MILWAUKEE, Wis. - Despite dropping Thursday's matchup, Milwaukee found plenty of positives in the second half against Northern Kentucky and will look to bring that momentum into Saturday's contest against Wright State. Tipoff is scheduled for 1:00 pm CT from the Nutter Center. The game can be found on ESPN+ and will also feature live stats and live audio with Matt Menzl on the call on MKEPanthers.com.
 
SCOUTING THE RAIDERS
Wright State has lost three straight games to drop to 2-15 overall and 1-11 in Horizon League action. The Raiders have been forced to take four losses due to COVID-19 health and safety protocols. WSU's last victory came on January 15 at Detroit Mercy.
 
Offense has not been the issue for Wright State as the Raiders hover right around the middle of the league in scoring (6th, 62.5 ppg), field goal percentage (7th, 37.5 percent), and three-point percentage (6th, 31.6 percent).
 
The defense, however, has struggled, allowing a league-worst 70.5 points per game.
 
Destyne Jackson and Jada Roberson both average double figures for first-year head coach Kari Hoffman. Jackson leads with 14.2 points per game while Roberson is putting up 12.7 points and 5.5 rebounds per game.
 
In addition to Jackson shooting 32.4 percent from long range, Channing Chappell (34.5 percent) and KK White (30.4 percent) also provide a threat from long range for the Raiders.  
 
LAST TIME THEY MET
Megan Walstad scored 12 of her 19 points in the second half to help Milwaukee fend off Wright State 58-47 at the Klotsche Center earlier this season on November 18. MKE shot 70 percent (7-for-10) in the fourth quarter to cement the victory.
 
SERIES HISTORY
It has been a tight all-time series between Wright State and Milwaukee with the Raiders owning a 33-30 edge. WSU won both contests last season but the Panthers triumphed earlier this year and have taken three of the last five contests.
 
WHATS ON TAP?
The Panthers return home to host Robert Morris on Thursday, February 3. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:00 pm from the Klotsche Center.
 
LAST TIME OUT
Milwaukee used a 10-2 run to begin the fourth quarter and cut a double-digit deficit to three, but came up just short against Northern Kentucky in a 61-53 setback on Thursday night.
 
A HELPING HAND
The Panthers totaled 14 assists in Thursday's game at Northern Kentucky compared to just 11 turnovers marking the second straight game with a positive assist-to-turnover ratio.
 
It marks the first time since last season (3/2 - 3/8) that the Panthers have had two straight games with a positive ratio.
 
Milwaukee has recorded double-digit assists in five straight games, averaging 15.6 per game during that stretch, two and a half more than the Panthers' full season average.
 
MKE is fourth in the Horizon League with 13.18 assists per game.
 
WALSTAD WORKIN'
Megan Walstad led the Panthers with 18 points for the second straight game, finishing 6-for-12 from the floor on Thursday.
 
The redshirt sophomore particularly dominated in the fourth quarter with 10 points on 3-for-3 shooting from the floor and going 4-for-4 from the free throw line.
 
Walstad added a team-high eight rebounds in addition to two blocks, an assist, and a steal.
 
Through 17 games this year, Walstad ranks ninth in the league in scoring (14.1 ppg), fourth in rebounding (9.0 rpg), fourth in field goal percentage (45.1 percent), third in free throw percentage (88.5), and fourth in blocks (1.4 bpg).
 
MAGIC NUMBER
In college basketball, there is no perfect recipe for a win but for Milwaukee, field goal percentage has been a pretty good baseline.
 
The Panthers are 4-1 this season when hitting at least 40 percent of their shots from the floor. The only loss came at IUPUI on January 8.
 
In the last six seasons (including this year), Milwaukee is 77-21 (.786) when hitting at least 40 percent from the field. Bump that field goal percentage to 43 percent and the Panthers are 59-9 (.868).
 
When shooting under 40 percent since 2016-17, Milwaukee is just 22-53 (.293).
 
FINDING THE RANGE
Sydney Staver knocked down three more triples against Northern Kentucky and is starting to heat up from long range.
 
The graduate has hit a trio of three-pointers in two of the last three contests, combining for eight during that stretch.
 
Staver has hit at least one three-pointer in six straight games and leads the Panthers with 20 triples made.
 
CASHING IN AT THE CHARITY STRIPE
Milwaukee continues to rank among the best free throw shooting teams in the nation, currently sitting third in NCAA Division I.
 
The Panthers are 185-for-228 at the charity stripe this season, a percentage of 81.1. MKE trails only Iowa (85.1 percent) and Iowa State (81.8 percent) in the national rankings.
 
Last year, Milwaukee was phenomenal from the line and set a new NCAA Division I record in free throw percentage with a mark of 83.8 percent. That number knocked off Idaho State's 83.2 percent clip in 2008 and also topped the men's record of 82.2 percent which was set by Harvard in 1984.
 
STILL STRONG ON THE GLASS
Milwaukee was held to fewer than 10 offensive rebounds for the first time in seven games, but still boasts a strong resume on the glass.
 
The Panthers are tied for the league lead with 211 offensive rebounds, ranking second with 12.4 per game.
 
Milwaukee has totaled at least 10 offensive rebounds in all but three games this season.
 
MILESTONE WATCH
With six boards on December 30 against Oakland, Megan Walstad eclipsed 500 for her career, becoming the 28th player in program history to reach that milestone.
 
It marks the third straight season a Panthers' player reached 500 with Brandi Bisping accomplishing the feat in 2020-21 and Lizzie Odegard hitting the mark in 2019-20. Bisping finished with 597 for her career while Odegard totaled 578 rebounds.
 
In addition to reaching 500 career rebounds, Walstad is just 105 points away from becoming the 22nd player in program history to reach 1,000 career points. Walstad is averaging 11.9 points per game in her three seasons so far.
 
McKaela Schmelzer now holds the program record for games played with 135, surpassing Alyssa Fischer, who appeared in 134 games from 2015-20. Sydney Staver is also moving up on that list, having appeared in 124 career contests.
 
Schmelzer is also currently tied with Jenny Lindner (2014-18) for games started with 124. With 48 more assists, Schmelzer could surpass Pam Bartnik (1990-94) for most career assists.
 
SIZZLIN' SANTORO
Now in her second year with the Panthers, Miquela Santoro has reached another level this season and is on pace for a career year.
 
The graduate is averaging 8.4 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 2.6 assists, nearly doubling her outputs from a season ago.
 
Santoro scored in double digits just twice last year and has already notched at least 10 points on seven different occasions this season.
 
She currently ranks third on the team in scoring (8.4 ppg) and is second in assists (42) and steals (20).
 
BALANCED SCORING
In the win over Purdue Fort Wayne, Milwaukee had four players reach double figures for the fifth time this season. McKaela Schmelzer (12 points), Sydney Staver (11), Megan Walstad (11), and Emma Wittmershaus (10) all scored at least 10 points for the Panthers.
 
The five games with at least four players in double figures already surpasses last season's output and is the most games with at least four in double digits since the Panthers accomplished the feat in nine games in 2017-18.
 
A STRETCH OF FOUR STRAIGHT
With Megan Walstad's 18-point, 11-rebound double-double against Northern Illinois, the Panthers had at least one double-double in four consecutive games.
 
McKaela Schmelzer began the streak with 10 points and a career-high 13 rebounds against Wright State. Walstad followed with a 13-point, 12-rebound performance in a win over Northern Kentucky on November 20.
 
Emma Wittmershaus then totaled 15 points and 10 rebounds in a win over Wisconsin before Walstad's second double-double of the season at NIU.
 
The last time Milwaukee had four straight games with a double-double was last season when Walstad and Brandi Bisping combined for six double-doubles in a four-game stretch from January 8 to January 16.
 
HIGH EXPECTATIONS
Following a 20-win season which led to a trip to the postseason WNIT, the Milwaukee women's basketball team was selected to finish second in the Horizon League Preseason Poll, announced by the league office. MKE totaled 125 poll points, trailing only IUPUI, who was tabbed as the preseason favorite with 11 of 12 first place votes and 139 total poll points.
 
PRESEASON HONORS FOR WALSTAD
Megan Walstad was named to the Preseason All-Horizon League First Team following an impressive campaign in 2020-21. After being sidelined the year prior, Walstad returned to the floor and dominated down low as she collected a First Team All-League award last season. The redshirt sophomore led the team in scoring (12.0 points per game) field goal percentage (50.0) and blocks (50) while ranking second in rebounds (8.7 per game).
 
Additionally, Walstad was one of 25 players to be named to the 2022 Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year Watch List.
 
POSTSEASON PANTHERS
Milwaukee reached the postseason WNIT for the third time in program history last season and added another postseason win to the resume. The Panthers reached the second round of the tournament for the first time since the 2017-18 season. Overall, Milwaukee is 2-3 at the postseason WNIT.
 
CATCH ALL THE ACTION
Thanks to ESPN+, Milwaukee basketball 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+. The Horizon League and ESPN have an agreement that includes ESPN hosting the league's digital network on the ESPN+ platform.
 
ESPN+ offers fans thousands of live events, on-demand content, and original programming not available on ESPN's linear TV or digital networks. Fans can subscribe to ESPN+ for just $6.99 a month (or $69.99 per year) and cancel at any time.
 
For road games, visit MKEPanthers.com for live coverage links.
 
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.