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recap western illinois
77
Winner Milwaukee UWM 3-2
67
Western Illinois WIU 5-2
Winner
Milwaukee UWM
3-2
77
Final
67
Western Illinois WIU
5-2
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Milwaukee UWM 20 16 23 18 77
Western Illinois WIU 20 19 22 6 67

Game Recap: Women's Basketball |

Comeback Panthers Erase Second-Half Deficit For Big Road Win

Lindner nets career-high 34 points in the win

MACOMB, Ill.  – Facing a team that won 26 games a year ago and returned all five starters, the Milwaukee women's basketball team overcame a 13-point deficit in the second half for a 77-67 win over Western Illinois Sunday afternoon from Western Hall.
 
Jenny Lindner poured in a career-high 34 points to lead Milwaukee (3-2) to its third-straight win, taking down a WIU (5-2) squad that was ranked in the mid-major poll going into the game.
 
"This was definitely a rollercoaster (game)," Milwaukee head coach Kyle Rechlicz said. "This is a great win for our program. Western Illinois was mid-major ranked…and they had just beaten a Big Ten school, so to be able to come on to their home court and dominate the third and fourth quarter like we did really and really show that we can play some defense. That was probably the most exciting thing; we held them to six points in the fourth quarter. I couldn't be a more proud coach right now."
 
Lindner netted 21 points in the second half alone to finish with 34 – surpassing her previous career-high of 32 set late in her sophomore season. She finished the game shooting 12-20 from the floor, including a perfect 9-9 from the free throw line. The Neillsville native also grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds for her second double-double of the young season.
 
"Jenny and I actually had a talk on the bus on the way here about getting her more in the flow and getting her more aggressive," Rechlicz said. "I just thought she took control of the game. From the moment she stepped on the court tonight, she was the best player. And it's exciting when you have multiple players who can do that. Tonight it was Jenny, some nights it's Steph (Kostowicz). Jamie (Reit) and Bailey (Farley) are starting to find their groove, as well. It's exciting when you have that many pieces that can be offensive weapons."
 
Steph Kostowicz once again was big with 16 points, eight rebounds and four assists, while Jamie Reit also reached double figures with 10 points – hitting numerous big shots in clutch moments.
 
Emily Clemens – the reigning Summit League Player of the Year – led the way for WIU with 17 points, six rebounds and six assists.
 
Up 39-36 at the break, the Leathernecks got hot heading into the break and that carried over into the opening minutes of the third quarter. Morgan Blumer hit a three – WIU's fourth of the third quarter – just 4:40 into the second half to give her team a 55-42 lead and bring the home crowd to its feet.
 
Down 13, the Panthers never panicked and quickly put together an 11-0 run of their own – with eight of those points coming from Lindner.
 
Despite still trailing by two (61-59) heading into the fourth, momentum was clearly leaning in Milwaukee's direction. Western Illinois got a free throw from Olivia Braun with 6:00 left on the clock for a 64-63 edge in what proved to be their final lead of the game.
 
Lindner got three points the hard way followed by a jumper in the paint by Kostowicz and the tide had officially turned. Reit connected on a mid-range jumper to make it 70-65 before drilling a cold-blooded three from the wing to stretch the lead to eight with just 1:55 left to all but seal the game.
 
Milwaukee finished the game winning the rebounding battle, 40-30, and shot 50.9 percent from the floor as a team, while holding the Leathernecks to just 39.1 percent – including 2-16 (.125) in the fourth quarter.
 
The Panthers will look to make it four in a row Friday night when they host North Dakota State at 7pm inside the Klotsche Center.
 
 
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