MILWAUKEE - Senior Ashley Green scored a game-high 23 points and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee women's basketball team scored 18 points in a row to blow open a close game early in the second half in cruising to a 77-64 victory over Valparaiso University.
 
The Panthers (10-19) took control against the Crusaders (6-24) by scoring 27 of the first 30 points after halftime to eventually lead by 21. The lead would grow to as many as 24, helping UWM advance in the first round of the Horizon League Tournament Monday evening at the Klotsche Center.
 
Green just missed a double-double, adding nine rebounds to go along with her 23 points. She had plenty of help offensively, joined by three other players in double-figures.
 
Reigning Horizon League Freshman of the Week Steph Kostowicz continued her impressive play, tying her season high with 18 points while adding a new season-best with 14 rebounds. She also tallied six blocks, just one off the school record of seven.
 
"It was our leadership," UWM head coach Kyle Rechlicz said. "I think Ashley put the team on her back for a bit. She willed us on some of those baskets down the stretch and she had a really tough matchup all game. And then you bookend it with a freshman that is coming on so strong at the right time for us. The game is starting to slow down for Steph Kostowicz and she's really starting to understand it. For her to come out and have such a monster game – not just offensively, but to have the six blocks in the paint – that saved us on so many baskets."
 
Classmate Jenny Lindner added her third double-double of the season, finishing with 13 points and 10 boards. Junior Jaleesa Armstrong was also in double-figures with 12.
 
Lexi Miller paced Valparaiso with 18 points, going 5-of-6 from three-point range.
 
The difference in the game was Milwaukee coming out of the break. A Green fastbreak pull-up jumper gave UWM the lead, part of six straight to open the half that forced a Valpo timeout at 45-42. Milwaukee kept it up, and consecutive 3's by Lindner made it 51-45.
 
"In the first half, when they were hitting all those three's, we stayed right with them," Rechlicz said. "I kept telling them 'we are in this game, just wait until they cool off'. We were scoring and just needed to execute our offense."
 
Green then punctuated 18 straight points by the Panthers with a pair of three-pointers and an elbow jumper, growing the lead to 66-45 at the 11:01 mark and essentially giving UWM the game.
 
It was an entertaining first half, with the Panthers filling it up from inside the paint and the Crusaders doing the majority of their damage from long distance.
 
"Valpo is a good team and they have some really good shooters," Rechlicz said. "They came out guns blazing and hit everything they out up there. That is a testament to them, they were confident and hit the open shots. We had to make some defensive adjustments as a staff and threw out a bunch of ideas on how to play in the second half and it worked."
 
Valpo scored five of the final six points of the half to lead 42-39, marking the fourth lead change of the period. The Crusaders used a 7-0 spurt to break a 30-30 deadlock, but a Kostowicz three-pointer broke the run and a hoop by sophomore Christina Wakeman trimmed it to two at 37-35.
 
One possession later, a pretty pass from Armstrong found Lindner for a layup. She was fouled and her free throw gave UWM its first lead since early on at 38-37 and capped 8-0 UWM spurt.
 
It was all Valpo early, making five 3's to lead 17-12 and seven of its first nine from distance to take a 25-20 advantage. Milwaukee weathered the storm and stuck right with them basket for basket.
 
It was a gritty win for the Panthers, who won in the postseason for the first time since the end of the 2009-10 campaign despite having just nine available players.
 
The team tied the school record for fewest turnovers with just seven on the night. In fact, the two teams also established a new record of just 13 combined turnovers (Valpo had six), breaking the former mark of 16.
 
Next up, it's on to Green Bay Wednesday night for Horizon League Tournament Quarterfinals. Tip off between the Panthers and No. 1-seeded Phoenix is set for 7 p.m.