MILWAUKEE, Wis. – Behind a career-high 18 points from Sydney Staver, the Milwaukee women's basketball team got back in the win column, topping Arkansas Pine Bluff 69-55 on Tuesday evening. The Panthers dominated the boards 48-25 in the victory.
 
"We were excited to be back at home. Needed to find the rhythm within the game," head coach Kyle Rechlicz commented. "I was really proud of our team resiliency."
 
The Lions (0-2) pounced right from the jump, jumping passing lanes and pressing everything Milwaukee (2-3) did to force 10 turnovers and pull ahead early. The Panthers connected on 54.5 percent of their shots, but miscues allowed Arkansas to grab a 16-11 advantage with 1:57 to play in the first.
 
Staver helped Milwaukee cut the deficit to just one, however, as she connected on a jumper and followed with a layup to make it 16-15.
 
The Panthers calmed down in the second quarter and opened on an 8-0 run in the first three and a half minute thanks to a pair of layups from McKaela Schmelzer and Bre Cera and four more points from Staver.
 
After a Lions' triple trimmed their deficit to four, Milwaukee used another 8-0 run to grab its largest lead of the game at the time at 31-19.
 
Arkansas against pushed back and got the Panthers' lead down to five but late free throws from Alyssa Moore and Staver put Milwaukee up eight at the half.
 
After a triple at the 7:30 mark got Milwaukee's lead back to double digits, Arkansas rattled off six straight to pull within five. The teams traded three-pointers with 4:40 left in the period and from there, no one could find the basket as both teams went scoreless the final four minutes with Milwaukee on top 46-41.
 
In the fourth, the Panthers took advantage of early Lions' fouls as they converted nine of 13 free throw attempts. Milwaukee also dominated the paint, outscoring Pine Bluff 10-4 and outrebounding the visitors 12-5 in the final frame.
 
With 4:46 left to play, the Lions knocked down a jumper to pull within seven, but Staver answered with a layup and Milwaukee kept Arkansas Pine Bluff at armslength the rest of the way.
 
As a team, Milwaukee shot 46.9 percent from the floor, its second-best output of the season. The Panthers were just 4-for-18 from long range but finished 19-for-25 at the line.
 
MKE dominated the rebounds, pulling in a season-high 48 boards compared to just 25 for Arkansas Pine Bluff.
 
"That was one of our keys to the game. One of our biggest keys was to outrebound them. They are a good rebounding team; they use their athleticism really well and go to the boards really hard," Rechlicz said. "I thought we really had some people step up in that category."
 
The Panthers dished out a season-best 17 assists on 23 made field goals.
 
Staver finished 6-for-7 from the field and 5-for-6 from the charity stripe as she poured in a career-high 18 points. The junior added five rebounds and three assists in nearly 29 minutes off the bench.
 
"She's extremely capable," Rechlicz stated. "She's incredibly fast and she can get downhill on just about anybody. and we like having the ability to put her in the three and four spot. She was someone it was hard to have off the court tonight."
 
Brandi Bisping also reached double digits as she connected for four field goals and finished 7-for-8 at the line for 16 points. Bisping also pulled in eight rebounds.
 
Lizzie Odegard nearly had her second double-double of the season as she finished with nine point and eight boards.
 
The Panthers will have the weekend off before heading to DePaul on Tuesday, November 26. Milwaukee will then fly to New York to take on Columbia University. Live coverage links for all games can be found on MKEPanthers.com.