Wis.-Milwaukee 68, Loyola of Chicago 53

2/28/2008 9:15 PM

MILWAUKEE (AP)- Paige Paulsen and Ricky Franklin scored 16 points apiece to lead Wisconsin-Milwaukee to a 68-53 victory over Loyola in a Horizon League game Thursday night.

The win snapped a three-game losing streak for the Panthers (14-14, 9-8), who had lost six of their last seven games. Milwaukee hit 11-of-22 3-pointers, with Paulsen hitting four of them and Franklin three.

The victory kept Milwaukee in fourth place and insured they will host one of the first-round Horizon League tournament games next Tuesday night. Allan Hanson added 13 points for Milwaukee.

Marcus Skinner, Milwaukee's starting center and top rebounder with six a game, was sidelined with a high right ankle sprain he suffered in Tuesday night's 66-57 loss to Valparaiso. His absence reduced the Milwaukee roster to nine players.

J.R. Blount scored 14 points and Andy Polka 11 to lead Loyola (11-17, 6-11).

The Ramblers, who never led in the game, pulled within a point at 38-37 on a basket by Tracy Robinson.

But the Panthers responded with a 13-0 run to take a 51-37 lead with 12:09 remaining. Paulsen keyed the offensive outburst with a pair of 3-pointers.

Milwaukee led 31-27 after one half.

The Panthers took charge from the opening tip with a 10-0 run. Jason Averkamp and Paulsen finished off the scoring spurt with back-to-back 3-pointers and Milwaukee never lost the lead in the period.