UW-Green Bay Tightens Men's Basketball Race with Win over UW-Milwaukee

Jan. 30, 2005

UW-Green Bay 76, UW-Milwaukee 72


GREEN BAY -- UW-Green Bay defeated instate and Horizon League rival UW-Milwaukee, 76-72, Saturday night at the Resch Center with move within one-half game of the League-leading Panthers. The Phoenix improves to 14-5 overall and 7-2 in league play, while UWM falls to 15-5 and 8-2 overall.


After nine lead changes in a frantic second half, the Phoenix took the lead for good, 73-72, on a Benito Flores post bucket with 1:21 left. Flores stole a post entry pass on the ensuing Panthers possession and Brandon Morris drained a long jumper to boost the Phoenix cushion to 75-72 with 41 seconds left.


UWM's Joah Tucker missed a field goal attempt with 21 seconds left and Flores was fouled clearing the rebound. He connected on 1-of-2 free throws to extend the lead to four, and the Panthers were unable to score on a frantic final possession.


Arguably the biggest game of the Horizon League race thus far was played in front of the biggest crowd to watch a League game this season, as 8,072 fans packed the Resch Center. The attendance was the second-largest home crowd in UW-Green Bay history.


UW-Green Bay led by five at half, 36-31, but UW-Milwaukee took an early second half lead on back-to-back three-pointers by Boo Davis. The Phoenix held off the Panthers by shooting 63.6 percent in the second half.


Morris led five Phoenix players in double figures with 18 points. Matt Rohde added 17 points, Flores finished with 15 points, Josh Lawrence scored 12 points and Javier Mendiburu pitched in 10 points to go with nine assists.


Tucker led all scorers with 20 points for UWM. Panthers leading scorer Ed McCants scored 16 points. Davis and Adrian Tigert added 10 points apiece.


Box Score

Detroit 73, Loyola 59


DETROIT (AP) -- Brandon Cotton scored 19 points and had five assists Saturday to lead Detroit to a 73-59 win over Loyola.


The win broke the Titans' (8-11, 5-4 Horizon League) three-game losing streak. Cotton has scored in double digits in all 11 games he has played for Detroit. Ben Green added 11 points for the Titans.


Blake Schilb had 14 points to lead the Ramblers (6-14, 4-5).


Detroit, which struggled from the field during its losing streak, made 16 of its 26 field goal attempts (62 percent) in the first half as the Titans built a 44-30 lead.


Torvoris Baker dunked a putback with seven minutes to play in the first half to push the Titans lead into double digits, where it stayed the rest of the game.


Loyola never got closer than 11 points in the second half. Majak Kou had 11 for the Ramblers and Anthony Smith and DaJuan Gouard scored 10 each.
Box Score

UIC 73, Butler 49


CHICAGO (AP) -- Rocky Collum had 20 points and seven assists as UIC routed Butler 73-49 on Saturday.


Collum also had three steals for the Flames (10-9, 5-4 Horizon League), while Armond Williams scored 15 points and Jovan Stefanov had 12.


UIC was leading 37-31 at halftime. The Flames then extended that lead in the second half by outscoring their opponents 36-18.


The Bulldogs (7-11, 2-6) gave up 22 points on turnovers and shot just 25 percent in the second half.


Bruce Horan led the Bulldogs with 18 points, while teammate Brandon Polk had 10 points. No other Butler player had more than five points.
Box Score

Cleveland State 67, Wright State 53


CLEVELAND, Ohio (AP) -- Omari Westley scored 18 points and triggered a 7-0 streak early in the second half to lead Cleveland State to a 67-53 win over Wright State on Saturday night.


Raheem Moss added 16 points and Patrick Tatham had 10 for the Vikings (7-10, 4-5 Horizon League), who won their third game in a row.


Zach Williams scorred 14 points and DaShaun Wood and Jordan Pleiman each had 10 for Wright State (10-10, 5-4).


Wright State led 28-27 early in the second half on Drew Burleson's basket. Westley, who hit 6-of-8 shots from the field and 6-of-8 at the line, then had a three-point play to touch off the run that put the Vikings ahead to stay. He made a layup on the next possession and later added a free throw after Frashon McGee scored inside.


The Raiders got as close as 47-44 on Everett Spencer's layup with 8:17 left, but Westley, McGee and Moss each hit baskets for the Vikings.
Box Score