Freshman Meurika Hickman had another big performance for the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee women’s basketball team, but it wasn’t enough as the Panthers fell to Cleveland St. on Thursday, 68-58.

Hickman followed up her breakout performance against UW-Green Bay with 22 points against the Vikings, 18 coming in the second half. Fellow freshman Lindsay Laur was the only other Panther to score in double figures with 13.

“Physically, at the start of the season, we knew they (Hickman and Laur) could help us,” UWM head coach Sandy Botham said. “We just needed to get them there mentally. We’ve been able to get them ready for games like this.”

Once again, the goal for the opposing team was to shut down the Panther’s top scoring threat, Traci Edwards, and once again, they were successful. Edwards grabbed 11 rebounds, but was limited to just eight points. This was the second game in a row, and only the second time all season she was held under 10 points.

Botham said the injury Edwards sustained in the Green Bay game did not affect her play.

“We’re just really having a hard time getting her the ball right now,” Botham said. “Teams are really collapsing on her. We just have to get better at feeding the post.”

The Panthers (11-10, 6-4 Horizon) started the game a little cold, shooting just 33.3 percent from the field in the first half, while Cleveland St. (14-7, 8-2 Horizon) shot 45 percent. The Vikings took a nine-point lead into the locker room at halftime.

UWM would not go quietly into the night however, as they came out of the locker room and went on a 20-9 run. Sparked by a barrage of three’s, the Panthers took their first lead of the game with just over 12 minutes to play.

The game was neck-and-neck from there on out, but UWM never again held the lead. Once again, it was the results from the charity stripe that did them in, shooting only 53.3 percent (8-15) from the free throw line, while the Vikings converted 84.2 percent (16-19) of their foul shots.

“I felt good about our players’ efforts,” Botham said. “We got in a hole, fought back, gained the lead, and just weren’t able to take advantage of some opportunities.”

The loss knocks the Panthers two games behind Cleveland St., and three games behind UW-GB in conference play just past the halfway point of the conference season.

The Panthers will host Butler on Thursday at 7 p.m. followed by another home game against Valparaiso on Saturday at 2p.m.

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