BOCA RATON, Fla. - Four players finished in double-figures as the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee women's basketball team was outlasted by Florida Atlantic University in the final minute of a 71-67 decision Tuesday evening at FAU Arena.
 
"This is a great team that we played tonight," Milwaukee head coach Kyle Rechlicz said. "I thought our team played with as much heart as you could ask any team to play for. After the game, I told our team that this has been consistent from practice to games."
 
The Panthers (1-1) traded punches with the Owls (3-0) all night and nearly found a way to escape with the road victory. The entertaining, back-and-forth matchup featured eight ties and 10 lead changes.
 
"We bring it every single night and that is my expectation," Rechlicz said. "Getting this win would have been great for our program and something that I know that we all thought could happen. But not winning the game does not define our season. It's a very long road ahead and if we continue to play like this, it will only make us better."
 
Sophomore Steph Kostowicz led the way, posting the third double-double of her young career with 17 points and 12 rebounds. She added four blocks and three assists to her stat line despite fouling out with just over five minutes remaining in the contest.
 
"She goes after it, she wants to win and is going to do whatever it takes to get that win," Rechlicz said. "It's a very young season and we have a ways to go in building and learning, but I know we will get there."
 
The valiant effort came up big in the final minute, with the defense forcing a pair of turnovers when it was a one-possession game, but the team was unable to convert down the stretch.
 
Junior Alexis Lindstrom netted 13 points, including a trio of three-pointers. Senior Sydney Howard added a dozen and junior Sierra Ford-Washington chipped in with 11 points to round out the double-figure scoring.
 
Ali Gorrell led the Owls with 20 points and eight rebounds, leading her team to its best start since the 1991-92 campaign.
 
Milwaukee forced a final tie at 54-54, only to see the Owls take advantage of a rare five-point play after a made three and a foul away from the ball to take a 61-54 lead with just over six minutes to play. On top of that, Kostowicz fouled out less than 30 seconds later. The team could have folded right there, but the Panthers never gave up.
 
"We fought back," Rechlicz said. "I thought Alexis Lindstrom had an unbelievable game. I thought she handled the ball without turning it over and hit some really big shots for us. Sydney Howard played like a senior. It's nice to know when you have some guards you can count on."
 
A 6-1 spurt made it 62-60 on a pair of Lindstrom free throws and the story was the same at 66-64 on a pair of makes from the charity stripe by Howard. Nika Zyranova's three on the ensuing possession took the wind out of UWM's sails, however, but the Panthers had it down to a one-possession game in the final minute on a pair of stops once again.
 
Milwaukee started slowly from the field, making just one of its first seven from the floor in falling behind, 8-3. Lindstrom then drained a three and a 9-2 spurt gave the Panthers their first lead at 12-10.

Kostowicz blocked a layup on one side, corralled the rebound and then hit a trailing three-pointer to push the lead back to four at 29-25 with 6:52 left before intermission. But the Owls pushed back, turning momentum with a scoring run of their own. A 9-2 spurt made it 34-31 for the home team, eventually scoring 14 of the final 20 points in the first half to hold a 39-35 lead at intermission following a buzzer-beating layup by Howard.
 
For the game, UWM finished at 37.5 percent (24-of-64) from the floor, knocking down just 20 percent (5-of-25) of its three's. The Panthers won the rebounding battle, 45-to-37, but had its 18 turnovers converted into a 17-11 advantage in points off of turnovers.
 
Up next, the Panthers will enjoy a couple of days off in Florida before participating in the Miami University Thanksgiving Classic. First game in the event is Friday against the host Hurricanes, set to tip at 12 p.m. CST.