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recap ysu
68
Youngstown State YSU 12-4, 4-1 HL
71
Winner Milwaukee MKE 6-9, 1-3 HL
Youngstown State YSU
12-4, 4-1 HL
68
Final
71
Milwaukee MKE
6-9, 1-3 HL
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 OT 1 F
Youngstown State YSU 16 6 15 23 8 68
Milwaukee MKE 12 15 23 10 11 71

Game Recap: Women's Basketball |

Panthers Knock Off League-Leading Penguins

Walstad records first career double-double

MILWAUKEE – Freshman Megan Walstad scored a career-high 20 points and recorded the first career double-double of her young career to help lead the Milwaukee women's basketball team to a 71-68 overtime win over league-leading Youngstown State Thursday afternoon in front of 3,089 fans as part of School Day inside the Klotsche Center.
 
Milwaukee (6-9, 1-3 Horizon) stymied the Penguins (12-4, 4-1 Horizon) offense for much of the game and built a big lead before fending off a furious YSU run by scoring the final six points in overtime.
 
With the win, the Panthers have now won their last seven School Day contests. It also marks the first conference loss of the season for Youngstown State, with MKE knocking off another team ranked in the Mid Major Top-25 and ending YSU's five game winning streak.
 
"First off, I just want to thank all the schools and students that were able to come out today. This was an incredible victory and we couldn't have done it without their screaming voices," Milwaukee head coach Kyle Rechlicz said. "When you look at how our conference is laid out, Youngstown was the hottest team in the league. The way that they're playing and putting up numbers on teams… It just goes to show how focused and locked in to really trying to take that step to beating some of these bigger teams."
 
Walstad finished with 20 points and 10 rebounds – both career highs – to go with three assists and a pair of steals.
 
Jamie Reit was clutch down the stretch and finished with 17 points in a career-high 38 minutes.
 
Akaylah Hayes added another 11 points, three rebounds and a big block late as a part of a total team effort Thursday.
 
McKaela Schmelzer also chipped in with eight points, four assists and three rebounds.
 
Ryaen Johnson and Bre Cera both turned in big defensive performances against the high-powered Penguins, with Johnson turning in her second-straight five-block performance.

Sarah Cash led the way for YSU with 25 points, going 11-for-11 from the free-throw line.
 
Leading 69-68 after a pair of Walstad free throws, Milwaukee needed one final defensive stop. With 10.9 seconds left on the clock and YSU inbounding from midcourt, the Panthers were able to get the stop, forcing their 17th turnover of YSU – a season high – as Walstad jumped the driving lane and forced the steal. Reit was fouled with 0.2 seconds left on the clock, connecting on both of her free throws to ice the game away.
 
In a game filled with runs, Youngstown State recorded the first one by starting the game strong on an 11-3 burst. The Panthers settled in and responded with a big run of their own, holding YSU to just six second-quarter points before building a 27-22 lead at the break.
 
The Panther push continued into the second half. Ryaen Johnson started the third quarter with blocks on two of YSU's first three possessions, forcing a quick Penguin timeout after MKE went ahead 31-22. A deep triple from Reit made it 38-24 Panthers with 6:46 still to play in the third as the Penguins took another timeout.
 
A free throw from Lizzie Odegard gave Milwaukee its largest lead of the game at 43-27 with 2:54 to play in the third.
 
But, Youngstown State was able to chip away, getting to the free-throw line early and often in the fourth quarter to pull within 57-56 with 1:09 left.
 
Hayes stepped up big time, drilling a cold blooded three pointer from the top of the key with 47 seconds left to make it a four-point lead for the Black & Gold.
 
YSU wouldn't go away quietly, however, as McKenah Peters' layup with four seconds left sent this one to overtime.
 
In the extra frame, Youngstown State built a 66-63 lead after two more Cash free throws. Reit connecting on mid-range jumpers on each of the next two Panther possessions to keep it a one-point game before Walstad earned her way to the line with 1:45 left. The freshman drained both of her free throws to set up that final defensive stop by Rechlicz's squad.
 
Milwaukee finished with the rebounding edge on the day, 38-33. MKE also notched 16 assists on the day to go with 10 steals and a season-high eight blocks.
 
This was the sixth consecutive contest between Milwaukee and Youngstown State that has been decided by four or fewer points.
 
The 3,089 fans in attendance marks the fifth-largest crowd in Milwaukee women's basketball history.
 
The Panthers finish out their weekend homestand Saturday when they play host to Cleveland State Saturday at 2 pm from the Klotsche Center.
 
 
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