UW-STEVENS POINT @ MILWAUKEE
Exhibition Game #2
Date: Thursday, Nov. 5, 2009
Time: 7 p.m. Central
Location: Milwaukee, Wis.
Arena: Klotsche Center (5,000)
Radio: AM 920 WOKY (Scott Warras, Play-By-Play)
Television: None
uwmpanthers.com: Gametracker
• Complete Release in PDF Format 
MILWAUKEE, Wis. (Nov. 3, 2009) - The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee women's basketball team plays its second and final exhibition game Thursday, when it welcomes UW-Stevens Point to the Klotsche Center. The Panthers suffered a buzzer-beater loss at the hands of UW-Parkside in its first preseason tilt Sunday, 57-56, and opens the regular season at Evansville Nov. 13.
Looking at the Stevens Point Pointers
UW-Stevens Point is coming off a 26-4 record last season and a trip to the NCAA Division III Tournament Sweet 16. The Pointers do return just one starter, but it comes in the form of their leading scorer from a year ago in Britta Peterson. She averaged 14.2 points and 5.7 rebounds per game, while blocking 40 shots, and was named to the D3Hoops.com All-Region Team. Head coach Shirley Egner's squad finished 2008-09 as the No. 7 team in the nation and is ranked No. 23 in the D3Hoops.com preseason poll.
Series History
Milwaukee has not played UW-Stevens Point since moving to Division I in 1990. The last time the two teams met on a basketball court was Nov. 28, 1989, when the Panthers scored a 71-68 win in Milwaukee. The Pointers, however, lead the all-time series, 9-7.
Up Next - More Exhibition
The Panthers kick off the regular season with a two-game road trip through southern Indiana and Illinois. Milwaukee takes on Evansville Nov. 13, before heading to SIU Edwardsville Nov. 15.
Last Time Out - Parkside 57, Milwaukee 56
Jadee Rooney hit a layup at the buzzer to lift UW-Parkside past Milwaukee, 57-56, in an exhibition game Sunday afternoon at the Klotsche Center. The Panthers overcame an eight point deficit at 50-42 with 11:16 remaining and took a 56-55 lead with 1:01 remaining on a pair of free throws by junior Ashley Imperiale. Both teams missed baskets, setting up the Rangers' final possession. Rooney was fouled with just under five seconds remaining, before taking the inbounds to the basket as time expired. Junior Lindsay Laur led Milwaukee with 14 points and seven rebounds, while junior Jenilee Klomstad chipping in 11 points, five boards and a pair of blocked shots.
Preseason Experience
The Panthers had posted 2-0 records in exhibition play in each of the last three seasons. They defeated Michigan Tech and Dubuque last season. Against Tech, Milwaukee fell behind late, but used an 11-0 run to force overtime and run away with the game in that extra period against the seventh-ranked team in the nation in Division II. UWM got 21 points from Traci Edwards to defeat Dubuque, 82-70.
Preseason Prognosticators
Milwaukee was picked to finish fifth in the Horizon League standings this season, according to the league's preseason poll. The Panthers garnered a first-place vote and 155 total points in the poll, which is voted on by league head coaches, sports information directors and media. Defending league champion Green Bay topped the poll with 266 points and 19 first-place votes. UWM, which placed seventh in the league standings a year ago, and GB faced off in the 2009 league championship game.
Back In Black & Gold
UWM returns eight letterwinners from last season, including five upperclassmen. While last season featured a school-record five-member senior class, the 2009-10 Panthers will boast just one senior in Jodie McClain. Also back in uniform will be juniors Lindsay Laur, Ashley Imperiale, Jenilee Klomstad and Stephanie Schell. Laur was a strong candidate for Horizon League Sixth Player of the Year last season and was the team's second-leading scorer (9.6 ppg) and rebounder (6.0). Imperiale came on strong and was a league all-newcomer and all-tournament team selection.
But What That Means...
Despite losing five seniors, including three starters, the Panthers are not without strong experience. In fact, the eight returners accounted for 43 percent of the team's scoring last season and 39 percent of its rebounding. The group also accounted for 66 starts and boasts 94 career starts.
Welcome To Milwaukee
Five newcomers will pepper Milwaukee's roster in 2009-10, including three junior college transfers. Anne Breland and Nicole Holman played for national championship teams last season. Breland was a two-time NJCAA Division III All-American and led Rochester Technical and Community College to the DIII title last season. Holman helped Kirkwood Community College to the DII championship after playing at Tennessee-Martin as a freshman and during a redshirted second season. Ciera McGaughy comes from Des Moines Area Community College after being one of the top point prep guards in the state of Michigan. Milwaukee also added a pair of Michigan prep stars in Sammy Theut and Sami Tucker. Theut was the Class D State Player of the Year, while Tucker was named to the Class A All-State First Team.
On The Docket In 2009-10
The Panthers take on eight total post-season teams from last season during the 2009-10 season, including NCAA Division I Tournament teams in Green Bay and Evansville. It also takes on UW-Stevens Point in an exhibition game. The Pointers advanced to the Sweet 16 of the DIII tournament. Milwaukee plays host to all three of its in-state rivalry games, inlcuding non-league tilts with Wisconsin and Marquette, both of which advanced multiple rounds in the WNIT. Other WNIT Teams on the docket are Dayton, Illinois State and Butler. The Panthers also take a trip to Seattle, Wash., where they will take on 20-game winners in South Alabama (21-11) and Seattle University (20-9) at SeattleU's tournament.
League Success
The Panthers are looking to continue a strong tradition of success in the Horizon League in 2009-10. Milwaukee has finished second-or-better in the league standings in eight of the last 10 seasons and are 105-41 in league games since 1999-2000. UWM has won league titles in 2001 and 2006.
Home Sweet Home
The Klotsche Center remains a difficult place for visiting teams to succeed. In 13 years under Sandy Botham, the Panthers are 113-56 at home. The Panthers went just 7-7 at home last season, but recently posted a school-record 13-3 home campaign in 2005-06. In league play, those numbers are even better as Milwaukee boasts a 78-24 home record. That number has gotten a boost lately, as the Panthers have won 63 of their last 80 home league games over the last nine seasons. UWM has also posted three perfect home league years, going 8-0 in 2003-04 and 7-0 in both 1999-2000 and 2000-01.
It's Not How You Start, But How You Finish
Milwaukee may have had a down year in league play, going 7-11 and earning the seventh seed in the league tournament, but that didn't stop the team from advancing to the league title game for the third time in team history. The Panthers became the first team to advance to the title game after playing in the league's first round since the round was added in 2001. To get there, they had to win three games in five days in three cities. That week, Milwaukee beat No. 10 Youngstown State Monday at home. It then knocked off No. 2 Butler in Indianapolis Wednesday, before coming back Friday and eliminating No. 3 Cleveland State in Green Bay.
Panthers On The Air
For the third-straight season, every Panther game will be carried live on AM920 WOKY. The station is also be the home of the Sandy Botham Radio Show, while both the show and every game will be available live at uwmpanthers.com. Scott Warras returns for his fourth season as the voice of UWM women's basketball and the host of the Sandy Botham Radio show. He will also host the Sandy Botham television show, which will air of Time Warner Sports 32.
Be Sure To Watch
UWM will continue to get television coverage in the Milwaukee area, with four games being carried live on Time Warner Sports 32 and then be replayed on the station afterwards. The Panthers will also play at Green Bay Feb. 13 on ESPNU. Also, every regular season home game will be available to watch online through the Horizon League Network (www.horizonleaguenetwork.tv).
