MILWAUKEE – The Milwaukee women's basketball team outscored visiting Carroll by a 42-18 margin in the second half to run away with a 74-49 win in its 2024-25 home opener at the Klotsche Center.
 
The Panthers were led by four players in double figures including the first career double-double for Kamy Peppler, who ended the game with 11 points and 10 assists.
 
Kacee Baumhower and Izzy Pugh had 14 points apiece, while Anna Lutz scored a dozen as both she and Pugh recorded a game-high six field goals each.
 
The Black & Gold held a one-point lead at halftime, 32-31. After the break, the Panthers stormed out of the gates with 13 unanswered including three long-range shots from Peppler to take control of the game with a 45-31 advantage.
 
"After missing out on some touches down low in the first half, we made adjustments as a team," commented head coach Kyle Rechlicz after the game. "It was awesome to see Kamy come out with three big shots in the second half … that really took Carroll out of their rhythm and down from the level they were playing at in the first half."
 
Milwaukee in the second half connected on 17-of-31 from the field and 6-of-11 from three. Meanwhile the defense stepped up as well, holding the Pioneers to just 8-of-29 from the field and scoreless from three on five attempts.
 
For the game, Milwaukee had 24 assists on 30 field goals, including Peppler's 10 assists coupled with seven from Jada Donaldson. The Panthers also won the rebounding battle at 40-35, including eight from Donaldson and seven apiece from Baumhower and Grace Lomen.
 
As the game progressed, Milwaukee led by as many as 25 points twice in the fourth quarter, first on a Hallie Majoros three-pointer to make it 70-45. Later, Pugh capped off the scoring with a second-chance point after picking up an offensive rebound in the final minute to make it 74-49.
 
All 12 players that dressed for the Panthers ended up on the scoresheet, including six points on a pair of first-half three points by Kallie Peppler, while MKE also got three points each from Donaldson, Majoros, and Sophia Rampulla. Justina Hernandez, Payton Rechlicz, Jada Williams and Lomen all scored a field goal.
 
Milwaukee scored 36 points in the paint and took advantage of 15 Carroll giveaways for 17 points off of turnovers. The Panthers had 16 second-chance points on 10 offensive rebounds, including four offensive boards from Pugh and two each from Donaldson and Lutz.
 
Natalie Gricius led the Pioneers in scoring with 14 points, while Olivia Rangel added 10 points and a team-best six rebounds. Carroll finished the game shooting 32.8 percent from the field and 6-of-17 from three.  
 
Milwaukee will be back home again on Saturday afternoon at 1:00 p.m. to take on the Butler Bulldogs. The matchup at the Klotsche Center will only be available on ESPN+.