MILWAUKEE – History was made at the Klotsche Center on Saturday morning as the Milwaukee women's basketball team connected on 17 three-point baskets to set a new program record for three-pointers in a regulation game. The Panthers knocked off visiting Central Michigan by an 84-59 score for their fourth win in a row.
 
The 17 three-pointers equaled the Panther mark set back during the 2012-13 season, when Milwaukee connected on 17 against Bradley, which ended in double overtime. The mark on Saturday was also one shy of the Horizon League record, which was accomplished by Wright State last season against Cleveland State as the Raiders had 18 on January 20.

Anna Lutz led the Panthers with five three-pointers as she was 5-for-6 from three and led the team with 23 points for a new career high. Angie Cera had four three-pointers, followed by both Kendall Nead and Kamy Peppler with three each from beyond the arc. Jorey Buwalda and Jada Donaldson also got in on the long-range action with their own three-pointers.
 
Lutz ended the game going 9-for-12 from the floor, which was also a career-best, breaking her previous mark of eight field goals set against Northern Kentucky in February last season. As a team, Milwaukee shot 48.5 percent from the field on 32 makes in 66 attempts, while the Panthers were 17-of-32 from three for 53.1 percent.
 
Defensively, Milwaukee held the Central Michigan to just 36.4 percent from the field with 20 makes on 55 attempts, while the Chippewas were 2-of-17 from beyond the arc.
 
"Our goal has been to keep teams under 60 points all season, we really need to lock up those last few late possessions," said head coach Kyle Rechlicz. "I was proud of our team at the very end to keep them from getting to 60."
 
Milwaukee had 23 assists on their 32 makes, their second highest of the season and most since the team had 27 assists against McNeese on November 17. Donaldson and Peppler tied for the team lead with six assists each, while Cera had four and Nead had three helpers.
 
"What a team effort with 23 assists," Rechlicz added. "When we move the ball from one side to the other, we are a tough team to stop on offense, especially when you have post players that can stretch the floor."
 
The Panthers won all four quarters, which included a five-point lead after 10 minutes and an eight-point advantage at the halftime break. Milwaukee outscored Central Michigan 47-30 in the second half for the 25-point win, its largest margin of victory this season.
 
While Lutz led the team with 23 points, Cera chipped in with 19, followed by Peppler with 15 and Nead with 11. Donaldson and Buwalda both finished the game with seven points apiece. Buwalda also had the team lead with six rebounds, followed by Cera with four. Donaldson and Nead led the Black and Gold with three steals apiece, as the Panthers finished the game with 11 to tie its season-best mark.
 
Central Michigan opened the game with five-straight before Peppler got the Panthers on the board with a jump shot. Nead hit Milwaukee's first three of the game to get MKE within two at 9-7, before Lutz scored to even the game at nine. Lutz gave the Panthers their first lead with the first of her five three-pointers at 12-11.
 
Milwaukee extended its lead to five on another three-pointer by Lutz, before Milwaukee led by a 20-15 margin after the first quarter following a Donaldson jump shot.
 
Central Michigan was able to tie the game at 22 with 6:35 left in the half, before Lutz broke the lock with yet another three-pointer. Buwalda extended the lead with her first collegiate three-pointer. The Panthers led by 10 on yet another three-ball by Lutz with 48 seconds left in the quarter before a pair of free throws cut the halftime lead down to eight at 37-29.
 
MKE scored the first eight points of the second half on back-to-back shots from range by Peppler and Cera before Peppler had a fast break layup off a steal by Buwalda. After a Chippewa layup Donaldson scored the next five with a layup of her own with a jumper and a three-pointer, ahead of another three-pointer by Cera to extend Milwaukee's lead to 22 midway through the third at 53-31.
 
Central Michigan closed the gap back down 14 late in the period, before Lutz connected on another long range shot to put Milwaukee up by a 62-45 margin heading into the final 10 minutes.
 
Peppler, Nead, and Cera all had three-pointers in the fourth quarter as the Panthers held onto a 20-point advantage at 70-50 with 7:17 to go. Cera drilled another three with 4:49 left to put the Panthers ahead 77-54. The Panthers continued to pour it on with makes by Buwalda and Vanessa Jurewicz connected on baskets to put MKE ahead, 81-56.
 
With 1:10 left in the game, Peppler connected on the 17th three-pointer for the Panthers while giving MKE its largest lead of the game at 28 points. Central Michigan scored the final four points to close out the scoring as the Panthers won by an 84-59 margin, their third 20-plus point win in the last four games.
 
Milwaukee will open conference play in its next game, when the Panthers host the Green Bay Phoenix to open Horizon League play at 7:00 p.m. on November 30 at the Klotsche Center.