Box Score CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Milwaukee women's basketball team clamped down on defense and held one of the top offensive teams in the Horizon League to 36.1 percent shooting, but fell 58-49 to Cleveland State at the Wolstein Center on Friday morning. The Panthers began to click in the fourth quarter but struggled to break through early on in the loss.
 
"I think the game in general came down to toughness and adjustments," head coach Kyle Rechlicz stated. "We weren't efficient enough and missed a lot of opportunities around the basket."
 
Milwaukee (6-13, 3-5 Horizon League) won the rebounding battle for the fifth time in six games, pulling in 42 rebounds compared to 39 for Cleveland State, but could not take advantage on the offensive end.
 
Defense was the story in the first half as neither team could find a rhythm offensively. The Panthers connected on just 28.1 percent of their shots in the first 20 minutes but held the Vikings (15-4, 5-3 Horizon League) to 27.3 percent from the field to keep it tight.
 
Sydney Staver was the most efficient on the court for Milwaukee as she totaled seven points on 3-for-4 shooting in just eight minutes of play.
 
The two teams had a combined 21 turnovers in the half including 12 by the Panthers as Cleveland State took a 23-20 advantage into the break.
 
Out of the locker room, Bre Cera connected on the Panthers first shot of the quarter, but another Milwaukee drought would follow. The Panthers next field goal did not come until 2:39 left in the third as Cleveland State built a seven-point advantage at 33-26.
 
Alyssa Fischer found Lizzie Odegard in the paint for consecutive scores with just over a minute to go but the Vikings continued to keep Milwaukee at arm's length, knocking down a pair of three-point attempts for a 39-32 lead through three.
 
CSU stretched its lead to double digits early in the fourth before Jamie Reit and Brandi Bisping combined for six points, cutting the deficit to 45-38. The Vikings once again an answer, however, knocking down a triple go to back up 10.
 
Milwaukee got a late spark from Tadri Heard, who scored four points in the final two minutes, but it was not enough as Cleveland State continued to respond to every Panthers' point.
 
MKE finished 7-for-15 (46.7 percent) in the fourth quarter, but Cleveland State also connected on over 45 percent of its shots to keep the distance.
 
For the second time this season Milwaukee did not have a scorer reach double digits. Staver led with nine points while Lizzie Odegard scored eight points on 4-for-7 shooting. Odegard added a team-high eight rebounds, an assist, and a block.
 
"Lizzie is a great inside presence for us. She started finding her rhythm in the second half," Rechlicz said. "I think our team focused on getting her basketball and she did a great job finishing in the paint with traffic. She played like a senior."
 
Fischer played 15 minutes off the bench and contributed on both ends, totaling five points, three assists, and a pair of steals. Heard also made an impact off the bench with four points, three boards, and three assists.
 
"I thought Fisch played within herself and played her role really well," Rechlicz commented. "Tadri is so dynamic, she's someone that is really starting to figure it out. She pushes the pace and has a natural speed to her game that helps us get some easy baskets."
 
The Panthers will wrap up this weekend's Ohio trip at Youngstown State as they get set for a 12:00 pm tipoff on Sunday, January 26. Live coverage links can be found at MKEPanthers.com.