MILWAUKEE, Wis. - All tied after one, the Milwaukee women's basketball team used a 21-1 scoring run to grab control in a 62-42 win over Purdue Fort Wayne on Friday night. The Panthers shot 50 percent from the floor and went 9-for-11 from the free throw line in the second quarter while holding the Mastodons to just two field goals.
 
The win marked Milwaukee's 10th straight at home and also 10th consecutive in the Horizon League.
 
"It feels really nice to be home again," head coach Kyle Rechlicz stated. "It's different because we don't have our fans and our families but it's the court we shoot on the most, the nets that we're used to, the backdrop we're used to. I thought we came out with a really good amount of energy. We just didn't finish a lot of the plays we needed to in the paint, but I thought we played with a lot of heart tonight."
 
After a slow start to in the first, the Panthers (10-1, 7-0 Horizon League) caught their stride two minutes into the second frame. Megan Walstad and Brandi Bisping combined for 11 points in just under six minutes to spark the run which put Milwaukee up 19.
 
"Coach [Stacy] Cantley brought up a good suggestion of switching int our zone so we went with that," Rechlicz continued. "I think that flustered them a bit. We put that on them, and I think it really got us going. We got some steals at the top which led to some easy layups and it got our energy up."
 
In that quarter alone, Milwaukee forced six Purdue Fort Wayne (0-9, 0-7 Horizon League) turnovers and turned them into eight points.
 
The Mastodons came out after the break and outscored Milwaukee 13-12, but with a 16-point halftime advantage, the Panthers just needed to keep the visitors at bay.
 
Defense took over in the fourth quarter as the Panthers once against used stiff defense and free throws to close out the game.
 
Milwaukee held PFW to 3-for-12 shooting in the final frame and finished 8-for-8 from the line on the offensive end.
 
It marked the fourth game this season that the Panthers converted at least 20 free throws, finishing 23-for-27.
 
Three players scored in double digits for Milwaukee, led by Bisping's 14. The senior added seven points and a pair of assists.
 
Walstad recorded her third double-double of the season with 12 points and a career-high 13 rebounds. She finished 7-for-8 from the free throw line. Bre Cera also reached double figures, scoring 12 points.
 
Emma Wittmershaus yet again provided a spark off the bench, totaling seven points, five rebounds, and two assists in16 minutes.
 
Milwaukee will return to the Klotsche Center for game two of the series against Purdue Fort Wayne. Live coverage links for the 6:00 pm contest can be found on MKEPanthers.com.