Despite the absence of all six upperclassmen, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee women“s basketball team got back in the win column Thursday night with a 63-54 victory over the University of Detroit at the Klotsche Center.

Traci Edwards once again led the way for the Panthers, playing without the team“s second- and third-leading scorers in Aubrey Hampton and Meredith Onson. The sophomore center scored 23 points and grabbed 10 rebounds en route to her ninth double-double of the year.

Hampton and Onson were among the players suspended by Coach Sandy Botham for violating team rules. While Botham was disappointed with the six juniors and seniors, she was encouraged by the play of the underclassmen.

“I“m proud of our youth,” Botham said. “Fifty-seven percent of our offense comes from our sophomores anyway.”

Sophomore Jody Crumble and freshman Jodie McClain were a big part of the youth Botham spoke so highly of, as both guards recorded their first career starts at UWM. Crumble, a Milwaukee native, finished with six points, seven rebounds and three assists, while McClain contributed six points, six rebounds and four assists.

Sophomore Emily Markert added 15 points off the bench and fellow sophomore Katie Fournier set a career-best with 10 rebounds.

“I thought they played extremely well,” Botham said about her young players. “It was fun to watch.”

Joyce Massey led the Titans with 17 points in a rare reserve role, followed by 14 from Sandi Brown and 12 from India Bruster. Bruster also pulled down 15 boards and blocked five shots for Detroit.

UDM scored the first point of the game on a free throw, but a lay-up by Fournier wiped out what would be its only lead of the game. Despite shooting just 27.5 percent from the field, the Panthers got off to a 16-7 start and held a 26-21 advantage going into halftime. Detroit finished the period shooting a dismal 20.6 percent.

The Titans narrowed UWM“s lead down to one early in the second when a Brown jumper made it a 30-29 game, but the Panthers countered with an 11-1 run to push their lead into double digits at 41-30.

Milwaukee led by as many as 16 before Detroit chipped away during the final minute of the game. UWM shot 36.4 percent for the game, slightly higher than the 28.6 percent posted by UDM.

The victory puts the Panthers (11-11, 7-2 Horizon) back at .500 for the season, after a setback at Butler on Jan. 27. The win is Milwaukee“s seventh in its last nine contests.

The Titans (4-18, 1-8) lost for a sixth straight time and are currently in last place in the conference.

Barring further violations, all six suspended players should return to action when Milwaukee hosts inner-state rival UW-Green Bay (17-3, 8-0) Saturday at 2 p.m. at the Klotsche Center.

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