GAME NOTES: The Wisconsin-Milwaukee Panthers kick off a four-game road trip this evening, as they invade the Beeghly Center to do battle with the Youngstown State Penguins in Horizon League play. The Panthers enter the contest playing at their highest level, as they have won a season-high four straight games following a lengthy six-game slide. The team was last in action on Saturday, when it pulled out a thrilling 55-53 win over Detroit. Now at an even 7-7 overall and 2-2 in conference play, the Panthers hit the road, where they have gone 2-3 thus far. As for YSU, it also comes into the tilt with some momentum, winning a season-best three consecutive outings. All three victories have come at home, including a 71-61 triumph over Loyola-Chicago on Saturday. With the string of victories, the Penguins now stand at 6-7 overall and 4-2 at home. In terms of the all-time series, UWM owns a 17-4 advantage over YSU, but the Penguins swept a pair of meetings from the Panthers a season ago.

Paige Paulsen drained a three-pointer with two seconds left in regulation, lifting UWM to a 55-53 win over Detroit on Saturday. Paulsen finished the game with 17 points and six boards, while Deion James added 13 points and six boards. The Panthers shot a dismal 32.1 percent form the floor in the game, but they were able to compensate for that by scoring 18 points off 13 Detroit' turnovers. On the season, UWM is forcing its opponents into 15.8 turnovers per game and that has helped the team to score 69.9 ppg. Paulsen tops the roster in both scoring (14.9 pg) and rebounding (6.4 rpg) and he is also shooting 45.5 percent from three-point range.

The Penguins knocked down 46.5 percent of their shots from the field and 8- of-19 from three-point range, as they posted a 71-61 win over Loyola-Chicago this past weekend. The team was also effective at the foul line, where it converted on 23-of-30 attempts. Byron Davis led the charge with 19 points on 3-of-5 shooting from long range and 6-of-6 at the charity stripe. John Barber added 18 points and six rebounds, while Jack Liles finished with 12 points and seven boards. For the season, Davis leads the squad in scoring with 14.5 ppg and he is also dishing out 3.2 apg. Barber puts forth 13.9 ppg and a team-high 6.7 rpg for YSU, while Liles contributes 11.0 ppg and 5.5 rpg. Overall, the Penguins are netting 67.3 ppg this season and shooting 42.4 percent from the field.

Both teams are playing with a lot of confidence right now, but YSU has the edge playing at home, where it has had most of its success this season.