MILWAUKEE, Wis. - The Milwaukee women's basketball enters Horizon League play this weekend, heading to Green Bay for back-to-back games with the Phoenix on Saturday and Sunday. Tipoff on each day is scheduled for 1:00 pm. 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 November and December, 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 PHOENIX
Green Bay opened the year with an impressive win over Drake University but dropped a weekend series at North Dakota State and sit at 1-2 on the year.
 
The Phoenix return five with playing experience from a year ago, led by senior Caitlyn Hibner who has already made a huge impact this season. Hibner was named Horizon League Player of the Week after a 24-point, 12-rebound double-double against Drake and is averaging 19.3 points and 7.3 rebounds this season.
 
Freshman Jasmine Kondrakiewicz has been a solid addition for head coach Kevin Borseth's squad, averaging 12.3 points and 5.0 rebounds per game.
 
Dating all the way back to 1983-84, Green Bay has won 32 consecutive conference openers. Last season was the first since 1998-99 that the Phoenix did not record 20 wins as they finished 19-13 overall.
 
LAST TIME THEY MET
Milwaukee, led by seniors Jamie Reit and Lizzie Odegard, took down Green Bay at the Klotsche Center 65-60. Reit and Odegard combined for 23 points, 21 rebounds, and seven assists in the win.
 
SERIES HISTORY
Green Bay holds the all-time advantage 52-13, but the two split the season series a year ago. The Panthers have not won at the Kress Center since January 11, 2014 and are just 4-32 on the road against the Phoenix.
 
WHATS ON TAP?
After Milwaukee closes out its five-game road trip at Green Bay, the Panthers return home to host new Horizon League member Robert Morris. The two squads will meet for a pair of games on December 19-20 at the Klotsche Center.
 
LAST TIME OUT
After fighting through foul trouble a majority of the game, the Panthers kept it close against Bowling Green and had a chance to come away with a win but last second efforts fell just short. MKE grabbed a late lead, but the Falcons scored the final seven points of the game to hand Milwaukee a 64-62 defeat.
 
ON THE HORIZON
This weekend marks the league opener for the Panthers. In head coach Kyle Rechlicz' tenure, Milwaukee is 4-4 in Horizon League openers including a 60-58 victory a season ago against Wright State. Additionally, when beginning the Horizon League schedule on the road, MKE is 3-0 under Rechlicz. The last time the Panthers opened the league schedule at Green Bay, Milwaukee left with a 75-64 victory over the Phoenix.
 
Milwaukee has five straight seasons with a winning record in its Horizon League schedule including an 11-7 mark a year ago.
 
A DIFFERENT LOOK
The 2020-21 campaign will be anything but normal as the Horizon League released a 20-game schedule for each team with schools playing one league opponent twice each week with games taking place on consecutive days at the same location.
 
NON-CONFERENCE RECAP
Due to a shortened schedule with safety precautions this season, Milwaukee was scheduled to play just four non-conference contests. The Panthers made the most of them, however, finishing 3-1 with wins over Ball State, Bradley, and Marquette. MKE's 3-1 start is the best since 2016-17 when the Panthers opened the year winning seven of their first eight games.
 
KNOCKIN' DOWN THE FREE ONES
On Sunday, the Panthers added 12 more free throws without a miss, improving their season percentage to 83.9 (73-for-87), which ranks 11th in the nation. Only Alabama (77 free throws) has made more free throws at a higher percentage (85.6).
 
MKE has currently made 25 consecutive free throws, the most since the Panthers knocked down 27 in a row from January 18 to January 20 in 2018. Milwaukee missed its final free throw attempt of the game on January 20, 2018 to end the streak at 27.
 
THREE-POINT D
Milwaukee continues to be lock-down from beyond the arc. In four games, the Panthers have allowed opponents to shoot just 20.6 percent (14-for-68) from three-point range, which ranks 29th in the nation. Of the 28 teams ahead of the Panthers in three-point defense, only six teams have also played at least four games.
 
BENCH MOB
So far through four games, the Panthers have showed their depth with 11 different players seeing the floor. Over the last two games, Milwaukee's bench has outscored the opposition's bench 61-5. Sydney Staver and Emma Wittmershaus have been big factors in this, totaling 43 points in relief in the last two games.
 
WONDERFUL WALSTAD
Megan Walstad continues to show out after missing all of last year with injury. The redshirt sophomore contributes all over the floor and totaled 11 points, seven rebounds, two assists, two blocks, and a steal against Bowling Green. In four games, Walstad is averaging 10.3 points, 9.5 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.3 blocks per game. Her 41 rebounds currently leads the Horizon League and ranks 19th in the nation.
 
STAVER STEPPING IN
After missing the first two games, Sydney Staver has provided a spark on offense, averaging 13.5 points. The senior led Milwaukee against Bowling Green, scoring 15 points on 3-for-5 shooting from three-point range.
 
ALL-AROUND ASSET
Senior McKaela Schmelzer has been an all-around contributor this season, averaging 8.8 rebounds, 2.3 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game at the point guard position. Schmelzer currently leads the league and ranks 56th in NCAA Division I with 16 assists this year.
 
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 in the months of November and December, 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.