MILWAUKEE - The Milwaukee women's basketball team saw its 11-point first-half lead trimmed down to just a single point in the second half before taking over down the stretch in claiming a 73-60 victory over IPFW on a snowy Monday evening at the Klotsche Center.
 
Sophomore Jenny Lindner and junior Sierra Ford-Washington each tallied 12 points, sophomore Steph Kostowicz added 10 and Milwaukee took care of business at the free throw line in the fourth quarter to win convincingly to close out the 2015 portion of the schedule.
 
"We played exceptionally hard and that is what we were preaching all week is never quitting," Milwaukee head coach Kyle Rechlicz said. "I was really proud of our defensive effort. Even though we fouled quite a bit, I thought that we had opportunities where we got some big stops down the stretch."
 
The Panthers (5-5) got back to .500 on the season by keeping the Mastodons (4-9) at bay in the final period, making 13 of 16 attempts from the free throw line in a game that featured 57 total fouls.
 
In addition to the trio of players in double figures, senior Sydney Howard and junior Alexis Lindstrom each had nine and freshman Emma Roenneburg contributed eight points and eight rebounds.
 
"I think that is one of the things that makes us unique this year," Rechlicz said. "In the past, we've relied on some really talented players – Angela Rodriguez, Ashley Green – and now I feel like we have a team of talent. On any given night, one of them can score. You can go down the line, our entire team has the ability to score."
 
Milwaukee outrebounded IPFW by an overwhelming 50-26 total and overcame 29 turnovers by shooting 45.8 (22-of-48) from the floor. The 21 made free throws by the squad was a season high. Lindner added eight boards and finished a perfect 10-for-10 from the free throw line.
 
"Jenny Lindner stepped up with confidence," Rechlicz said. "Her shot wasn't on, but I just kept telling her 'find other ways to score; find other ways to help us be successful' and she did. She was ripping through defenders and getting to the free throw line. To go 10-for-10 in a game where you aren't shooting very well, that means you have confidence in yourself that you can handle that pressure."
 
IPFW came out early with the lead, building it to 17-15 on a pair of free throws. From there a Milwaukee scoring run turned momentum. Howard drilled a three and the spree was on, with the Panthers scoring 13 points in a row to lead, 28-17, on a layup by freshman Emma Dau at the 2:35 mark of the second. UWM eventually took a 32-23 lead into halftime.
 
The Mastodons would not go quietly, scoring the first seven points of the third quarter as part of a 10-2 run that trimmed the lead to just a single point at 34-33 about midway through the period.

Milwaukee stood tall, scoring the next eight points. Lindstrom made 3-of-4 free throws to cap the run and give the Panthers back a nine-point advantage at 42-33.
 
The team spent the majority of the fourth quarter at the charity stripe, but took care of business to never let IPFW any closer than 11 the rest of the way.
 
Milwaukee also had a season high in blocks, finishing with eight – four by Kostowicz – while Dau finished with a season-high seven rebounds. The defense did the rest, limiting the visitors to 27.1 percent (16-of-59) field goal shooting, its best effort of the campaign.
 
Up next, the Panthers close out a four-game homestand with a New Year's Day matinee against Green Bay to open the Horizon League slate. Tip time against the Phoenix is set for 2 p.m. Friday at the Klotsche Center.