Bowling Green State University
Milwaukee
Panthers Defeat Women's Basketball, 77-52
December 08, 2001 | Women's Basketball
Dec. 8, 2001
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee used timely long-distance shooting and their ability to get to the free throw line in defeating host BGSU, 77-52, Saturday (Dec. 8). The non-conference game was held at BG's Anderson Arena.
UWM, which improved to 4-4 on the season, made eight three-point field goals in 19 attempts, and the Panthers got to the line for 28 shots, sinking 19.
The Falcons fall to 2-6 on the season. BGSU made 4-of-14 long-distance attempts and went to the line 12 times, making eight.
Sophomore Stefanie Wenzel led the Falcons in both scoring and rebounding, with 15 points and seven rebounds in a career-high 32 minutes. She sank two three-pointers to tie her career standard in that department.
Wenzel's older sister, Angela, is a junior for UWM and scored six points for the visitors.
The Panthers, a 2001 NCAA Tournament team, were coming off a loss at Valparaiso Wednesday (Dec. 5). UWM coach Sandy Botham shook up her lineup, starting her five available freshmen. The five responded by staking the Panthers to a 14-9 lead after six-and-a-half minutes.
The Falcons still were within six points, 22-16, after a Wenzel free throw with 7:23 left in the half. But, the visitors scored the next seven points to begin a 11-2 run and open a 33-18 advantage with 1:56 remaining. UWM led by 12, 35-23, at the half.
In the second half, freshman Christine Gutierrez, who led UWM with 14 points, hit a three-pointer just 30 seconds in. BGSU's Wenzel answered with a trey of her own, however, and junior Karen Stocz followed with a layup to cut the lead to 10 points.
The Panthers responded, upping the lead to 18 (55-37) over the next five minutes, but the Falcons made one last run at the visitors. Back-to-back treys by senior Dana Western-Schuka and Wenzel cut the margin to 12 points, and a bucket by sophomore Lindsay Austin made it a 55-45 game with 10:42 remaining.
From there, however, the Panthers allowed BGSU to score just seven points the rest of the way. UWM scored the next six points of the contest to move the lead to 16, and BG could not narrow the gap.
In addition to Gutierrez, Maria Viall scored in double digits for UWM. She had 12 points and a team-high seven rebounds. Holly Tamm had eight points for the Panthers.
Wenzel was the lone Falcon in double digits in the scoring department. Both Austin and sophomore Kelly Kapferer had eight points, while Stocz had seven points and a career-high two blocked shots off the bench. Freshman Sakima Smith also blocked two shots for the Bown and Orange.
UWM shot .424 on the day to the Falcons' .357, and the visitors held a 43-35 edge in the rebounding department. BGSU forced the Panthers into 20 turnovers, but the Falcons made 24 TO's of their own.
The Falcons now have a week to regroup. BGSU will close the pre-Christmas slate by hosting Wright State in another Saturday (Dec. 15) afternoon contest. Start time is 1:00 p.m. at Anderson.
