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Steph Kostowicz, celebration
50
LIU Brooklyn LIU 0-4
88
Winner Milwaukee UWM 4-1
LIU Brooklyn LIU
0-4
50
Final
88
Milwaukee UWM
4-1
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
LIU Brooklyn LIU 10 13 13 14 50
Milwaukee UWM 29 12 20 27 88

Game Recap: Women's Basketball |

Panthers Overwhelm Blackbirds With 38-Point Win

Team will play tomorrow in tournament championship

BURLINGTON, Vt. – The Milwaukee women's basketball team used a 24-2 run in the first quarter and led by as many as 43 points on its way to an 88-50 win over Long Island University-Brooklyn Friday evening in the first game of the TD Bank Classic hosted by Vermont from Patrick Gymnasium.
 
All five starters scored in double figures for the Panthers (4-1) and all 13 players saw significant minutes in the Panthers' largest win in the Kyle Rechlicz era.
 
"When you've had a couple days off and you put yourself in that position, you don't know how your team is going to respond. But I thought we really stepped up to the challenge," Rechlicz said. "We came out very strong and it was awesome to see so many of our players score and get opportunities on the court. I thought we played a really great game."
 
Jenny Lindner led all players for Milwaukee with 17 points, nine rebounds and five assists.
 
Alexis Lindstrom had it going from long range in this one, netting 16 points to go with six rebounds. Sierra Ford-Washington had the hot hand early and finished with 15, with Bailey Farley and Steph Kostowicz each scoring 13.
 
As a team, UWM shot 50 percent from the floor and 52 percent from behind the arc, connecting on 12 of their 23 tries.
 
"We got the opportunity to sit some of our starters, which will be nice for (tomorrow's) championship game." Rechlicz said. "I thought our bench really stepped up.
 
"They really contributed. Kelsey Cunningham played a great game. Jordyn Swan came off the bench and played really well. Lizzie (Odegard) got some rebounds. It's just nice when you can trust the people on your bench to come in and make plays for your team."
 
Milwaukee blew the doors off the arena in the early going, blasting LIU-Brooklyn (0-4) with a 24-2 run in the early going for a 29-10 lead after the first quarter. Ford-Washington was especially impressive in the game's opening frame, outscoring the opponent herself with 11 points in the first 10 minutes.
 
A free throw midway through the second made it a 24-point edge for the Panthers at 39-15, with Milwaukee taking a 41-23 lead into the halftime locker room.
 
UWM continued to pour it on in the third, with Lindner draining a three-pointer at the 2:15 mark to make it 61-31, with that bucket putting all five starters in double figures for the Black & Gold.
 
Up 25 heading into the fourth, the Panthers caught fire in the game's final stanza. First it was a three-point play by Kostowicz before back-to-back triples from Lindstrom. Lindner, Farley and Alyssa Fischer all also got into the act from downtown as the Milwaukee lead swelled all the way to 43 at 86-43 following Fischer's long ball.
 
The Blackbirds were able to trim the Milwaukee lead to 38 at the final buzzer, still marking the largest margin of victory in the Kyle Rechlicz era and one of the biggest wins in program history. Friday's win also marked win No. 50 for Rechlicz in her career.
 
Milwaukee assisted on 19 of its 28 made field goals and tied its season-low of 14 turnovers, while forcing seven steals. UWM out-rebounded LIU Brooklyn, 43-27, and held them to just .352 shooting from the floor, including just 1-8 from three – their primary scoring spot coming into the game.
 
The Panthers now advance into Saturday's tournament championship game, scheduled for 6 pm Central. Milwaukee will take on host Vermont, which beat NJIT in the second first-round game, 64-42. Fans can watch the game via live stream, or listen to Matt Menzl's call online, with all links provided at MKEPanthers.com.
 
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