Feb. 24, 2001

Box Score

Milwaukee, Wis. - UW-Milwaukee sophomore Jessica Wilhite scored 16 of her game-high 18 points in the second half as the Panthers erased a five-point UIC lead early in the second stanza and cruised to a 71-61 victory over the Flames Saturday night at the Klotsche Center.

With the loss, UIC drops to 5-8 in the Midwestern Collegiate Conference and 8-18 overall. The Flames have now lost three straight games. UW-Milwaukee, meanwhile, kept pace with UW-Green Bay on Saturday and remained tied with the Phoenix for first in the MCC with a 10-2 mark, 14-10 overall.

UIC was led offensively by senior Kimberly Henry, who netted a team-best 14 points. Sophomore Jaysie Chambers added 12 points and a team-high eight rebounds while LeKesha Williams was the third Flame in double figures with 10.

The Panthers were able to keep the MCC's leading scorer - Melea Clark - in check as she was held to a season-low five points, going 2-for-10 from the field.

Wilhite drove UWM on Saturday with her 18 points, but the Panthers also got 12 points and seven boards from Nicole Luchsinger and nine points and six caroms from former Flame Holly Tamm.

The Flames, who trailed by eight (25-17) midway through the first half, used a 16-7 run to close out the period to take a one-point lead (33-32) into intermission.

UIC then added to its advantage to open the second half as jumpers from Kristin Cheairs and Josie Cole quickly put the Flames up five (37-32) with 18:51 remaining.

UWM's Wilhite, who was 0-for-4 from the field in the first half, took over from there as she hit back-to-back three-pointers to spark a 13-3 run to put the Panthers ahead for good.

UIC would close to with one (53-52) with 7:57 remaining, but a 12-3 UW-Milwaukee surge over the next four minutes closed the door on any chances for a Flames' upset.

The Flames wrapu up the 2000-01 regular season on Thursday, March 1, as they travel across town to meet bitter rival Loyola at 7:00 p.m.