MILWAUKEE, Wis. - The Milwaukee women's basketball team heads to Chicago to close out the regular season with one eye on the Horizon League standings. Due to the inconsistencies of the schedule, the league is using RPI to determine final seeding and with that formula, the Panthers currently hold the No. 2 seed for the tournament behind Wright State. 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 across the league for the remainder of the Horizon League season, 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 FLAMES
UIC opened the Horizon League schedule 1-3 but have since dropped nine straight league contests and sit at 1-11.
 
The Flames do have one of the youngest rosters in the nation with five freshmen, six sophomores, and a pair of seniors, averaging 19.23 years of age.
 
Despite the inexperience, the freshmen have showed no shortage of talent as the Flames' top two scorers are in their first year. Jaida McCloud is averaging 13.8 points and 6.6 rebounds per game while Kristian Young puts up 11.3 points and 5.3 rebounds per contest.
 
Senior Jaida Nneji has proved to be one of the Horizon League's top shot-blockers and just became UIC's all-time leader in blocks with 167 swats. Nneji is averaging 1.4 blocks per game this year to go with 6.9 points and 4.6 rebounds per game.
 
LAST TIME THEY MET
Milwaukee shot nearly 70 percent in the fourth quarter to earn a comeback win over UIC 66-60 on February 23. The Panthers erased a 13-point second half deficit and scored 29 points in the final frame in the win. Lizzie Odegard led the MKE with 16 points and eight rebounds.
 
SERIES HISTORY
Following a season sweep of the Flames last year, Milwaukee has now won 10 straight against UIC dating back to 2016. The Panthers own a 37-21 all-time advantage over the Flames. UIC has been tough on the road, however, as MKE's edge is only 15-14 in Chicago.
 
WHATS ON TAP?
Milwaukee will prepare for the Horizon League Tournament. The top five seeds for the tourney get a bye in round one and then the top four seeds host a contest on March 2 for the quarterfinals.
 
LAST TIME OUT
Sydney Staver scored 13 fourth-quarter points and had a season-high 18 as the Panthers hung on to beat Oakland 69-66 on Senior Day.
 
PREVIEWING THE POSTSEASON
Due to the inconsistencies of number of games played among teams across the Horizon League, the league has come up with a formula to figure out postseason seedings. Milwaukee currently sits at 13-5 in league play which is the fourth-best winning percentage. However, the Panthers are tied for most games played with 18 and hold the No. 2 seed for the Horizon League Tournament as it stands right now.
 
The top five seeds earn a bye for the First Round on Thursday, February 25. The top four seeds will then host a Quarterfinals matchup on March 2 at campus sites before the final four teams head to Indianapolis on March 8-9 for the Semifinals and Championship.
 
REWRITING THE RECORD BOOK
After another successful weekend at the charity stripe, the Panthers continue to lead the nation in free throw percentage. Milwaukee is shooting 83.5 percent (335-401) from the stripe.
 
The current NCAA record for free throw percentage in a season is held by Idaho State from 2008 when the Bengals shot 83.2 percent (540-for-649).
 
Milwaukee has hit 335 free throws, which is the third most in NCAA Division I behind Arkansas (368) and Murray State (346).
 
If the Panthers were to miss their next 53 free throws, they would still lead the league.
 
Milwaukee's program record for free throw percentage in a season is currently 79.0 percent, which was set in 2010-11.
 
COLLEGE INSIDER POLL
Milwaukee is receiving votes in this week's College Insider Women's Mid-Major Top 25 poll. Fellow Horizon League members IUPUI (No. 11), Wright State (No. 19), and Green Bay (RV) are also receiving recognition in the poll.
 
MKE's only non-conference loss of the season was to Bowling Green, who checks in at No. 14 with a 15-4 record.
 
SETTING A NEW STANDARD
With the win over Oakland on February 13, Milwaukee captured its 13th Horizon League victory, the most since 2005-06.
 
With two victories this weekend, Milwaukee would set a new program record with 15 Horizon League victories. 
 
Milwaukee currently sits at 16-6 overall, a .727 winning percentage, which sits as the best winning percentage in the program's NCAA Division I history.
 
HOME SWEET HOME
Sydney Staver had another solid series against Oakland, averaging 17.5 points per game. Staver finished 5-for-10 from three-point range and 8-for-8 from the free throw line.
 
The senior has found comfort at home, ranking second on the team in points per game (12.0) at the Klotsche Center. Staver is shooting 46.2 percent (18-for-39) from long range and has not missed a free throw 16-for-16 in Milwaukee.
 
DYNAMIC DUO
Megan Walstad and Brandi Bisping are the only two teammates in the Horizon League averaging at least 10.5 points and 8.5 rebounds per game.
 
Walstad ranks 12th in scoring (13.0ppg) and first in rebounding (9.2rpg) while Bisping is 19th in scoring (10.7) and fourth in rebounding (8.6).
 
The two have combined for 12 double-doubles this season, marking the most for teammates since the 2017-18 season when Jenny Lindner (9) and Steph Kostowicz (8) combined for 17 double-doubles.
 
Walstad's eight double-doubles ranks second in the Horizon League and ranks 30th in NCAA Division I.
 
CAREER YEAR FOR BISPING
Brandi Bisping has put together a career-year for the Panthers. The senior is currently averaging career-highs in points per game (10.7), rebounds per game (8.6), and assists per game (2.1).
 
Earlier this year, she became the 27th player in program history to reach 500 career rebounds.
 
Additionally, Bisping is shooting 92.4 percent from the free throw line, her third straight season above 90 percent. Only Lindsay Laur's 2010-11 season ranks higher in school history (92.8 percent).  With a career 87.9 free throw percentage, Bisping ranks first all-time in program history.
 
CLOSING OUT SERIES
Milwaukee's defense has been particularly good this season and that is credit to their depth and ability to close out series.
 
In game two of the Horizon League back-to-backs, the Panthers are holding opponents to 31.8 percent shooting from the floor and 27.1 percent shooting from three-point range while allowing just 52.9 points per game.
 
The Panthers own a scoring margin of +12.1 points per game in the nine game twos.
 
SENIORS SHOWING OUT
The Panthers five seniors continue to perform and show tremendous leadership. Collectively, the Panthers' eldest five (Brandi Bisping, Bre Cera, Miquela Santoro, McKaela Schmelzer, and Sydney Staver) are averaging 37.3 points, 17.2 rebounds, and 9.8 assists per game with each playing at least 21 minutes per contest. Each one has proved to be a major factor with 32 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.