MINNEAPOLIS, Minn.  – The Milwaukee women's basketball team hung with Minnesota on the road, but the Gophers created separation from the three-point line and handed the Panthers a 75-59 setback on Wednesday afternoon.
 
Milwaukee (3-7) owned the rebounding battle 42-31 and scored 30 points in the paint, but the Gophers' (7-5) nine three-pointers deflated any comeback for the Panthers.
 
"I was really proud of where we were in the first half," head coach Kyle Rechlicz said. "Their three-point run started when we gave up two offensive rebounds that led to threes and that's what's tough. If we secure the rebound maybe they don't start feeling that confident from the three-point line. But they are a really good team. They move the ball exceptionally well and have a variety of people that can score."  
 
The Panthers were led by Kendall Nead's career-high 18 points. The sophomore finished 6-for-11 from the floor and went 6-for-7 at the line. She added three boards, a steal, and a block.
 
"I thought Kendall Nead was fantastic and we were finding her," Rechlicz continued. "We started getting her post touches. She was scoring there so we kept trying to get her toward the paint and our team executed. There's a lot of positives to take away from this game for sure."
 
Emma Wittmershaus got it started for the Panthers, totaling four points and four rebounds early on but a late 7-2 run had Minnesota up five at the end of one.
 
The Gophers extended the lead to 11 with eight minutes left in the half but five different Panthers scored in a 15-4 run, emphasized by a Nead and-one, to knot it at 28.
 
Nead continued to go to work in the third, getting to the free throw line seven times as the Panthers kept it tight at 40-39, but the Gophers exploded for four triples across the final 2:36 of the third for a 56-44 lead.
 
From there, Minnesota continued to put on the pressure, shooting 53.3 percent in the fourth and the Panthers could not cut into the deficit, going 1-for-8 from three-point range.
 
MKE was hurt by 21 turnovers, its second most this season, which led to 19 points for the Gophers.
 
Wittmershaus joined Nead in double figures with 10 and added five rebounds and a block.
 
Megan Walstad totaled six points, seven rebounds, and four assists while Anna Lutz played a solid 19 minutes off the bench and recorded seven points and five boards.
 
Milwaukee will next wrap up the non-conference schedule at home, hosting Maine on Thursday, December 22.
 
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