MILWAUKEE – The 2024-25 edition of Horizon League play begins for the Milwaukee women's basketball team on Wednesday evening as the Panthers visit the Beeghly Center to square off with the Youngstown State Penguins at 5:30 p.m. (CT).
 
Game coverage will be available online on ESPN+ provided by Youngstown State, while Milwaukee's audio stream will also be available on the Black & Gold Network, as Matt Menzl returns for his ninth season with the program. Fans can also find the audio stream on the 'Varsity Network' App (available in the App Store & Google Play). All links, including live stats can be found on MKEPanthers.com.
 
THE MATCHUP
Wednesday, Dec. 4 – Milwaukee at Youngstown State | Beeghly Center | Youngstown, Ohio | 5:30 pm (CT)
 
QUICK LINKS
Watch on ESPN+: mkepanthers.com/coverage
Listen on Black & Gold Network: mkepanthers.com/coverage
Listen on Varsity Network: App Store & Google Play
Live Stats: mkepanthers.com/coverage
Tickets: Youngstown State Ticket Page
Follow Along (On X): @MKE_WBB
 
QUICK NOTES
» Milwaukee begins Horizon League play on Wednesday, paying a visit to the Youngstown State Penguins on Wednesday evening at 5:30 p.m. at the Beeghly Center.
» The meeting with the Penguins will be the first time since the 2009-10 season that Milwaukee will face off against Youngstown State in the season opener. The Panthers knocked off YSU in Ohio by a 68-59 score.
» Under the direction of head coach Kyle Rechlicz, MKE is 7-5 in conference openers, including wins in four of its last five league lid-lifters.
» Milwaukee comes in after a 1-1 record at the Puerto Rico Clasico in Bayamon, Puerto Rico. The Panthers knocked off the American Eagles in their first-ever meeting by a 74-60 score behind a 25-point performance from Kacee Baumhower, while Kamy Peppler had 14 points and 10 assists for her second double-double of the season.
» The following evening, Milwaukee played for the first-time in program history on Thanksgiving Day and fell to the Air Force Falcons by a 56-40 score.
» Anna Lutz averaged 11.5 points and six rebounds over the two matchups, connecting on 10-of-21 (47.6 percent) from the field.
» Also making a return trip from Puerto Rico is Youngstown State, who went 0-2 in the Clasico, with losses to Southern Indiana and previously unbeaten Towson. The pair of losses dropped YSU to 4-4 overall on the season heading into league play.
» Jewel Watkins averaged 10 points per game, while Sarah Baker had 9.4 points per game. Sophia Gregory was the Penguins' top rebounder with 6.5 per game.
» Milwaukee is 33-21 in all-time Division I meetings with the Penguins, including a 14-12 record at the Beeghly Center. The two sides have split their last four meetings, with Milwaukee and Youngstown going 1-1 in each other's facilities since the 2022-23 season.

LOOKING AT YOUNGSTOWN STATE
Under the direction of first-year head coach Melissa Jackson, the Penguins are 4-4 to start the year with all four wins coming at home, while the team has gone 0-2 on the road and 0-2 in neutral site contests.

At home, the Penguins are shooting .421 from the field and .281 from three while outscoring opponents by a 72.0 to 49.8 margin. On the contrary, YSU has a .269 field goal percentage away from home, including a .205 percentage from three. During games away from the Beeghly Center, Youngstown State has been outscored by a 62.5 to 42.5 difference.

The Penguins have been built around defense this year, as YSU leads the Horizon League and is 56th in the nation entering play this week allowing 56.1 points per game. The team also does a great job on the glass with a rebounding margin of +4.9 this season (second in the Horizon), while the team also does a solid effort in terms of protecting the ball with a +2.13 turnover margin, with 9.1 steals per game.

Ball movement has also been key for Youngstown through the first eight games as seven players have at least 10 assists this season including a team-best 14 from Jewel Watkins, who also leads the team with 18 steals. Watkins paces the team's offense with 109 points for an average of 13.6 per game and has had a fruitful season inside the arc but shoots just 24.5 percent from three and a meager 59.4 percent from the free throw line.

Malia Magestro was the player to watch for the Penguins coming into the season and has scored 14.2 points per game but has missed the last three games heading into conference play. Sarah Baker is another player to watch this season, as the two-time Horizon League Freshman of the Week has averaged 6.3 points and 5.4 rebounds per game through the first eight of her collegiate career.

UP NEXT
Milwaukee continues its road trip to the eastern portion of the Horizon League this Saturday, when the team travels to Moon Township, Pa. for a 1:00 p.m. (CT) start against the Robert Morris Colonials. The Panthers will return home for their only home contest in the month of December on the 11th against Green Bay at 6:00 p.m.

PUTTING UP THE POINTS
Kacee Baumhower has been putting up large point totals for the Panthers through the first nine games with 20+ point performances in five contests.

The last player to have at least five 20+ point scoring performances in a season was Kendall Nead in 2023-24, finishing the season with six. Kamy Peppler also had five 20+ point games, while Anna Lutz had four for the Panthers a year ago.

The last time a Panther had at least seven games of 20+ points in a game came back in 2016-17, when Milwaukee had both Jenny Lindner (eight times), and Steph Kostowicz (seven times) both reached 20+ points in a game seven-plus times that season.

ALL-TIME IN ASSISTS
Kamy Peppler through the first nine games of 2024-25 has a total of 306 assists, currently placing her eighth on the all-time list in Panther history. She is currently two behind seventh place, occupied by Daryl Schaffield with 307. The all-time mark in Panther history is held by Pam Bartnik, who finished her career with 469 assists from 1990-94.

PEPPLER'S DOUBLE DOUBLES
Against Carroll and American, Kamy Peppler recorded the first two double-doubles of her career. While double-doubles are common among points and rebounds, Peppler's came with points and assists; 11 points/10 assists vs. Carroll and 14 points/10 assists vs. American.

It was the first time that a Panther had a points-assists double-double since Jaleesa Armstrong had 23 points and 10 assists at Detroit Mercy on Jan. 7, 2015. Peppler also becomes the sixth different player to record a points-assist double-double, accompanying Armstrong, Pam Bartnik, Jen Greger, Angela Rodriguez, and Kiki Wilson.

FRESHMEN POSTS TAKING THE LEAD
Through the team's first seven games in 2023-24, Milwaukee has seen strong efforts put forth by their redshirt-freshman post players as Izzy Pugh and Payton Rechlicz have shot a combined 31-for-64 (48.4 percent) to begin their collegiate careers.

BUWALDA BOARDS LED TO WINS
The Panthers finished the 2023-24 season with an 8-2 record in games when Jorey Buwalda was Milwaukee's leader in rebounding. She recorded double-digits in rebounds in four games this past season with the Panthers scoring wins in all four of those matchups.

This year Milwaukee is 1-1 in games that Buwalda leads the team in rebounds, falling to Wisconsin and defeating American.

AWAY FROM THE MAINLAND
With the conclusion of the 2024-25 Puerto Rico Clasico, and Milwaukee's 1-1 record in this year's edition, the Panthers remain above .500 in games played away from the contiguous 48 states of the United States. Milwaukee is now 4-3 games played outside of mainland United States, and are also now 2-2 in games all-time played in Puerto Rico.

TEN FOR THREE
After accomplishing the deed of 10 three-point makes in a game just three times in 2023-24, the Panthers have already done so three times through the first seven games in 2024-25. Milwaukee knocked down 10 three against Carroll on Nov. 6, 11 in the Nov. 14 win over Valparaiso, and another 10 against Northern Illinois on Nov. 24. The team has reached double-digit threes 65 times since Kyle Rechlicz has taken over as head coach.

DOUBLE-DIGIT GETTERS
Through seven games this season, Milwaukee has had 21 instances of players scoring double digits in a game including Kacee Baumhower scoring double-digits in seven of the first nine games this season. Anna Lutz has reached double digits six times in 2023-24, while Kamy Peppler has accomplished it four times.

The Panthers have also had double-digit scoring efforts from Jorey Buwalda, Jada Donaldson, Izzy Pugh, and Payton Rechlicz in 2024-25.

100s FOR THREE
Earlier this season, Kamy Peppler recorded the 100th three-pointer of her career with her second three-point make of three against Carroll on Nov. 6. Kacee Baumhower also scored her 100th career three-point make against Kansas State on Nov. 20.

FREE THROW FRENZY
Against Valparaiso on Nov. 14, the Panthers took 37 trips to the free throw line and converted 29.

It was the first time that Milwaukee made 29 free throws in a game since Dec. 30, 2006, when they made 29 against UIC at the Klotsche Center. It was the first time the Panthers took 37 free throw attempts in a game since the team also had 37 against Columbia at home on Nov. 16, 2018.

NINETY IN NON-OVERTIME
On Nov. 14 against Valparaiso, Milwaukee put 90 points on the scoreboard, which was the first time that the team had scored 90 points against a Division I opponent since last season's overtime win against Wright State on Jan. 26 (93-87).

The last time the Panthers scored 90 points in a regulation game against a Division I opponent was on Feb. 23, 2018, in a 90-45 win at home against Detroit Mercy.

TYING HIGHS
Off the bench against Valparaiso, Jorey Buwalda scored 17 points on five makes including a pair of three-point shots. She also had nine rebounds an assist and a pair of blocks. It was the first time that Buwalda had multiple three-point makes in a game, while her pair of blocks tied her career high set a season ago.

VERSUS NO. 10
Milwaukee took on No. 10 Kansas State on Nov. 20 in Manhattan, Kansas, and fell to its host by a 111-46 score. It was the first time that the Panthers allowed 100 points since the 114-104 double overtime loss to Northern Illinois on Nov. 16, 2016, a span of 252 games.

K-State ended the game shooting exactly 60.0 percent from the field, which was the first time an opponent ended a game with at least 60.0 percent since the Panthers played at Green Bay on Jan. 13, 2007. The loss was Milwaukee's first by 50 or more points in 844 games, when the team lost to Northern Illinois on March 2, 1996, as the Panthers fell by a 117-52 score to the Huskies.

The Panthers are now 1-39 against ranked opponents, including an 0-9 mark against teams that are ranked in the top-10 in either the Associate Press Poll or the USA Today/WBCA Coaches Poll.

250 GAMES FOR MENZL
Following his broadcast of the Nov. 14 matchup against Valparaiso, Matt Menzl has now broadcasted 250 Milwaukee Panther women's basketball games. He began his play-by-play duties with the team in 2016-17.

GREEN GETS THE CALL
Milwaukee Athletics announced its Bud K. Haidet Hall of Fame Class for 2024. The list included Milwaukee basketball's Ashley Green, who played for the Panthers from 2011-15.

She finished her career with 1,653 points, which is currently fifth on the all-time scoring list. She is also one of just five Panthers in program history to finish their career with 1,000+ points and 500+ rebounds, finishing with 781 in her 119 career games. Green finished her career with 17 double-doubles, the eighth most in program history.

IN OVERTIME
With the team's two overtime losses this season, Milwaukee is now 21-25 in all-time overtime games since joining the Division I level prior to the 1990-91 season. The Panthers have gone to overtime on three occasions in season openers, winning 84-77 over Parkside in 2019-20, and falling to Ball State by an 84-75 score to begin the 2021-22 campaign.

This season is the 13th time in program history that the Panthers have had multiple overtime games in one season, most recently during the 2020-21 season. The most overtime games played by Milwaukee in one season is three, which has happened six times, most recently in 2008-09.

SPREADING THE LOVE
All 12 players to step on the court for Milwaukee scored in the home opener against Carroll, becoming the first time that it's happened since last season's home game against Cleveland State, when all nine scored against the Vikings on that day.

It's the first game that the Panthers had at least 10 players in a game score since the team's win over Viterbo in December of 2023, when 12 different players scored for MKE.

KACEE'S SEASON-OPENER
Making her Panther debut, Kacee Baumhower scored 26 points against St. Thomas, including 19 of those points after halftime. The 26 points were the most in a season opener for a Panther since Jamie Reit had 31 points at the Klotsche Center against Parkside to open the 2019-20 season. Baumhower's previous career high was 23, as a member of Wright State against Detroit Mercy on Jan. 13, 2023.

SEASON-OPENING PERFORMANCES
Four Panthers scored in double figures during the season opener on Nov. 4 at St. Thomas, including Kacee Baumhower (26), Anna Lutz (15), Kamy Peppler (14), and Payton Rechlicz (13). It was the first time that at least four Panthers reached at least 10 points each in a season opener since 2021, when Milwaukee had Megan Walstad (15), Sydney Staver (14), McKaela Schmelzer (12), and Macy McGlone (10) pick up big point totals in overtime at Ball State.

The three three-pointers for Peppler were most in a season opener since Angie Cera had four at home against Wisconsin on Nov. 7, 2022. While Lutz' double-double of 15 points and 11 rebounds was the first in a season opener since Brandi Bisping had 17 points and 10 rebounds against Parkside on Nov. 6, 2019.

50 BOARDS
After coming within five rebounds on three occasions in 2023-24, including a season-best 49 against Wright State on Jan. 26, the team posted 50 rebounds in the 2024-25 season opener against St. Thomas. It was the first time Milwaukee had 50 rebounds in a game since the team had 56 in a neutral site matchup against Boise State on Nov. 27, 2022.

DONALDSON'S ATR
Jada Donaldson with a 2.50 assist/turnover ratio in 2023-24 finished 17th in Division I in assist/turnover ratio. So far this season, she has a has a 2.00 assist/turnover ratio, which is right around her career average of 2.07 assists to turnovers, with 211 assists and 102 turnovers in 112 career games.

Milwaukee is currently fourth in the Horizon League as a team and are in the top half of Division I through games played on Dec. 1 at 0.91.

FINDING WINS IN THE PAINT
In 2023-24, when Milwaukee scored more than 25 points in the paint the Panthers had a 12-6 record, while the team was 4-10 when scoring fewer than 25 points in the paint.

This year, the Panthers are 3-3 thus far on the season when scoring 25 or more points in the paint, narrowly reaching that plateau with 26 in the team's Nov. 14 win over Valparaiso. Milwaukee is 0-3 when scoring fewer than 25 points in the paint, with a season-low 18 against Kansas State on Nov. 20.

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. Since 2016-17, Milwaukee is 111-39 (.740) when hitting at least 40 percent from the field. Bump that field goal percentage to 43 percent and the Panthers are 95-21 (.819).

When shooting under 40 percent, Milwaukee is 26-81 (.243).

KEEPING THE FOULS DOWN
Since the 2022-23 season, when Milwaukee has committed 11 fouls or fewer, the Panthers are 11-2. On the contrary, the Panthers are 8-21 when they have committed 18 or more fouls in a contest.

OFFENSIVE BOARDS TURNING INTO POINTS
Dating back to the 2022-23 season, the Panthers have pulled down double-digits in offensive rebounds in 27 of their last 57 games and scored 557 second-chance points. Last season, the Panthers had a season-best 20 offensive rebounds against Viterbo and eclipsed that mark with 21 in the team's Nov. 4 matchup to open the 2024-25 season at St. Thomas.

CLOSING IN ON 500
Milwaukee currently has with 490 wins at the Division I level, dating back to its inaugural DI season in 1990-91. MA Kelling led the team with 57 wins over the first five year, while Jenny Sell won four games in 1995-96. Sandy Botham had 245 wins, while current head coach Kyle Rechlicz has added 182 to the all-time total.

YEAR 13 FOR RECHLICZ
Milwaukee is led by Kyle Rechlicz, who enters year 13 as the head coach of the Panthers and is the Horizon League's most veteran coach with the retirement of Green Bay's Kevin Borseth earlier this summer. Jeff Tungate of Oakland is second in the league, having started in 2013-14, while Cleveland State's Chris Kielsmeier began his tenure in 2018-19.

RETURNING HONOREE
Milwaukee returns one student-athlete that received postseason honors by the Horizon League in 2023-24 as sophomore Jorey Buwalda was named to the All-Freshman team as a rookie. Buwalda appeared in all 32 games for Milwaukee as a freshman, including seven starts, and was just shy of 600 minutes played.

Statistically, Buwalda averaged 7.7 points per game, while connecting on 48.2 percent from the floor, and had an impressive 82.6 percent from the free throw line. She also averaged 5.5 rebounds per game and was second on the team with 11 blocks a year ago, while also contributing to the defensive effort with 24 steals.

MISSED BY ONE
In 2023-24, Milwaukee finished the season with 516 assists, one shy of tying the Division I record set back in 2005-06, when that year's team finished with 517 assists. The team's all-time mark is 520 assists set during the 1988-89 campaign, when the team at the NAIA level.

The Panthers had a season-best 27 assists in the team's win over McNeese on Nov. 17, 2023, which was the most in a single game since the program had 31 in a double overtime game against Bradley in Dec. 2012. 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.

NINTH IN THE NATION
Milwaukee finished the 2023-24 season ninth in all of Division I in free throw percentage of the 349 programs at the NCAA's highest level. The Panthers finished the season 78.8 percent from the line.

CHECK THAT DIAL
This season, Milwaukee has made the move to one of the leading audio providers in all of college sports with their audio-only streams now available online directly through the team's home website MKEPanthers.com, as well as on The Varsity Network. Fans can download 'Varsity Network' in the App Store on iOS devices and Google Play and search "Milwaukee" to find the live audio stream of Panther games.