University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee women’s basketball head coach Sandy Botham earned her 91st win as the Panthers flew past the Air Force Academy Falcons Dec. 7 at the Klotsche Center, 65-53.
The Panthers (4-6) bounced back from two straight losses to hand the Falcons (3-5) their fifth loss.
Sophomore Traci Edwards dominated the floor as usual, shooting and rebounding her way to a double-double with 19 points and 13 rebounds. The Panthers defense was on fire, holding the Falcons to 32.2 percent shooting in the game and 16.7 percent in the first half on only four field goals.
UWM added eight blocks, third most in school history, and seven steals while out-rebounding Air Force 39-31.
UWM came out swinging early and scored the first seven points of the game to hold Air Force to only one basket in the first 4 minutes 54 seconds. Milwaukee initiated the press early on in the game, disrupting the Falcon offense.
“We knew it was real important to come out of the gates big,” Botham said. “The last few games we haven’t come out strong and so we worked on it in practice. With the press it forced our kids to be more aggressive. Air Force is very good at executing its offense in the half court. We wanted to control the tempo and disrupt their offense and we were able to do that.”
Meredith Onson started the Panthers out early with a quick five points to give UWM an early 11-2 lead. The Falcons stayed at a safe distance the rest of the half, turning the ball over 10 times in the first and nine in the second.
Botham’s squad stretched the lead to 21, 32-11, with 3:03 left and they held Air Force to just four points in the last 13 minutes of the first half. Onson ended the first half with a missed jumper at the buzzer to lead the teams in the locker rooms, Milwaukee with the advantage 36-13.
The stellar Milwaukee defense held up into the first half. Edwards went without a foul until 18:48 left in the second.
Letricia Castillo of Air Force showed that the Falcons weren’t going to give up easily. She drained a three to pull Air Force to within 22, and a Falcon steal followed by a quick jumper put Air Force within 20. Katie Fournier responded to the Falcon drive with a quick basket.
Air Force would cut the Panthers’ lead to 17, 44-27, with 13:25 left. Air Force kept whittling the lead down.
It was a 14-point game, but Edwards wouldn’t give up. On one play, she missed, grabbed her own rebound, missed again, grabbed the board and finished it off, showing how strong of a player she is.
Turquoise McCain had an excellent game as well, adding nine points and grabbing an amazing rebound over two Falcon defenders and finishing off the basket, putting the Panthers up by 16 with 5:00 left.
The last three minutes would be fouls by the Falcons, as the Panthers took a 22-point lead. With 0:48 left, Air Force kicked in its last effort after a three-point basket. The lead was 19, and the Falcons hit back-to-back three-pointers in the last 0:20 to mount an offensive.
But it was too much to overcome, as the Panthers held the ball to run out the clock and seal the victory.
