MILWAUKEE – The Milwaukee Panthers women's basketball team travels to kick off its last road trip of the regular season as the team takes on the Youngstown State Penguins on Friday evening inside Beeghly Center in Youngstown, Ohio beginning at 6:00 p.m. CST.

The game can be viewed on ESPN+; while live stats and live audio on the Black & Gold Network with Matt Menzl on the call are also be available on MKEPanthers.com.

SCOUTING THE PENGUINS
Youngstown State is coming off a pair of home victories last weekend as the Penguins knocked off Oakland and Detroit Mercy to improve to 18-7 overall with a 12-4 mark in league games, currently sitting in third place in the Horizon League.

It's Lilly Ritz leading the way for the Penguins with 437 points (17.5 PPG), 264 rebounds (10.6 RPG), 45 steals (1.8 SPG) and 30 blocks (1.2 BPG). The senior had a 20-point, 11-rebound effort back on February 22 in Milwaukee to help lead the Penguins to a 61-51 victory.

Megan Callahan and Malia Magestro are both averaging 10.6 points per game, while Dena Jarrells leads the team with 96 assists (3.8 APG).

On Saturday against Detroit Mercy, the Penguins edged the Titans by five in a 72-67 win. Ritz had 26 points and 12 rebounds to lead the way, while Callahan added 16 points and Paige Shy scored a dozen.

The Penguins are the fourth-best team in the Horizon League averaging 68.2 points per game and are third defensively allowing 57.8 points per contest. Youngstown State is second in the conference in assist/turnover ratio at 1.15, trailing just Green Bay.

LAST MEETING
Milwaukee and Youngstown State met on January 22 at the Klotsche Center, with the Penguins picking up the 10-point win, 61-51.

The Panthers had three in double figures with Kendall Nead scoring 17, Kamy Peppler knocked down 13 and Emma Wittmershaus recorded a dozen. In comparison, it was four to score double figures for the Penguins with Lilly Ritz picking up 20 points and 11 rebounds, while Megan Callahan had 15, Malia Magestro had 13, and Dena Jarrells picked up 10.

The Panthers were within two after a three-pointer by Peppler with 1:39 left in the game, but Milwaukee was unable to get the bucket as Youngstown State connected on their free throws to escape with the 10-point win.

SERIES HISTORY
Milwaukee owns a 31-20 all-time lead over the Penguins as each side has exchanged three-straight wins over the last six. Youngstown State has wins in the last three matchups, which was preceded by three-straight wins by the Panthers.

From February of 1992 to February of 2004, the Panthers won nine-straight, while the Panthers also had a 15-game winning streak from January of 2006 to February of 2012.

The Panthers also own a 14-11 record in Youngstown, Ohio, having split the two previous matchups in Northeast Ohio.

FOLLOW THE PANTHERS LIVE
Matt Menzl returns for his seventh 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 twitter account (@MKE_WBB) will also have live updates throughout the game.

LAST TIME OUT
The Milwaukee women's basketball team was unable to get past the Northern Kentucky Norse on Sunday afternoon in a home bout inside the Klotsche Center, dropping a 10-point decision to the Norse, 81-71.

Milwaukee had a pair of career-efforts on the afternoon as Grace Crowley had a career-best 19 points on 8-of-9 shooting, while Anna Lutz added a career-high 16 points off the bench on 8-of-11 from the field.

The Panthers as a team shot 51.9 percent from the field as Megan Walstad added 17 points, while Angie Cera had her fourth-straight double-digit performance with 11 points; both Walstad and Cera combined for Milwaukee's six three-pointers at three apiece.

While Milwaukee had six from beyond the arc, it was Northern Kentucky to drop 10 from three, while also shooting 17-of-24 from the line in comparison to Milwaukee going 9-for-11 at the stripe.
  
Milwaukee's 71 points was the fifth time on the season the team broke 70, as the Panthers have scored 62 points or better in each of its last five games as the team also had 20 assists on 28 field goals for contest.

Kamy Peppler led the Panthers with five assists, while Cera and Walstad each had four. Jessi Giles had three helpers while Kendall Nead added a pair of assists, while also adding six points of her own on the game.

The Panthers led the game by four after the opening quarter, which included the first five points of the game by Crowley and a three-pointer by Walstad. The Panthers led by as many as nine in the opening period at 18-9 off a three ball by Cera and a layup by Crowley.

Milwaukee held the lead throughout the second quarter until one minute left as the Norse evened the score with a pair from the line to send the game to halftime tied at 37.

Northern Kentucky led by as many as five for most of the third quarter, before a bursting ahead for an 11-point lead with 1:23 to go in the stanza. Lutz got the game back within three possessions on a layup on the next series as the quarter ended with the Norse ahead at 62-53.

The Panthers got a quick spark in the final period as Walstad drained a three off a Peppler pass, but Northern Kentucky answered right back with a three-pointer of their own. The Norse took their largest lead of the game at 13 with 7:01 to go, before Cera got another rally going with a three-pointer.

Crowley had a layup and Lutz followed with one as well with four minutes to go to pull Milwaukee back within six at 69-63, but the Panthers were unable to get the score any closer as the Norse won by 10 at 81-71.

HIGH FIVE!
Over the past five games, the Panthers have had five players reach career-highs in games as Emma Wittmershaus got the run started with a 25-point effort against IUPUI on January 28.

Kendall Nead had 24 points in the following game against Oakland, while Jada Donaldson wrapped up the weekend trip to the Detroit Metro area with a career-best 16 against the Titans of Detroit Mercy.

Milwaukee was held without a career-best scoring effort against Wright State, but Grace Crowley with 19 and Anna Lutz with 16 points both had new career-highs in points against Northern Kentucky on Sunday in Milwaukee.

GIMME' TEN
With her 17 points in the team's last game on Sunday against Northen Kentucky, senior Megan Walstad scored her 1,310th career point.

In scoring 1,310, Walstad broke into the top-10 all-time in scoring, and is tied for 10th all time with Daryl Sheffield. Next on the points scored list is Jen Greger with 1,385.

CLIMBING THE BOARD…BOARD
With at least eight rebounds over her last four, Megan Walstad has now climbed into fourth place on the all-time rebound list in Milwaukee history with 849. Walstad passed Jenny Lindner in the team's win in Detroit, as Lindner who had 826 for her career. Next on the list is Steph Kostowicz, who finished her career with 898 career rebounds.

Walstad also has 240 offensive rebounds, placing her eight on the offensive rebound list and just two behind Lindner for seventh all-time.

Defensively, Walstad has accumulated 609 rebounds and moved into second all-time on Friday against Wright State. She only trails Traci Edwards, who finished her career with 782 defensive rebounds.

PASSING THE ROCK
For the third time this season this season, the Panthers had at least 20 assists with 20 in Sunday's matchup against Northern Kentucky. It was the second time in nine days that MKE totaled better than 20, with 21 coming against Oakland on February 3. The team had a season-best 22 against Detroit Mercy on December 29.

The 21 assists on the road versus Oakland came on 31 made field goals, which is the first time Milwaukee registered 30 field goals since January 29, 2022, in the team's road win at Wright State. The last occurrence that the Panthers had more than 30 made field goals came on January 18, 2019 also at Oakland, when Milwaukee was 32-for-64.

Against Detroit Mercy in December, the Panthers had 22 assists on 25 made field goals, the highest assist percentage (88.0) since dishing out 16 assists on 18 field goals (88.8) in a win over Chicago State on March 3, 2016.

WALSTAD'S HELPING HAND
Playing the inside-out game, Megan Walstad had a career-high nine assists in the team's home game against IUPUI in late January. Her previous career-high was five on several occasions in her career, most recently in the team's win at home against Detroit Mercy on December 29.

The last time a player listed on Milwaukee's roster as a center or forward and had more than five assists in one game was Steph Kostowicz, who had a dozen in the team's March 15, 2018 win over Northern Iowa. Kostowicz accomplished the feat six times during her senior season in 2017-18, and seven times in her career.

JADA SETTLING IN
Jada Donaldson led the Panthers in scoring with 16 points in Sunday's win at Detroit Mercy, which comes off the heels of a few other career-bests for the sophomore. Donaldson had a team-best seven rebounds and led all players with four offensive boards against IUPUI on January 28.

Donaldson has been putting it together as she settles into her starting role for MKE and has also had a season-high in assists (6, Feb. 10 vs. Wright State), steals (3, Jan. 20 vs. Robert Morris), and field goals made (7, Feb. 5 vs. Robert Morris) over the team's past eight games.

SECOND HALF STRUGGLES
The Milwaukee defense has been strong this year, but recently, the Panthers have been running out of steam in the second half.

Over the last 12 games, Milwaukee has given up an average of 39.1 points in the second half. Opponents are shooting 48.9 percent (160-of-327) from the floor and 44.5 percent (53-for-119) from three-point range over the final 20 minutes.

FINDING THE RANGE
Milwaukee has been finding its shooting range from three-point land following the holiday break.

The Panthers had shot under 31 percent in each of its first 10 games but have turned it on since playing Detroit Mercy on December 29, having connected on at least 30 percent in eight of their last 14 contests.

Over the last 12 games, Kamy Peppler is 19-for-55 (35.7 percent), while Emma Wittmershaus is also at 40.0 percent having connected on 6-of-15 from deep. Jessi Giles has also come on over the stretch connecting on 7-of-18 (38.9 percent) from long range.

OFFENSIVE BOARDS TURNING INTO POINTS
The Panthers have recorded double-digit offensive rebounds in eight of their last 12 contests and have made the most of their chances. In that span, Milwaukee has totaled 124 second-chance points, including 19 second-chance points in the team's win over Robert Morris on January 20, and 16 on the road at Green Bay on January 26. The team had 10 second-chance points off of 10 offensive rebounds most recently in the team's win over Detroit Mercy on February 5.

COMING ALIVE IN LEAGUE PLAY
Kendall Nead has scored at least 12 points in eight of the team's last 14 conference games including a season-high 24 points in the team's games at Oakland on February 3.

In 16 Horizon League contests, Nead is averaging a team-high 13.1 points, which is currently ninth among all Horizon League scorers in conference competition this season. Nead is also fourth in league play in field goal percentage at 43.3 percent within the conference.

Away from her scoring prowess, Nead has an average of 4.8 rebounds in addition to 25 assists, 12 steals and two blocks over 16 conference contests.

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 seven seasons, Milwaukee is 90-29 (.756) when hitting at least 40 percent from the field. Bump that field goal percentage to 43 percent and the Panthers are 69-16 (.811).

When shooting under 40 percent since 2016-17, Milwaukee is just 25-67 (.272). The Panthers have been held under 40 percent in 12 games this year, going 1-11 in those contests.

STRONG ON THE GLASS
The Panthers owned the rebounding battle at Wright State, on January 7, 39-19 to record their best margin of the season at plus-20. It marks the highest rebounding margin since Milwaukee was plus-22 on the glass in a 58-35 win over UIC on February 19, 2021.

DEFENSE LEADING THE WAY
The Panthers' defense continues to be a factor this season as Milwaukee ranks in the top half of the Horizon League in points allowed and field goal percentage defense.

Milwaukee is allowing 63.6 points per game through 16 league contests and holding the opposition to 40.1 percent shooting overall. In comparison, the Panthers have connected on 43.7 percent from the field over that span.

RECORD-SETTING WIN
Defense was the story in a win over Detroit Mercy on December 29, setting multiple program bests.

The Panthers held the Titans to 29 points, the lowest for an opponent in NCAA Division I history surpassing Valparaiso's 31 from February 25, 2012.

Detroit also converted just 17.5 percent of its field goals, the lowest field goal percentage for an opponent since MKE held Youngstown State to 19.4 percent on March 6, 2010.

The seven made field goals for Detroit were also an opponent program-low for the Panthers, four fewer than the previous mark.

ALL OF THE DOUBLE DIGITS
In the win over Detroit Mercy, Milwaukee had five players reach double figures. Grace Crowley led the way with 13 points while Kendall Nead (12), Anna Lutz (11), Kamy Peppler (10), and Emma Wittmershaus (10) all joined in double digits.

It marks the first time Milwaukee had at least five players with at least 10 points since February 8, 2020. That game, Jamie Reit's 13 points led the way while Bre Cera added 12, McKaela Schmelzer and Sydney Staver each had 11, and Lizzie Odegard finished with 10 in a 65-60 win over Green Bay.

Milwaukee is now 3-0 this year when at least four players reach double figures. The Panthers are 17-4 over the last five years when four or more players reach at least 10 points.

MISS BASKETBALL IN THE HOUSE
Freshman Kamy Peppler was crowned 2022 Miss Basketball for Wisconsin but it's not the first time Milwaukee has had a student-athlete with that title arrive on campus.

In fact, Megan Walstad earned that title in her home state of Minnesota after leading Eastview High School to a perfect 32-0 record as a senior.

Prior to that, just one other player in program history donned the title of Miss Basketball. Meredith Onson (2005-08) was a consensus Wisconsin Player of the year in 2002-03. Onson originally attended Boston University but transferred to Milwaukee for the 2004-05 season.

PRESEASON HONORS FOR WALSTAD
Megan Walstad was named to the Preseason All-Horizon League First Team following another impressive campaign in 2021-22. Walstad dominated down low, earning her second straight First Team All-League award last season. She led the team and was among the league's leaders in points per game (14.4), rebounds per game (9.1), field goal percentage (48.8), free throw percentage (88.9), and blocks per game (1.5). Walstad was also named to the All-Defensive Team for the second straight year.

Walstad joined a group of just three others in program history to earn All-League First Team honors on more than one occasion in the Panthers' Division I era and is just the second in MKE history to earn All-Defensive Team distinction multiple times.

Additionally, Walstad was one of 25 players to be named to the 2022 Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year preseason Watch List.

MILESTONE WATCH
Megan Walstad's name is already all over the Milwaukee record books but she has the opportunity to etch her name in a few more times.

For her career, she has already cracked the program's top 10 in the following for NCAA Division I.

• Rebounds per game (4th, 7.6)
• Field goal percentage (5th, 49.7)
• Free throw percentage (5th, 84.9)
• Total rebounds (4th, 849)
• Total blocks (4th, 151)
• Double-doubles (5th, 22)
• Offensive rebounds (8th, 240)

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.