MILWAUKEE, Wis. - The Milwaukee women's basketball team looks to extend its winning streak to five as the Panthers open the new year with a series at Detroit Mercy. Tipoff for both Friday and Saturday is scheduled for 4:00 pm CT. Live audio with
Matt Menzl on the call along with a link for live stats can be found on
MKEPanthers.com.
With no fans permitted at many venues this season including the Klotsche Center through at least January 15, fans can engage with the Panthers'
Virtual Gameday Hub, a page on MKEPanthers.com that houses any and all links fans will need for that gameday experience.
SCOUTING THE TITANS
Detroit Mercy opened the year dropping its first seven contests, but entered the holiday break on a high note, downing UIC 72-58 on December 20. The Titans opened the Horizon League schedule with a pair of losses and nearly even their record at 2-2, but UIC just edged the visitors 76-72 in overtime in game one of the two teams' series.
Junior transfer Kaela Webb has provided a jolt for the Detroit Mercy offense as she leads the Horizon League at 18.6 points per game. Webb has connected for 20 three-pointers, second most in the league, converting at a 35.1 percent clip.
Markyia McCormick has put together a nice conference start, averaging 11.3 points in four games and scoring in double figures in each of the last three contests.
LAST TIME THEY MET
Milwaukee dominated Detroit Mercy 76-51 behind a 27-point fourth quarter. The Titans erased a 16-point halftime deficit and pulled within six before the Panthers turned it on late.
Jamie Reit scored 17 points on 7-for-11 shooting from the floor and added five points and three assists for MKE.
SERIES HISTORY
The Panthers have won six consecutive contests over Detroit Mercy to pull ahead 31-28 in the all-time series. Milwaukee is 13-14 on the road against Detroit Mercy but has not dropped one at Calihan Hall since the 2016-17 season.
WHATS ON TAP?
Milwaukee returns to the Klotsche Center on January 8 to begin a two-game series against new Horizon League member, Purdue Fort Wayne. Tipoff for both Friday and Saturday's games is scheduled for 6:00 pm.
LAST TIME OUT
Defense was the story yet again for Milwaukee as the Panthers forced 21 turnovers and held Robert Morris to just 23.1 percent shooting in a 56-37 victory on December 20. MKE held RMU to just 11 points at the half, a program record.
PERFECT IN LEAGUE PLAY
With Milwaukee's second straight sweep to open Horizon League action, the Panthers moved to 4-0 in league play for the first time since 2001-02. That year, Milwaukee finished 14-2 in the Horizon League and 20-8 overall.
Milwaukee's 7-1 start matched its best since the 2016-17 season when the Panthers also opened the year 7-1.
COLLEGE INSIDER TOP 25 POLL
Milwaukee moved up one spot to No. 13 in the College Insider Mid-Major poll after sweeping Robert Morris. As of December 29, Milwaukee matched South Dakota State (No. 2) and FGCU (No. 4) for most wins of any team in the top 15. The Panthers' only loss of the season was to Bowling Green, who is now 6-1 and ranked No. 21 in the poll. Fellow Horizon League member IUPUI (6-1 overall) checks in at No. 6 in the poll.
LOCK DOWN DEFENSE
In the two wins over Robert Morris, Milwaukee allowed just 44.5 points per game. On December 20, the Panthers held the Colonials to 11 points on 4-for-21 shooting. The 11 first half points is the fewest allowed in program history. Milwaukee held Marquette to just 12 points earlier this year as well as Northern Kentucky to 12 on February 9, 2019.
As a whole, the Panthers' defense has been on another level, ranking top 30 in the nation.
- 54.1 PPG allowed - 21st
- 23.2 3PT FG% - 24th
- 34.3 FG% - 30th
NAVIGATING THE NEW SETUP
The Horizon League has a new look this year with games on back-to-back days at the same location. Milwaukee, as well as every team, has to find a way to navigate short rest, fatigue, and foul trouble.
From game one to game two of each doubleheader, Milwaukee has had a small drop off in field goal percentage (41.7 to 38.1), three-point percentage (33.3 to 29.7), and points per game (62.5 to 57.5), but the same goes for the opposition. The Panthers are holding opponents to just 29.9 percent from the field and allowing just 44 points per game in game two of the series.
RINSE AND REPEAT
Another week of play, another dominant performance from
Megan Walstad. The redshirt sophomore averaged 15.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per game in the two wins over Robert Morris, shooting 65 percent from the floor and 66.7 percent from three-point range. Walstad currently leads the league and ranks 58th nationally with 9.6 rebounds per game. Her 77 total boards puts her 12th in NCAA Division I. She also ranks eighth in the Horizon League with 13.0 points per game and has scored in double digits in six straight contests.
CLEANING UP AT THE CHARITY STRIPE
The Panthers continue to prove that they are one of the nation's top free throw shooting teams. Milwaukee added 38 more free throws to its total this past weekend and now sits sixth in the nation with 134 made free throws.
The Panthers currently rank fifth in NCAA Division I with a free throw percentage of 82.7.
Milwaukee has finished a season with a team free throw percentage above 80 percent. The Panthers top mark is 79.0 percent which was set in 2010-11.
Brandi Bisping finished the weekend 12-for-12 at the line, including a 10-for-10 performance on Sunday, to improve to 31-for-35 for the year (88.6 percent) which ranks second in the Horizon League and 69th in the nation. Bisping's 10 free throws made without a miss matched Jenny Lindner's mark from February 1, 2018, a stretch of 78 games.
WIN-SCONSIN
With the sweep of Green Bay and a win earlier in the year over Marquette, Milwaukee is 3-0 against fellow Wisconsin teams. In those three games, the Panthers have been solid all around.
- 61.3 Points Per Game
- 41.1 Field Goal %
- 35.0 Three-Point %
- 86.7 Free Throw %
- +2.3 rebounding margin
SENIORS SHOWING OUT
Coming into the 2020-21 season, Milwaukee knew it had a good mix of experience and young talent. The Panthers' five seniors (
Brandi Bisping,
Bre Cera,
Miquela Santoro,
McKaela Schmelzer, and
Sydney Staver) have shown that experience so far through these eight games. As a collective, those five are averaging 37.3 points, 17.4 rebounds, and 8.5 assists per game with each playing at least 22 minutes per contest. Each one has proved to be a major factor with 12 combined double-digit scoring performances so far.
SOMETHING TO PROVE
Milwaukee was predicted to finish seventh of 12 in the 2020-21 Horizon League Preseason Poll with 76 poll points. Defending champion IUPUI earned all 12 first place votes as the Jaguars were predicted to repeat.
YEAR 50
November 25 not only marked this year's season opener, but it was also the start of the 50th season of Milwaukee women's basketball.
Kyle Rechlicz, in her ninth season, is the seventh coach in program history and third with at least 100 victories. As a program since inception in 1971-72, the Panthers have totaled 13 conference or district championships, two NCAA Tournament appearances, 19 Bud K. Haidet Hall of Famers, nine All-Americans, and much more.
CATCH ALL THE ACTION
Although the Milwaukee Athletic Department announced it will not host spectators for any home men's or women's basketball games until at least January 15, fans will have the opportunity to watch the Panthers all season long. All of Milwaukee's home games will be carried live online at ESPN+. Additional information for road game coverage can be found online.
Panther fans will also be able to listen to this year's games everywhere they go, as
Matt Menzl calls all the action on the Black & Gold Network. Menzl will be calling the action for all regular season contests as well as all postseason action. The Black & Gold Network is streaming live online and can be accessed at MKEPanthers.com.
BLACK & GOLD ON DEMAND
Panther fans can also re-live all of the action by listening to archived games on the Black & Gold Radio Network. All games are chronicled at mixlr.com/milwaukee-panthers/showreel where fans can re-live
Matt Menzl's broadcast in its entirety.
