MILWAUKEE – The Milwaukee women's basketball team looks to win its fourth game in a row on Thursday evening, as the Panthers pay a visit to Rochester, Michigan to take on the Oakland Golden Grizzlies. The Panthers enter Thursday's game after a 66-58 win over Youngstown State on Saturday, with wins over Robert Morris and Northern Kentucky preceding MKE's win over the Penguins.

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

THE MATCHUP
Thursday, January 18 | Milwaukee at Oakland | OU Credit Union O'Rena | Rochester, Michigan | 6:00 p.m. (CT)

QUICK LINKS
Black & Gold Network: mkepanthers.com/coverage
ESPN+: mkepanthers.com/coverage
Live Stats: mkepanthers.com/coverage
Follow Along (On X): @MKE_WBB

FAST FACTS
» On its second three-game winning streak of the season, the Panthers will look to make it four in a row as Milwaukee heads to Michigan to take on the Oakland Golden Grizzlies at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday. MKE has won two of its last three matchups with Oakland and nine of its last 14 matchups dating back to the team's Horizon League Quarterfinal win over the Golden Grizzlies at Joe Louis Arena in March of 2017.
» The Panthers won their last game at home over the Youngstown State Penguins by a 66-58 score. Kamy Peppler had a team-best 24 points in the win, while Anna Lutz had 11 points and Grace Crowley chipped in with a game-high nine rebounds while also scoring nine points. Jorey Buwalda also scored nine points in her 18 minutes on the court.
» Oakland welcomes the Panthers off a win over Detroit Mercy by an 89-55 score, it's largest margin of victory over an NCAA opponent this season. The Grizzlies held all five of Detroit's starting lineup under seven points, while Oakland was led by a 20-point effort by Kennedie Montue off the bench, just one shy of tying a career-high. Miriam Ibezim had a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds for her first career double-double.
» 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 GOLDEN GRIZZLIES
Oakland sits in the middle of the pack in the Horizon League standings entering play this weekend, just a half-game behind Milwaukee and a full game behind Detroit Mercy, who the Golden Grizzlies knocked off in their most recent game by an 89-55 score. The win was Oakland's largest margin of victory this season against an NCAA opponent, as the team also beat NAIA members Cleary and Madonna by larger margins in mid-November.

Four of Oakland's five starters had double figures in scoring, while their leading scorer was Kennedie Montue with a 20-point effort, one shy of her career-high, while knocking down four three-point baskets. Miriam Ibezim secured her first career double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds to lead the starting five, while defending Horizon League Freshman of the Year and All-League Second Teamer Brooke Quarles-Daniels is the lifeblood of the Golden Grizzly lineup, leading the team in points per game (12.1), rebounds per game (6.6), assists (42), steals (38), and minutes per game (28.7).

Oakland is in the top 15 in multiple categories among all Division I programs including fifth in the nation in free throw attempts per game, getting to the line 24.67 times per contest, second in the Horizon League to Cleveland State (24.78). The Golden Grizzlies are also 14th in the nation in free throw makes per game.

The stout Golden Grizzlies also force their share of turnovers and are 10th in the nation in steals per game (12.8), while they also force the 12th most turnovers in Division I at 22.67 per game. The positive numbers in turnovers, while limiting their own giveaways places Oakland 14th in DI in turnover margin, at a +6.2 per contest.

Which version of the Golden Grizzlies to show up on Thursday remains to be seen. In the team's seven wins, Oakland has connected on 45.6 percent from the field while also scoring 92.0 points per game and allowing just 63.4 points per contest. On the contrary, in the team's eight losses the Golden Grizzlies connected on just 33.0 percent from the field while scoring 59.4 points per game and giving up 76.5 points per game as opponents shoot 48.2 percent from the floor. In losses this season, Oakland connects on just 25.7 percent from three, while yielding 38.9 percent from beyond the arc.

SERIES HISTORY / LAST MEETING
In 24 all-time meetings, Milwaukee has 14 wins against 10 losses including last season's series split that saw the home team win each matchup. Milwaukee has won three of the last five meetings and five of the last eight matchups. The Panthers are 5-5 all-time in matchups in Rochester, Michigan, with its last win against the Golden Grizzlies on the black top coming back on February 12, 2022.

In their last meeting on February 3, 2023, Milwaukee took an early 26-22 lead after the opening quarter, but Oakland responded in the second by outscoring MKE by a 14-6 margin. The Golden Grizzlies held a three-quarter lead of 57-50 and were able to hold off the late charge by the Panthers to win the game 74-71. It was a career night for Kendall Nead at the time, as she scored a then-career-best 24 points including 17 second-half points.

The Panthers had their best shooting night of the season at Oakland in 2022-23, connecting on 58.1 percent from the field, but it was ultimately offensive rebounding by the Golden Grizzlies (16-6 advantage), and free throw shooting that allowed Oakland to win. The Golden Grizzlies made 17-of-22 from the line, while Milwaukee was awarded just eight free throws and converted on five.

NEW HIGHS VS. YOUNGSTOWN STATE
Following the team's win over Youngstown State, several Panthers had career-best numbers to boast following their efforts, they include new career high in minutes for Jada Williams (27), Anna Lutz (30), Jada Donaldson (38), and Kamy Peppler (40), while Grace Crowley played a season-best 33 minutes, just two shy of her career high against Wright State at home in February 2023.

Peppler also had career-best marks in both free throws made with seven and blocks with two, while Jorey Buwalda tied her season-best with two steals against the Penguins and fifth time during her freshman campaign.

FINDING WINS IN THE PAINT
In the team's win over Robert Morris on January 11, the Panthers got a lot of production from its forwards as Jorey Buwalda, Anna Lutz, Grace Crowley, and Jada Williams combined for 31 of Milwaukee's 73 points. As a team, the Panthers scored 44 points in the paint against RMU, their second-highest total this season with 64 against Viterbo being its highest mark.

When Milwaukee scores more than 25 points in the paint, the Panthers have an 8-3 record, while the team is 2-6 when scoring fewer than 25 points in the paint. Milwaukee's two wins when scoring fewer than 25 points in the paint came against Eastern Illinois on December 15, and Youngstown State on January 13, the team's season low came back in the season opener against Wisconsin with just 16 points in the paint.

LUTZ TURNING IT UP
Over the last seven games, Anna Lutz has been averaging a near double-double with a 10.9 point-per-game total to go along with 8.3 rebounds per game. Over that time, she has had four games with double-digit rebounding including a career-best 11 against both Purdue Fort Wayne on December 30, and Wright State on January 5. During the team's New Year's Day contest against Cleveland State, Lutz registered a career-best 23 points.

During the stretch of the last seven games, Lutz has connected on 29-of-57 from the field (50.9 percent), while also recording at least one block over five of her last six games.

This season, Lutz has also been the team's leading rebounder on eight occasions this season, and a team-best 11 times in her career.

WEEKLY HONORS
Jorey Buwalda earned her second consecutive and third Freshman of the Week honors on Monday, January 15, this past week she helped the Panthers to a 2-0 record while averaging 13 points per game on 61.5 percent from the field and was also 2-of-5 from three and 8-of-9 from the free throw line. She also added six rebounds, three steals and one assist on the week. Buwalda also earned Freshman of the Week honors on both January 8 and November 27.

Kendall Nead also earned her first career Horizon League Player of the Week honor on December 18, as she recorded a double-double in the team's win over Eastern Illinois. Nead finished the game with 19 points and 13 rebounds, while also adding two steals, a block, and an assist in the team's seven-point win over the Panthers of EIU.

AT THE LINE FOR MILWAUKEE
Milwaukee is fourth in the Horizon League and 48th in NCAA Division I this season in free throw percentage, connecting on 75.8 percent from the charity stripe.

The Panthers are led by Angie Cera, who is 34-for-35 on the season, while Grace Crowley and Anna Lutz are 16-for-19. Jorey Buwalda has connected on a team-best 51 free throws on 61 attempts on the year while Jada Donaldson is 12-for-15 this season as they are all above the team average.

DONALDSON'S ATR
With four assists and one turnover against Youngstown State, Jada Donaldson now has a 2.70 assist/turnover ratio this season and is second in the Horizon League. That number is well above her career average of 2.05 assists to turnovers, with 162 assists and 79 turnovers in 90 career games.

Donaldson is 19th in all of Division I with her 2.70 assist/turnover ratio, as the national leader is Kayla Ivey at Boston College with a 3.83 (117 assists/31 turnovers).

Milwaukee as a team has a 0.97 assist/turnover ratio (311 assists/322 turnovers), which is third-best in the Horizon League and 98th in the nation. Green Bay leads the conference with a 1.70 assist/turnover ratio.

TOPS IN MINUTES
Milwaukee has been able to rely heavily on its veteran leaders to help lead the way with four players averaging 28-plus minutes per game. Jada Donaldson leads the team at 33.0 minutes per game followed by Kamy Peppler at 32.1 minutes per contest. Kendall Nead is third on the team at 30.6 minutes per contest, while Angie Cera averages 29.8 minutes per game. All four Panthers are in the top-15 in the Horizon League in minutes per game.

PEPPLER FOR THREE
Thus far through team's first 19 games, Kamy Peppler is tops in the Horizon League with an average of 2.4 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 ninth in the Horizon League in scoring as she is averaging 12.7 points per game this year.

LAST THREE GAMES VS. SEASON TRENDS
• Scoring Margin (Trending Up): Last Three: +10.3; Season: +5.4
• FG Percent (Up): Last Three: 47.7; Season: 43.0
• FG Defense Percent (Up): Last Three: 37.6; Season: 39.8
• 3-Point FG Percent (Up): Last Three: 42.2; Season: 32.4
• Free Throw Percent (Down): Last Three: 67.1; Season: 75.8
• Assists per Game (Down): Last Three: 15.0; Season: 16.4
• Turnover Margin (Down): Last Three: -2.3; Season: -0.4
• Steals per Game (Down): Last Three: 5.7; Season: 7.0
• Kamy Peppler Points (Up): Last Three: 21.3; Season: 12.7
• Jorey Buwalda Points (Up): Last Three: 14.7; Season: 8.4
• Grace Crowley Rebounding (Up): Last Three: 6.0; Season: 4.5

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 this season, with double-digit offensive boards in 10 of their first 19 games including a season-best 20 against Viterbo on December 20. Milwaukee has scored 209 second chance points this year, including a season-high 22 second-chance points against Viterbo.

This season Milwaukee has earned more second-chance points than their opponents in 11 of their 19 matchups during the 2023-24 season.

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 102-35 (.745) when hitting at least 40 percent from the field. Bump that field goal percentage to 43 percent and the Panthers are 87-18 (.823).

When shooting under 40 percent since 2016-17, Milwaukee is just 26-73 (.263). The Panthers are 1-5 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 8-1. On the contrary, the Panthers are 5-14 when they have committed 18 or more fouls in a contest.

KAMY IN KENTUCKY
Kamy Peppler helped Milwaukee snap its five-game losing skid at Northern Kentucky on Sunday afternoon, with a 24-point effort to help the Panthers to a 75-67 victory at Truist Arena.

In two career games when playing at Northern Kentucky, Peppler has shot 14-of-30 (46.7 percent) from the floor, while also connecting on half of her attempts from three (6-of-12). She has scored 40 total points on the road against NKU, while also securing a career-best seven rebounds at NKU in early January 2023.

CRASHING THE GLASS
In the January 5 matchup at Wright State, the Panthers had a season-best 48 rebounds, eclipsing its previous mark of 43 rebounds against Viterbo on December 20.

The last time Milwaukee had at least 48 rebounds in a single game came last season when MKE ripped down 56 boards in overtime win against Boise State. The last time the Panthers had at least 48 rebounds in a regulation game was on December 2, 2021, in a loss at Youngstown State at the Beeghly Center, while the last time Milwaukee won a regulation game with at least 48 rebounds was on March 19, 2021, with 51 rebounds against Drake in the WNIT.

DOUBLE-FIGURE STREAK
Reaching double figures in scoring for the first 14 games of the season, Kendall Nead put together the longest run of double-digit scoring performances since former teammate Megan Walstad had a stretch of 14 games during the 2021-22 season from January 8 to February 24.

Nead scored at least 10 points through the team's first 14 games, which had not been done to open a season since 2017-18 when Steph Kostowicz also opened the year with 14 consecutive games in double-figure scoring. Nead had her streak snapped against Cleveland State on January 1.

HISTORIC NIGHT VERSUS THE V-HAWKS
Milwaukee blitzed the Viterbo V-Hawks on December 20, recording a 100-37 victory in its non-conference finale at the Klotsche Center. The 63-point scoring margin was the largest margin of victory for the team in Division I program history, with the previous mark coming on February 2, 2002, against Youngstown State, when the Panthers won by a 100-46 score.

The 100-point mark for Milwaukee was the first time the Panthers had reached the century mark in a regulation contest since the dual with Youngstown State at home in 2002. In the showing against the Penguins, Milwaukee connected on a then program record of 14 three-pointers, while this time around against the V-Hawks the Panthers only had six three-pointers, while making 39-of-69 from the field overall.

The 39 field goals tied the program record of makes in a regulation contest, set back in the team's inaugural Division I season, when the team also made 39 against Northeastern Illinois on January 22, 1991. The overall program record is 46, during a double-overtime matchup against Bradley on December 4, 2012.

The defense stood up against the Viterbo offense, yielding just 37 points the fewest since the February 23, 2023, matchup at home against Purdue Fort Wayne that saw Milwaukee win by a 64-34 score. In that game, Milwaukee held the Mastodons to just 11 points in the first half to set a new program record, the Panthers nearly tied that mark as MKE allowed just 12 first-half points to Viterbo on December 20.

SWEET 17
For the first time in a regulation game, the Milwaukee Panthers connected on 17 three-pointers in a single game during the team's win over Central Michigan on November 25. It was the first time the Panthers had 17 in a single contest since December 4, 2012, when the team also had 17 in a double-overtime matchup against Bradley.

Milwaukee's previous mark for three-pointers in a regulation game was 16 on November 18, 2014, at North Dakota, while it was Milwaukee's most three-pointers in a home game in regulation since December 31, 2010, against Wright State with 15. Under Kyle Rechlicz, the team's most three-pointers in a home regulation game was 14 against Cleveland State on February 11, 2017.

20/20 VISION
Milwaukee had its leading scorer score at least 20 points during the team's six-game stretch from November 12-25, including Kamy Peppler against UIC (25), Kendall Nead against Louisiana Monroe (21), and McNeese (38), Jorey Buwalda against Mississippi Valley (20), Nead again against Edgewood (20), and Anna Lutz versus Central Michigan (23).

It's the first time Milwaukee has had a leading scorer reach at least 20 points over a six-game stretch since the 2015-16 season, when Milwaukee had it happen in eight consecutive games. From mid-February to early March, Jenny Lindner had 23 points for Milwaukee versus Youngstown State, followed by Steph Kostowicz against Valparaiso (27), and UIC (24), Sierra Ford-Washington led Milwaukee against Northern Kentucky (24), and Wright State (26), followed by Lindner and Kostowicz with 32 each against Oakland, Lindner against Detroit Mercy (20), in postseason play against Wright State (31).

NEAD'S NIGHT IN LOUISIANA
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.

Nead connected on 17 field goals against McNeese as she tied the single-game record for field goals made in a game. She 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.

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.

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.

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.

WHAT'S ON TAP?
Milwaukee heads to Detroit Mercy on Saturday afternoon for a 12:00 p.m. (CT) start against the Titans, after the matchup at Calihan Hall, the Panthers return home for a single game on Friday, January 26 against Wright State. Tip against the Raiders is set for 7:00 p.m. at 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.