MILWAUKEE – For the first time this season the Milwaukee women's basketball team needed to play beyond 40 minutes and were able to come out with a key conference win over the Wright State Raiders by a 93-87 score at the Klotsche Center on Friday evening.
 
A career-best 20-point performance by Jada Donaldson, and the fourth 20-point effort for Anna Lutz this season paved the way for a Panther offense that ended the game shooting 47.8 from the field. Which included performances of 50.0 percent or better from the field in the first, third and overtime periods. It was the second time this season that two Panthers scored at least 20 points in a single game and first since Kendall Nead (38) and Kamy Peppler (22) combined to accomplish the feat at McNeese on November 17.
 
Peppler propelled the offense with her second double-digit assist game in the last three contests, while Grace Crowley registered her first career double-double including a season-best 15 points to go along with 10 rebounds to tie her career high.
 
After leading by as many as 18 points early in the second quarter, the Panthers found themselves trailing by four with under two minutes to go in regulation. MKE got key defensive stops down the final minutes of the game and were able to level the score and send it to overtime at 79 points aside.
 
Crowley fought to get the double-double with a seven-point and four-rebound performance in the extra session, and even had a block to help Milwaukee on the defensive end. Donaldson added four and Lutz had three points in overtime as the duo reached the 20-point plateau as the Panthers outscored the Raiders by a 14-8 difference in the extra five minutes.
 
"We came out with a lot of heart and enthusiasm on the defensive side," said head coach Kyle Rechlicz after the game. "It was an impressive performance on the defensive end and that energy helped lead our offense to play that much better."
 
Jorey Buwalda had 10 points and was a rebound shy of her third double-double of the season, while Angie Cera had a 15-point night as she was tied with Donaldson with a team-best four three-point baskets as Milwaukee finished with nine on the night.
 
Nead had eight points and had a career-best six assists with Milwaukee as a team recording 26 helpers on the night, one shy of their season-high mark of 27 set against Central Michigan in late November. Lutz also finished the game tying her season and career-high mark of four assists.
 
Donaldson sparked Milwaukee's offense to open the game with a three-point shot just three minutes into the contest to put the Panthers ahead 5-4. Cera connected on a three pointer to make it a two-score game before MKE got several key stops on defense and went on a 14-point run to take a 22-6 lead.
 
The Panthers led by as many as 18 points in the game on a layup by Peppler to open the scoring in the second quarter and led by double figures midway through the second before Milwaukee's lead dwindled to three at halftime following a last-possession three-pointer by the Raiders to make the score 38-35.
 
Milwaukee opened another eight-point advantage at 45-38 on a three-pointer by Donaldson from a Nead dish, but the Raiders fought back and crashed the paint and took the lead at 55-54. Wright State ended the game with 50 points in the paint. The score was tied heading into the final minute of the third quarter before Lutz scored the final four points of the period to give MKE a 61-57 lead heading into the fourth.
 
The Raiders took a one-point lead at 68-67 with six minutes left in regulation before Cera drilled a three-ball to give Milwaukee the lead once again at 70-68. After a block on the defensive end by Peppler, the Panthers took advantage as Cera connected on a second-straight three-pointer to put MKE ahead by five.
 
The score tilted back in favor of the Raiders as WSU took a 79-75 lead on a free throw with under two to play before Nead sank a shot to make it a two-point game. A costly turnover by the Raiders was stolen away by Donaldson, who in turn was fouled and sent to the line for two, where she was able to convert and knot the game at 79.
 
Wright State had another chance in the paint that was blocked by Jada Williams and sent out to Cera, but the ball was stolen back by the Raiders. After a lengthy stoppage to review the clock, Milwaukee missed a pair at the free throw line that was rebounded by the Raiders, who got a look with time expiring but the shot did not fall as the game progressed to the extra session.
 
The Raiders scored the first bucket in overtime, but Crowley tied the score back up at 81. Lutz stepped back for a three ball on a Donaldson feed before Crowley had a layup and converted on the and-one free throw to make it a six-point lead. Wright State scored quickly on the next possession and then was able to make 1-of-2 at the line to trim MKE's lead to 87-84.
 
Crowley dropped another bucket, and after a miss on the offensive end for Wright State, Donaldson was fouled and made clutch free throws to increase Milwaukee's lead to seven at 91-84 with 75 seconds left in overtime. WSU made another three-pointer and forced a Panther turnover and had two looks, the latter of which was blocked by Crowley to stifle the last offensive gasp by the Raiders.
 
Donaldson capped off her career performance with a pair of free throws for her first career 20-point performance as the Panthers picked up the key win to avenge the loss earlier in the season to the Raiders.
 
Milwaukee continues the unique portion of their schedule and will head back out on the road for a rare Wednesday night conference game as the Panthers will head to Robert Morris on Wednesday, January 31 for a 6:00 p.m. (CT) tip against the Colonials at UPMC Events Center in Moon Township, Pennsylvania.