Dec. 7, 2002

Box Score

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - For the first time in school history, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee men's basketball team collected the title of a Division I in-season tournament, as the Panthers downed the host Bears of Southwest Missouri State, 86-77, in the championship game of the SMS/Pizza Hut Classic. Clay Tucker had 25 points and collected tournament MVP honors to lead the Panthers, who move to 5-2, while SMS falls to 2-3.

"We really stepped up and played a great game tonight," head coach Bruce Pearl said. "This is a great place to play basketball, and our guys really responded. Tonight's game is our best win to date."

UWM had reached the championship game of an in-season tournament twice before, most recently in the Florida International Golden Panther shootout during the 2000-01 season, but fell to Canisus, 82-80 in the championship game.

Milwaukee used a 14-6 run to jump out to a quick lead in the first five minutes, but SMS chipped away at the lead, tying the game at 18 with 9:45 remaining. From that point on, UWM turned up the defensive intensity and went on a 17-2 run over the next 6:40, and went into the break leading 42-25. Jason Frederick had 11 points and Dylan Page had 10 to lead the Panthers at the half.

SMS picked up the pressure on both ends of the floor early in the second half, but could get no closer than 13 points through the first 10 minutes of the half.

But the Bears seemed to wake up with 10 minutes remaining, as SMS' Tommy Johnson hit a three-point shot to draw the game to within 12. After a Nate Mielke layin, Johnson hit a free throw and a a layin after he missed the second shot to bring SMS to within nine points. Clay Tucker hit a baseline jumper and was fouled, making the bonus shot, at the 8:00 mark before SMS' Monwell Randle hit another three to cut the lead back to single digits with 7:25 to play.

The lead flipped back and forth between nine and 11 points until late in the half, when Terrance McGee hit a layin after Frederick missed a pair of free throws. But Tucker hit five free throws down the stretch to ice the game until the final.

Frederick and Page joined Tucker on the All-Tournament team, as Frederick ended with 13 points and Page had 15.

"Clay really played like an All-American tonight," Pearl said. "He was the best player on the floor tonight."

The Panthers return home to face Valparaiso on Wednesday at the Klotsche Center. Game time is 7 p.m.