was the only game this season Jessica Wilhite did not connect from behind the arc. She scored four points but was 0-of-3 from three-point range. Prior to that game, she had made at least one three-pointer in each of UWM's first eight games this season. Wilhite opened the 2000-01 season with multiple threes in the first 15 games, and kept on pace with at least one made in 20 straight games. As a freshman during the 1999-2000 season, Wilhite made it seven games before failing to hit a three. In her career, Wilhite has played in just eight games without making a three point shot.

FIRST-HALF RINGER

2001-02 Horizon League Preseason Player of the Year Jessica Wilhite exploded against Loyola on Jan. 3, going off for a school-record 24 first-half points. She shot 8-of-12 in the first half, including 5-of-6 from beyond the arc, and was 3-of-5 at the line. She finished with a game-high 28 points.

FEWEST TO FOUR

Milwaukee's 71-50 win at Chicago State on Dec. 31 marked the fourth road win of the season for the Panthers. With a 4-2 mark on the road, the 2001-02 squad set a school Div. I record with the fewest games to reach four road wins. The previous record was seven, when the 1997-98 team started the road season 4-3. Last season, the team didn't record its fourth road win until their 12 opportunity.

100 AND COUNTING

With UWM's win over Northern Illinois in the season opener on Nov. 16, coach Sandy Botham collected her 100th career win as a head coach. Botham started her career with Beloit College and collected 22 wins in her lone season there. Since coming to Milwaukee prior to the 1996-97 season, Botham has collected 85 wins, giving her 107 for her career.

CARING FOR THE BALL

Against No. 3 Vandy, the Panthers kept care of the ball by recording 16 assists and turning over the ball a season-low nine times. Through 19 games, Holly Tamm leads the squad with 87 assists and boasts a league-best assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.56. As a team, UWM averages 15.8 assists and 17.1 turnovers. The Panthers have forced an average of 21 turnovers per contest for a turnover margin of +3.9.

BENCH MARK

Against Valparaiso, UWM coach Sandy Botham used an eight-player rotation--the first time four other players didn't see time off the bench since January of 2000. Jan. 4, 2000 was the last time the Panthers didn't use at least 10 players in a game. The only other time Botham has ever used only eight players was Dec. 21, 1996, her eighth game at UWM. In that game, seven players saw 20-plus minutes, while one player only played one minute. The Panthers lost at Dayton, 79-70, in that game.

ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM

Jessica Wilhite and Maria Viall were named to the Gran Tree Classic All-Tournament team on Nov. 25-26 at Montana State.