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recap detroit mercy
34
Detroit Mercy UDM 4-22, 2-13 HL
59
Winner Milwaukee MKE 13-13, 8-7 HL
Detroit Mercy UDM
4-22, 2-13 HL
34
Final
59
Milwaukee MKE
13-13, 8-7 HL
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Detroit Mercy UDM 0 13 11 10 34
Milwaukee MKE 18 19 13 9 59

Game Recap: Women's Basketball |

Block Party! Records Fall In Win Over Titans

Johnson, team set new single-season block records

MILWAUKEE – The Milwaukee women's basketball team started the game on an 18-0 run and broke a pair of school records in a 59-34 win over Detroit Mercy Thursday evening from the Klotsche Center.
 
The Panthers (13-13, 8-7 Horizon) held the Titans (4-22, 2-13 Horizon) to an 0-16 shooting performance in the opening quarter and held them to just 20.4 percent shooting for the game – the second-best defensive performance in program history for Milwaukee.
 
"I was really proud of how we came out," Panther head coach Kyle Rechlicz said. "We honestly didn't have the best practices the last two days. We got on them and then when we came into scout prep today, our team was incredible. The energy was great, they knew the scout, they knew the personnel and we knew we were ready.
 
"And they showed that in those first 10 minutes. We played 10 people in that quarter and didn't give up a point. That's really the mark of a team that's locked in and bought in."
 
A pair of school records fell in the emphatic win.
 
Early in the first quarter, the Panthers swatted their 125th shot of the season – breaking the school record set just last year before finishing the game with 10 (one shy of a single-game record), to up the new mark to 133.
 
Ryaen Johnson also turned away four shots on the day to break the individual single season block record of 61 set again just last year by former Panther great Steph Kostowicz. Johnson's new record now stands at 63 with at least four games left to go.
 
"That was fun tonight," Rechlicz said. "Obviously Ryaen, Megan (Walstad) and Akaylah (Hayes) have been catalysts for us in that category of late. Those three really provide us with a lot of shot-blocking ability. Their timing is great.
 
"Ryaen really amazes me. She's only played for us for two seasons, and she's right up there with the top shot blockers who had been here for four years. I was excited for her to get that moment…and our team was really excited for her. Everyone was jumping up and down on that last one."
 
Akaylah Hayes finished tied for the game high with 12 points to go with six rebounds, a pair of blocks and two steals.
 
Megan Walstad also notched 12 points on the night to go with five boards, three assists and three blocks.
 
Alyssa Fischer came off the bench to add eight points and four rebounds in just 10 minutes.
 
Johnson continued to dominate in the post, finishing with four points, seven rebounds and another four blocks.
 
Jaye Two Bears also got in on the fun, recording her first block of the season to go with two points, one assist and a pair of steals.
 
Also of note, McKaela Schmelzer dished out a team-high seven of Milwaukee's 20 assists – the second time in the last three games MKE has tallied at least 20 dimes in a game.
 
Milwaukee came out red hot. Walstad hit the first shot of the game for the Black and Gold before a layup from Hayes and a three from Jamie Reit to quickly make it 7-0, forcing a quick timeout by the Titans.
 
The trend continued though as Hayes hit another two shots before a 3-pointer from Lizzie Odegard just before the break made it 18-0 Panthers after one – tying an NCAA record for fewest points allowed in a quarter.
 
Odegard hit another triple late in the second to make it 37-11 and MKE took a 37-13 lead into the break – tying the fifth-largest halftime lead in program history.
 
Milwaukee finished the game dominating seemingly every statistical category, winning the rebounding battle 48-31, the second-chance points 11-0, and the points off the bench 25-15.
 
The Panthers will now close out the 2018-19 home slate Saturday with a 2 pm contest against Oakland from the Klotsche Center. Milwaukee will honor its two seniors in Akaylah Hayes and Ryaen Johnson prior to tip off in what will be their final home games in the Black & Gold.
 
"I hope a lot of people come out," Rechlicz said. "This is a really big night for Akaylah Hayes and Ryaen Johnson and they definitely deserve your support."
 
 
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