There were only two seniors on the court Saturday night, but looking at the stat sheet, one would think the team had been playing together for four years. All but one Panther had points in the 63-55 loss as the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee that set their fifth place position in the Horizon League Tournament. UWM will also host a first round game.

“Anytime you can get a home game it is important to us as a team and to our fans,” said senior Paige Paulsen. “Especially after the way we played tonight we want a chance to redeem ourselves.”

It was a balanced team effort in the first half against Illinois-Chicago as all but three Panthers had points. Milwaukee was up by one halfway through the first, but the Flames stormed back to take a three point lead 18-15. Paulsen, Ricky Franklin and Deion James all hit baskets down the stretch to tie the game 24-24 going into the half.

The second half wasn’t as smooth as the Panthers would have hoped, as Paulsen was hit up with three quick fouls to start the second half, all on Flames’ 7-footer Scott VanderMeer. VanderMeer finished the night with 17 points and 13 rebounds.

“We did a real good job of containing [O.J.] Mayo, you have to pick your poison,” said Panther head coach Rob Jeter about working the 7-footer. “And if VanderMeer was going to beat us, then we were going to take it to a point, but pretty soon I run out of bodies. He had a good night.”

A Charlie Swiggett layup with less than 12 minutes tied the game at 33. It wasn’t the only tie as the two foes locked up again at 36 with fewer than nine minutes to play in the second.

Karl White Jr. scored eight points straight for the Flames over three minutes in the second half to put UIC up by six, but two free throws by Franklin put UWM down by four with just 6:22 left.

The battle continued as Franklin was hit up with five fouls, sending him to the bench for the rest of the game. Paulsen was called for his fourth foul with 5:52 left and it looked like it might be a free throw shooting match from there on out. It was.

With 3:59 left, the young Milwaukee team found itself four points away from a fourth place finish in the Horizon League after Jason Averkamp hit a three with 3:11 left.

The free throws continued for UIC, Jeter was given a technical foul for stepping out of the box with 1:14 left in the game, and a free throw put the Flames up 52-47.

“I don’t know why I got a warning,” said Jeter about the technical. “He never told me I was out of the box but I got a game to coach on Tuesday, and I want to make sure I coach that game, so I’m going to leave it at that.”

Paulsen finished the night with five points and eight rebounds after fouling out with 1:11 left. Fellow senior Allan Hanson had six points and three assists and Marcus Skinner was out with injury as the three seniors ended their final regular season in a Panther uniform.

James hit a three with 0:47.4 left and Swiggett hit another with 0:18.5 left to put the Panther deficit to seven, 62-55. It was too little too late for a fourth place Milwaukee finish, and the Panthers finished the season in fifth place.

“The thing we had to do was come in here on a positive note,” said Flames head coach Jimmy Collins. “Hopefully we can get some momentum from tonight and continue it in our home game.”

The Panthers loss leaves them hosting Loyola during the first round of the Horizon League Tournament on Tuesday night.

“My guys fought to the end, and that’s what I’m most proud of,” said Jeter.

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