MILWAUKEE, Wis. – Cleveland State shot 50 percent from three-point range in the second half and used a big fourth quarter run to top the Milwaukee women's basketball team 66-57 on Sunday afternoon.
 
"It's disappointing from a perspective that we felt like coming into the game, we were shooting really well. We came into the first half aggressive," head coach Kyle Rechlicz said. "For some reason, we became super hesitant in the second half. We just have to understand that our roles are really important and at the end of the day, you have to put the ball in the basket."
 
Riding the hot hand of Miquela Santoro, the Panthers (7-10, 6-4 Horizon League) rattled off a 14-0 run in the first quarter to gain control early. The graduate scored nine points on 3-for-4 shooting and the Panthers shot 61.5 percent from the floor to pull in front 20-10 at the end of one.
 
In the second quarter, it was Cleveland State who put together a run as the Vikings rattled off a 11-2 spurt in just over two minutes to tie the game at 24.
 
Megan Walstad responded with a jumper and the Panthers lead reached five at the half before offense went cold.
 
Milwaukee hit just 25 percent of its shots in the third quarter and the Vikings outscored the Panthers 23-11 in the frame to head to the fourth with a 53-46 advantage.
 
The stagnant offense continued in the fourth for MKE as another 4-for-16 performance from the floor could not get the Panthers back in the game.
 
Cleveland State (10-3, 5-2 Horizon League) built its lead to as many as 14 points and Milwaukee could not gain ground as the Panthers fell to the Vikings on their home court for the first time since 2012.
 
Walstad recorded her fifth double-double of the season with 18 points and 10 rebounds, finishing 7-for-13 from the floor.
 
Santoro was hot in the first half and totaled 14 points, three rebounds, and three assists.
 
McKaela Schmelzer matched her season-high with seven assists and added four rebounds and two points.
 
The Panthers next gear up for a pair of games against Green Bay beginning on the road on Friday, January 21 at 7:00 pm.
 
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