MILWAUKEE – The Milwaukee women's basketball team returns home after a three-day, three-game stretch in Lake Charles, Louisiana, where the Panthers won two out of three. MKE will welcome in first-time foe Edgewood for a 7:00 p.m. start at the Klotsche Center on the Milwaukee campus.

The game will be available on the both ESPN+ and Black & Gold Network, as Matt Menzl returns for his eighth season with the program, live stats will also be available at the links on MKEPanthers.com.

THE MATCHUP
Tuesday, November 21 – Edgewood at Milwaukee | Klotsche Center | Milwaukee, Wis. | 7:00 pm
 
QUICK LINKS
Live Stats: mkepanthers.com/coverage
ESPN+: mkepanthers.com/coverage
Black & Gold Network: mkepanthers.com/coverage
Follow Along (On X): @MKE_WBB
Tickets: mkepanthers.com/tickets
Game Program: mkepanthers.com/programs
 
FAST FACTS
» After starting the season 0-3, the Panthers bounced back with wins in its final two games in Louisiana including Friday's record-setting win over host McNeese, while the Panthers also knocked off the Mississippi Valley State Devilettes on Saturday to improve to 2-3 on the year.
 » Milwaukee returns home for its longest homestand of the season beginning with Division III Edgewood on Tuesday evening for their first-ever meeting. The Panthers will also welcome Central Michigan for an 11:00 am tilt on Saturday before opening Horizon League play at home against Green Bay on the final day of November.
 » Milwaukee has been hot from the field over their two-game winning streak as the Panthers have connected on 47.5 percent from the field with 56 makes on 118 attempts. The Panthers are also 17-for-48 over their two wins, while they have bested their opponents with a +10.5-rebounding average. MKE also has 45 assists over the two games, compared to the 26 for their opponents.
 » All Panther games will feature live stats and live audio with Matt Menzl on the Black & Gold Network, while fans can also tune into ESPN+ for a majority of this season's contests, including all home contests. Game coverage and gameday programs for home games can all be found on MKEPanthers.com.

SCOUTING THE EAGLES
Edgewood won its first game of the season on Saturday after starting the year at 0-3, which included a loss to nationally ranked Loras. Tuesday evening's game will be an exhibition for the Eagles against Milwaukee, before the team returns to Division III play against Dubuque on Saturday. Edgewood is led by eighth-year head coach Chaia Huff, who had one of the top turnaround stories in DIII as she turned an 0-25 Eagle squad in 2016-17, to a 25-game winner in 2019-20.

Through the team's first four games, Edgewood has been outscored by 4.2 points per game, but have been shooting at 90 percentage points better than their opponents at 43.9 percent to the 34.9 percent of its opponents. The Eagles are shooting at 38.3 percent from the arc, exactly 100 percentage points better than opponents at 28.3 percent.

Milwaukee should be able to take advantage of Edgewood miscues as the Eagles average 17.3 turnovers per game this season.

Leading the way individually for Edgewood is Vivian Guerrero as the third-year starter for the Eagles is tops on the team with an average of 16.0 points per game through the team's first four games. She is averaging a double-double with 12.3 rebounds per contest and leads the team in blocks with three and is second on the team with 11 assists. Classmate Kenzie Senffner is scoring 10.3 per game, while Jayden Nortier has come off the bench and was a major impact in the team's win on Saturday as the freshman had 29 points and 10 rebounds.

LAST MEETING / SERIES HISTORY
This will be the first-ever meeting for the Panthers against Edgewood.

ONLY THE THIRD
During the team's win against host McNeese at the Multi-Team Event in Lake Charles, Louisiana, junior Kendall Nead scored 38 points for a career-best, while also becoming just the third difference Panther to score at least 38 points in a game.

All-Time leading scorer Traci Edwards reached 38 twice in her career, including the program record of 45 in February 2008, Edwards also scored 42 points in January 2007. Andrea Filipek in January 1999 was the only other Panther to reach 38+ points in a game.

THE RECORD TYING-SHOT
Kendall Nead not only scored 38 points in the November 17 win over McNeese, but she did so on 17 field goals as she tied the single-game record for field goals made in a game. Nead finished the game 17-for-23 from the field with three of those coming from three-point range including her final two makes with 7:32 and 7:03 left in the fourth quarter. Traci Edwards held the top spot alone since January of 2007 as the only player to score 17 field goals in a game prior to Nead.

Nead's 23 attempts were also the third-most in a game, while her shooting percentage was also third-best among the now five players all time to score at least 14 field goals in a game. Avyanna Young shot 15-for-19 (78.9%), while Maria Viall was 14-for-18 (77.7%), Nead slots into third at 73.9%, followed by Jenny Lindner at 14-for-24 (58.3%), and Traci Edwards at 17-for-33 (53.5%). No player in Milwaukee history has ever ended a game with 16 field goals made.

BUWALDA'S BREAKOUT
Thrust into a starting position at the McNeese Multi-Team Event, Jorey Buwalda enjoyed success as she averaged a double-double over the team's three-game stretch. Buwalda scored 10.7 points per game and averaged a team-best 11.7 rebounds per contest in helping Milwaukee to a 2-1 week in Louisiana.

Buwalda began the weekend with nine rebounds against Louisiana Monroe before pulling down a season-best 14 in the team's convincing win over host McNeese. She followed that up with the first double-double of her career with 20 points and 12 rebounds against Mississippi Valley State including the first six points of the game for the Panthers in the Saturday matchup.

During the double-double performance against the Devilettes, Buwalda went 8-for-8 from the free throw line, which was three shy of the Panther freshman record of 11 set by Courtney Lindfors in November 2010, when she went 11-for-15 in the team's road win over Chicago State.

EIGHTY-EIGHT IS PRETTY GREAT
In the team's 88-67 win over McNeese on November 17, Milwaukee scored its highest point total since the Panthers scored 90 points on February 23, 2018, against Detroit Mercy. The performance over McNeese was also Milwaukee's highest road point total since the team also scored 88 at UIC on January 5, 2017.

A HELPING HAND
With 27 assists during the team's win over McNeese, Milwaukee had the most assists in a single game since the team recorded its program record of 31 set back in December 2012 against Bradley in double overtime.

The last time Milwaukee had at least 27 assists in a regulation game came back in 2000, when the Panthers had 28 against Central Michigan in December of that year. The team also had 28 assists against Chicago State in January of 2000, while the only other time Milwaukee had 27 assists in a game came back in January of 1991, during its inaugural Division I season against Northeastern Illinois.

KAMY FOR THREE
Thus far through team's first five games, Kamy Peppler is leading the Horizon League with an average of 3.2 three-point field goals per game. Peppler has had two performances with six three-pointers including the team's home opener against UIC, where she also set a new career high in points with 25, while she also had six three-point baskets against McNeese for 22 points.

Peppler is eighth in the Horizon League in scoring as she is averaging 15 points per game through Milwaukee's first five matchups.

AT THE LINE FOR MILWAUKEE
Milwaukee is second in the Horizon League and 39th in NCAA Division I this season in free throw percentage, connecting on 78.3 percent from the charity stripe.

The Panthers are led by Horizon League leader Angie Cera, who is 15-for-15 on the young season. Jorey Buwalda is 12-for-13 on the year from the line including her 8-for-8 performance against Mississippi Valley State, while Kamy Peppler has connected on 11-of-14 from the line and is slightly above the team average at 78.6 percent. Jada Donaldson is 5-for-5, Grace Crowley is 2-for-2, and Vanessa Jurewicz is 1-for-1 through the first few weeks of the season.

TOP-10 IN MINUTES
Bitten by the injury bug early in the season, Milwaukee has been able to rely heavily on its veteran leaders to help lead the way with four players averaging more than 30 minutes per game. Jada Donaldson leads Milwaukee with 33.6 minutes per game, which is also 143rd among all Division I players. Angie Cera is fifth at 33.0 minutes per game, followed by Kamy Peppler in sixth (32.6 MPG), and Kendall Nead in eighth (31.6 MPG).

NEAD'S SEASON-OPENING MARK
With 18 points in the team's season opener at Wisconsin, Milwaukee's junior guard scored the most points for a Panther in a season opener since Jamie Reit scored 31 points in the team's overtime win over Parkside to begin the 2019-20 season. A year prior, Reit connected on 21 points in the team's two-point loss to Indiana for the last time a Panther had at least 18 points in a regulation season opener.

CROWLEY'S JUNIOR RECORD
Last season, then-junior Grace Crowley connected on 57.4 percent from the field. With that mark, Crowley set a new program record for shooting percentage as a junior in Milwaukee history. The previous mark was held by Bud K. Haidet Hall of Famer, Maria Viall, who recorded a 57.3 field goal percent as a junior.

THE 1,000-POINT CLUB
The college basketball world welcomed a newcomer to the 1,000-point club on Tuesday evening, as junior Vanessa Jurewicz scored her 1,000th career point against the Badgers with 1:41 left in the game.

Jurewicz entered her Milwaukee career with 998 career points, with 79 points at her first college at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M in 2020-21, before adding 919 over the past two seasons at McCook Community College in Nebraska.

WELCOME BACK CREW
Milwaukee welcomes back 10 players that were on last year's roster, including nine that saw minutes. Leading the way back in terms of minutes played is Kendall Nead with 866 as the junior is also the team's leading returner in scoring 334 pts/11.1 ppg.

Angie Cera averaged 28 minutes per game a year ago while averaging 8.3 points per game, with Kamy Peppler seeing action in all 30 of the team's games and averaged just over 23 minutes per contest. Jada Donaldson was a starter in 22 of 29 games and averaged 25.7 minutes per game.

Grace Crowley played in 498 minutes in 2022-23, while Anna Lutz saw time in 28 games for 332 minutes as the duo will likely see an increase this year with Milwaukee graduating both Megan Walstad and Emma Wittmershaus.

Hallie Majoros, Lior Halevi, Justina Hernandez, and Kalvina Eubanks all saw time a year ago, while Jada Williams sat out the season, and looks to make an impact during her first season on the court with the team.

NEW FACES IN MILWAUKEE
This offseason, the Panthers welcomed five newcomers to the roster for the 2023-24 season. Vanessa Jurewicz transferred to Milwaukee following a two-year stay at McCook Community College in Nebraska, where she was a two-year starter.

Four true freshmen join the Panther program this season: Jorey Buwalda, Izzy Pugh, Sophia Rampulla, and Payton Rechlicz.

Buwalda joins the Badgers from a 20-win Randolph squad from a season ago, after winning a Wisconsin State Title as a junior in 2021-22. She was a three-time All-State honoree during her high school career.

Pugh hails from Auckland, New Zealand, and was a four-year member of the Westlake Girls High School Team, while she was also named to the New Zealand U-18 reserve team. She was a part of the Westlake's national championship team in 2022.

Rampulla was a part of four conference championship teams at Union Grove High School and helped the team to regional championship as both a junior and senior. She was also a Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association Ms. Basketball finalist as a senior.

Rechlicz played four seasons of basketball at Menomonee Falls, where she was a two-time All-Conference Selection in the competitive Greater Metro Conference. During her appearances in the WIAA Postseason, she led the team in scoring in each of her appearances.

AND YOU ARE…?
Milwaukee's non-conference slate will feature 11 total contests including five at home, as well as six first-time opponents.

Milwaukee will play three new faces at the McNeese State Tournament, including Louisiana Monroe (Nov. 16), host McNeese State (Nov. 17), and Mississippi Valley State (Nov. 18). The team will also take on Edgewood at home on November 21.

In December, the Panthers will welcome two new opponents to the Klotsche Center as St. Thomas (Minn.) pays a visit on December 7, while Viterbo will close out non-conference play on December 20.

SPANNING THE REGION…AND THE GLOBE
This season Milwaukee has eight student-athletes from the state of Wisconsin, while the team has two players from both Illinois and Iowa, with one student-athlete hailing from Ohio.

In addition to the 13 Panthers from the United States, Milwaukee will be represented by three international students as returner Lior Halevi (Israel) is joined by Vanessa Jurewicz (Sweden), and Izzy Pugh (New Zealand).

This will be the first time in Milwaukee Division I history, that the Panthers have more than one international student-athletes on its roster for any season.

PRESEASON POLL
Milwaukee was selected to finish sixth in the 2023-24 preseason poll as announced by the Horizon League in mid-October. The Panthers received 59 points and were just four points out of the top-five.

In addition to the team being selected in sixth, Kendall Nead was named to the Preseason All-League Second Team. Nead finished last year as Milwaukee's returning scorer as she averaged 11.1 points per game with a team-best 334 points in 2022-23. Nead also connected on 41.4 percent from the floor, while adding 26 three-pointers of her team-best 138 field goals made.

Nead added 133 rebounds, 46 assists, 17 steals, and seven blocks as she was one of just two Panthers to start in all 30 games of the season for MKE.

OFFENSIVE BOARDS TURNING INTO POINTS
The Panthers recorded double-digit offensive rebounds in nine of their last 18 contests in 2022-23 and made the most of their chances. In that span during 2022-23 Milwaukee totaled 161 second-chance points.

The Panthers got off to a start just as well in 2023-24, with double-digit offensive boards in four of their first five games including a season-best 19 against Louisiana Monroe on November 16. Thus far on the season, Milwaukee has scored 60 second-chance points including a season-high 16 second-chance points against McNeese on November 17.

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.

In the last eight seasons, Milwaukee is 94-32 (.746) when hitting at least 40 percent from the field. Bump that field goal percentage to 43 percent and the Panthers are 82-17 (.828).

When shooting under 40 percent since 2016-17, Milwaukee is just 26-70 (.271). The Panthers are 1-2 in contests this season, when shooting under 40 percent.

KEEPING THE FOULS DOWN
Over the past two seasons, when Milwaukee has committed 11 fouls or fewer, the Panthers are 5-1. On the contrary, the Panthers are 3-12 when they have committed 18 or more fouls in a contest.

ALL-FRESHMAN HONORS
Last season, Kamy Peppler put together a season that warranted All-Freshman Team accolades by the Horizon League last season.

Peppler's freshman campaign saw her play in all 30 of the team's games and connect on 32.5 percent from the field including 25.6 percent from three. She had connected on 64 field goals with 30 of those coming from beyond the arc. She had the third-most assists for a rookie with 100 and was just 25 shy of tying the Milwaukee freshman record.

WHAT'S ON TAP?
Following Tuesday's home game against Edgewood, Milwaukee continues its longest homestand of the season on Saturday, when the Panthers welcome in Central Michigan for an 11:00 a.m. start against the Chippewas. The Panther will open Horizon League play at home beginning with Green Bay on Thursday, November 30 at 7:00 p.m. against the Phoenix in the Klotsche Center.

CATCH ALL THE ACTION
Matt Menzl returns for his eighth year as the play-by-play voice of the Panthers on the Black and Gold Network. Links for audio along with any TV coverage can be found on MKEPanthers.com. The Milwaukee women's basketball X account (@MKE_WBB) will also have live updates throughout the game.

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 $9.99 a month (or $99.99 per year) and cancel at any time.