MILWAUKEE – The Milwaukee Panthers women's basketball team hosts the opening round of the Barbasol Horizon League Women's Basketball Championships on Tuesday evening as the seventh-seeded Panthers host the tenth-seed Robert Morris Colonials at 7 p.m. from the Klotsche Center.

The Panther Basketball Postseason is presented by Educators Credit Union. Tickets for tonight's game are available at TicketMaster, by calling 414-229-5886 or by emailing uwmtix@uwm.edu.

For fans unable to be in attendance, the game can be viewed on ESPN+ with Bob Brainerd; while live stats and live audio on the Black & Gold Network with Matt Menzl on the call are also be available on MKEPanthers.com.

The Panthers enter the Horizon League Tournament as the seventh seed for just the third time in program history, most recently in 2013-14, when the Panthers fell in the quarterfinals to second-seeded Wright State. Milwaukee was also the seventh seed in the 2008-09 season in a matchup against the 10th seed Youngstown State Penguins, and won by the score of 70-49 to advance to the quarterfinal round.

The seventh seed is 8-1 all-time against the tenth seed, the lone upset came following the 2016-17 campaign, when UIC bounced Northern Kentucky by a 72-60 margin.

SCOUTING THE COLONIALS
Robert Morris finished the regular season with an 11-18 record with a 5-15 mark in the Horizon League, earning the 10th seed in the Horizon League Championships. However, towards the end of the season the Colonials won three of their last seven games including a 50-45 win over Milwaukee in Moon Township, Pa. on February 19.

Phoenix Gedeon leads the Colonials in scoring with 385 points (13.3 per game), as well as rebounds with 247 (8.5 per game), as she was named as the team's lone All-League selection as a member of the third team. Gedeon over the last three games has come off the bench but started the initial 26 games this season for the Colonials.

Simone Morris has started in every game this season and averages 7.8 points and 5.1 rebounds and is also the team leader with 16 blocks. Danielle Vuletich has replaced Gedeon in the starting lineup over the team's final three games and is a strong presence under the basket with 7.7 rebounds per game averaging just 19.5 minutes per contest. Rebecca Dwomoh (7.7 ppg, 4.1 rpg), Alejanda Mastral (6.4 ppg, 3.2 rpg), and Mackenzie Amalia (5.9 ppg, 2.7 rpg), are among those expected to get major minutes in a team that tends to go eight deep.

Robert Morris is 10th in the Horizon League in offense (57.8 points per game), but fifth in the league defensively at 61.1 points allowed per game. Poor shooting has harmed Robert Morris' offensive output with the team connecting on just 34.6 percent from the field to place them last in team field goal percentage. The Colonials will make you pay if you can't hang onto the ball as RMU is fourth in the league in steals, averaging 8.48 per game.

LAST MEETING
The last meeting was the first-ever win for Robert Morris over Milwaukee, who had entered the February 19 game unblemished in five all-time meetings. The Colonials won the turnover frenzy by the score of 50-45 as the MKE and RMU combined for 39 turnovers.

Robert Morris' game plan was to get to the free throw line, and the Colonials did just that with 21 total trips including 14 for Gedeon, who converted on eight. Grace Crowley led Milwaukee in scoring on February 19 with 10 points.

SERIES HISTORY
The history is not deep between Milwaukee and the newest Horizon League member, Robert Morris, but the Panthers own a 5-1 all-time record against their first-round counterpart.

Milwaukee owns a 4-0 mark all-time at the Klotsche Center, including the team's 72-60 win on 'School Day' back on January 20. Megan Walstad had a historic performance with 16 rebounds to go along with her 17 points, while Kendall Nead had 19 points and Angie Cera had 10 points in reserve.

WHATS ON TAP?
The winner of this opening round game will be on the road on Thursday, with the potential Panther destinations being Cleveland State or IUPUI. Milwaukee ends up in Ohio with a win over Robert Morris and a Purdue Fort Wayne win over Detroit Mercy; however if Detroit Mercy pulls off the upset, the Panthers may head into the Jungle to take on the Jaguars of IUPUI.

LAST TIME OUT
The Milwaukee women's basketball team tied a program record on Saturday afternoon with 11 blocks in the team's contest against Cleveland State. Despite the record, the Panthers were unable to overcome an 11-points halftime deficit and fell by a 63-56 score on Senior Day.
  
The 11 blocks tied the program record from December 3, 1996, when the Panthers had the same number against Marquette. Leading the way and tying a career-high five blocks was Megan Walstad, while Emma Wittmershaus also tied a career-high with four. Angie Cera jumped in on the block party with two of her own to also tie her career high.

After trailing by 11 at the break and by as many as 13 in the second half, Milwaukee was able to close the deficit to four with 4:53 left in the third quarter. Milwaukee continued its run into the opening minutes of the fourth quarter and tied the score at 49 with 7:34 left in the game, but a 10-point rally by the Vikings thwarted the Panther comeback attempt at taking the lead.

Cera and Jessi Giles led the team on offense with 13 points apiece, for Giles a new Panther-high. Kendall Nead also reached double figures with 11 points, as Wittmershaus added eight points and six rebounds.

Nead opened the scoring with a three-pointer, but Cleveland State answered before the game was tied at nine with 2:26 to go in the period. A seven-point Viking run gave the Cleveland State a 16-9 lead before Anna Lutz converted on a jumper to pull MKE within two scores heading into the second quarter.

Cleveland State could never get more that a two-score lead in the second quarter until the final minute of the half as a 6-0 run put the Vikings up by a 34-23 margin at the break.

The Vikings led by 13 in the early stages of the second half, before Wittmershaus scored at the 7:13 point of the third quarter to spark a six-point rally as Walstad and Nead scored to get the Panthers within seven at 40-33. Cera knocked down a three to get Milwaukee within four at the 4:53 mark, but Cleveland State led by six going to the fourth.

Giles opened the fourth period with a three-pointer to get the Panthers within one score at 47-44, and after another layup by the Vikings, it was Giles again to knock down a three-pointer to make it a two-point game at 49-47. After a failed possession by the Vikings, Milwaukee came back down and converted a quick layup by Giles to knot the score at 49.

Four-straight Panther turnovers were costly as the Vikings responded with 10-straight points. Wittmershaus put an end to the run with a jumper, while Nead sank a free throw and Cera converted her third three-pointer of the day to get the Panthers within four at 59-55.

Milwaukee was unable to get any closer as Cleveland State closed out the game on a 4-1 run to record the 63-56 win.

Walstad led the team with 11 rebounds and added four points, while Grace Crowley added five points. Cera led Milwaukee with three steals, while Kamy Peppler had a team-best seven assists with Jada Donaldson adding four assists.

BLOCK PARTY
Milwaukee's regular season finale on Saturday saw the Panthers reach 11 team blocks against Cleveland State, tying a Division I program record.

In the process, three Panthers tied their career high in blocks with Megan Walstad finishing with five, Emma Wittmershaus with four and Angie Cera with two of her own.

The last time Milwaukee had two players get at least three blocks in a game was earlier this season on February 5 against Youngsown State with Megan Walstad and Emma Wittmershaus.

Milwaukee's last occurrence of three players getting at least two blocks in a game came back on January 1, 2021, when Walstad, Wittmershaus and Sydney Staver each had two-plus at Calihan Hall against Detroit Mercy.

ALL-LEAGUE HONORS
On Monday, the Horizon League announced its All-League accolades with a pair from the Panthers earning team awards.

Kamy Peppler was named to the All-Freshman team following a season in which she led the team in assists with 96, while also scoring 6.5 points per game as she was just one of three players to appear in all 28 of the team's games this season.

Peppler becomes the 19th selection all-time for Milwaukee as a member of the All-Freshman team and first since Walstad earned a spot on the team back during her rookie campaign of 2018-19.

For the third consecutive season, Megan Walstad was named to the All-Defensive team following her final season with the team in which she secured a team-best 220 rebounds including 179 on the defensive glass. Walstad also led Milwaukee with 37 blocks, including a season-best five in the regular season finale against Cleveland State.

Walstad is the 12th all-time selection for the All-Defensive team for Milwaukee, becoming the first-ever three-time selection.

LOWS AND HIGHS
In Thursday's win over Purdue Fort Wayne, the Panther held the Mastodons to just 11 points in the opening half, including just two points in the opening period.

The 11 points is a new Panther record for points allowed in a half, eclipsing the mark of 12 most recently set in December of 2020 at Marquette.

During the game against PFW, the Panthers also had a pair of season high marks, collecting a season-high 11 steals for the third time this season (Nov. 25 at Nevada; Dec. 29 vs. Detroit Mercy).

The team also tied its season-high mark with six blocks in the win, tying the team's six blocks on the road at Marquette in mid-November.

DOUBLE VISION
For the first time in 48 games, Milwaukee had two players record at least 10 rebounds in a game as both Grace Crowley and Megan Walstad ended Thursday's game with 10 apiece.

For Crowley, 10 rebounds is a new career-best mark, while Walstad is no stranger to 10-rebound games with six this season and 31 for her career.

DEFENSE GETTING LOW
In Thursday's win over Purdue Fort Wayne, Milwaukee kept the Mastodons to just two points on the scoreboard in the opening quarter.

Allowing just two points, eclipsed the season-best mark of three in the fourth quarter against Green Bay on December 1.

The Panthers have also held two teams to just four points in a given quarter this season; allowing four in the third quarter to Youngstown State (Feb. 17), and four in the third quarter at home against Detroit Mercy (Dec. 29).

A WIDE MARGIN
After a pair of +12 quarters coming against Youngstown State (Feb. 18), and Green Bay (Dec. 1), Milwaukee had its best quarter of the season at +19 in the opening period against Purdue Fort Wayne on February 23.

HORIZON ALL-ACADEMIC TEAM
The Horizon League recentlyu announced its All-Academic Team with Milwaukee forward Megan Walstad earning recognition for the second consecutive season.
  
Walstad currently boasts a 3.96 GPA and is the program's eighth overall selection dating back to the 2010-11 season, and just third in program history to have two selections all-time, joining Sami Tucker from 2012 and 2013, and Steph Kostowicz from 2016 and 2017.

Walstad's selection this year is Milwaukee's fourth consecutive year with at least one representative on the All-Academic team, with Walstad earning in 2022, Brandi Bisping in 2021, and Alyssa Fischer in 2020.

ACADEMIC HONORS
Last Tuesday the College Sports Communicators (CSC, formerly CoSIDA) announced its Academic All-District Teams.

Milwaukee had four honorees by the organization as Angie Cera, Grace Crowley, Jada Donaldson and Megan Walstad all were recognized.

The four led a group of 23 from the Horizon League that are now eligible to be named Academic All Americans. That select group will be revealed on March 15.

WHAT A LETDOWN
After connecting on 14 three-pointers on Friday at Youngstown State, the Panthers followed that up with just two made three-pointers on Sunday at Robert Morris.

Milwaukee has been unable to connect on at least five three-pointers in games following double-digit three performances since February of 2020, when the Panthers connected on 12 three-pointers against Detroit Mercy and followed that up with five against IUPUI.

The last time MKE had back-to-back performances with at least 10 three-point baskets made came in early February 2020, when the Panthers had 11 at Wright State followed by another 11 three-pointers at home against Green Bay.

THREE TIMES AS NICE
With 14 three-pointers on the road against Youngstown State on February 17, Milwaukee set a new season-high nearly doubling the previous season-best mark of eight.

It was the first time Milwaukee had connected on at least 10 three-pointers since March 19, 2021, against Drake; while it was also the first time the Panthers had at least 14 three-pointers since the 2016-17 season at home against Cleveland State.

Under the watch of head coach Kyle Rechlicz, the performance was the 60th occasion in which the Panthers had at least 10 three-pointers in a game, just over 18 percent of the games that Rechlicz has coached in.

LOW PERCENTAGE SHOTS? NO PROBLEM
While the three-point shot tends to be the lowest percentage shot to take at any level of competitive basketball, Milwaukee's Angie Cera scoffed at that notion by connecting on six of seven from beyond the arc in the road win at Youngstown State on February 17.

At 85.7 percent from three, Cera tied the sixth-highest percentage from three in a single game in Milwaukee history, tying Anne Breland from December 19, 2010, and Aubri Rote from November 9, 2007; who both went 6-for-7 in their respective games.

Only three players have ever been perfect from three, with a minimum of five attempts, as Jalessa Armstrong on January 7, 2015, at Detroit, and Jenny Lindner on February 20, 2017 vs. Valparaiso, each went 5-for-5. Daryl Sheffeld accomplished the 5-for-5 effort twice in the 1996-97 season vs. Northern Illinois, and 1998-99 season vs. UIC.

PASSING THE ROCK
For the seventh time this season this season, the Panthers had at least 19 assists in a single game with 19 in Thursday's matchup at Purdue Fort Wayne.

It was the third time in the last four, and fifth time in the last eight games for MKE that the team has had at least 19 assists.

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.

HIGH FIVE!
Over the team's five-game stretch from January 28 through February 12, 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 February 12.

MEGAN'S MILESTONES
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.

• Points (10th, 1,355)
• Rebounds (4th, 889)
• Rebounding Average (t-3rd, 7.7)
• Offensive Rebounds (7th, 244)
• Defensive Rebounds (2nd, 645)
• Field Goals Made (6th, 538)
• Field Goals Attempted (10th, 1,081)
• Field Goal Percent (5th, 49.8)
• Free Throw Percent (4th, 85.1)
• Blocks (t-3rd, 161)
• Minutes (8th, 3,401)
• Minutes/Game (t-9th, 29.3)
• Double-Doubles (5th, 24)
• Games Started (5th, 112)
• Double-Digit Rebounds (4th, 32)

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

Over the last 17 games, Milwaukee has given up an average of 34.8 points in the second half. Opponents are shooting 45.8 percent (210-of-458) from the floor and 41.4 percent (65-for-157) from three-point range over the final 20 minutes.

OFFENSIVE BOARDS TURNING INTO POINTS
The Panthers have recorded double-digit offensive rebounds in eight of their last 16 contests and have made the most of their chances.

In that span, Milwaukee has totaled 150 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.

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 92-31 (.748) when hitting at least 40 percent from the field. Bump that field goal percentage to 43 percent and the Panthers are 71-16 (.816).

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 60.8 points per game through 20 league contests and holding the opposition to 38.4 percent shooting overall. In comparison, the Panthers have connected on 41.2 percent from the field over that span.

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.