MILWAUKEE – Milwaukee will take on the IU Indy Jaguars for the first time this season when the Panthers end their three-game road trip at The Jungle in Indianapolis on Wednesday evening at 5:30 p.m. (CT).
 
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 and the link to video on ESPN+, provided by IU Indy, can be found on MKEPanthers.com.
 
THE MATCHUP
Wednesday, Jan. 29 – Milwaukee at IU Indy | The Jungle | Indianapolis, Ind. | 5:30 pm (CT)
 
QUICK LINKS
Listen on Black & Gold Network: mkepanthers.com/coverage
Listen on Varsity Network: App Store & Google Play
Live Stats: mkepanthers.com/coverage
Watch on ESPN+: mkepanthers.com/coverage
Tickets: IU Indy Ticket Page
Follow Along (On X): @MKE_WBB
 
QUICK NOTES
» Milwaukee closes out its three-game road trip with the IU Indy (formerly IUPUI) Jaguars. Wednesday's game is slated to begin at 5:30 p.m. (CT) at The Jungle.
» The Panthers played at Wright State this past Saturday, falling to the host Raiders by a 69-61 score. Kacee Baumhower scored a team-best 13 points, while Payton Rechlicz netted 11. Jorey Buwalda had nine points and a team-leading nine rebounds in the effort.
» IU Indy enters play on Wednesday with a 5-15 overall record and are 4-7 in Horizon League games.
» The Jaguars played just one game last week and fell by an 82-55 score to league-leading Purdue Fort Wayne. Katie Davidson went off for IU Indy with a season-best 27 points, her second 20-point game of the season and 13th as a Jaguar and 15th of her career dating back to her freshman season at Miami (Ohio).
» This will be the 16th Division I meeting between the Panthers and Jaguars, and the ninth meeting as a true road game for MKE. The Panthers are 5-10 in matchups (6-11 including pre-Division I meetings) with the Jaguars.
» Milwaukee is 4-4 in games played at IU Indy. The teams also met in the 2020-21 Horizon League semifinals, where the fifth-seeded Jaguars beat second-seeded Milwaukee.
» Last season Milwaukee swept the season series from the Jaguars, winning at The Jungle by a 70-59 score and return-ing the favor at home with a 73-54. Of the returners, Anna Lutz led Milwaukee at The Jungle last season with 12 points and six rebounds, Kamy Peppler had eight, Jorey Buwalda added seven, and Jada Donaldson scored six in the win.

LOOKING AT IU INDY
Now in her third season at IU Indy, Kate Bruce's squad is 5-15 overall and 4-7 in Horizon League games with nine games remaining, including two against Milwaukee. This season, IU Indy has wins over Youngstown State, Robert Morris, and Wright State at home, while picking up a road win at Oakland earlier this month.

The home/road splits have been stark for the Jaguars, who boast a 4-3 record at home, with the team going 1-12 in games away from the Jungle. In home games, the Jaguars score 69.6 points per game and yield 65.7 per contest for a scoring margin of +3.9, by comparison the team averages just 56.0 points at home and allows 74.7 for a margin of -18.7 point per game.

The Jaguars shoot nearly 100 percentage points better at home, connecting on 45.1 percent of attempts at home compared to 36.6 on the road. During games played at The Jungle this season, the Jaguars typically get out to early leads as they have outscored opponents 240-207 in the first half at home, while being outscored by six points this season in the second half at 253-247.

A big reason for the team's recent surge, having gone 3-3 in its last six games has been the return of Katie Davidson to the lineup. Davidson missed 12 games between November 8 and January 4, and has scored in double figures in each of the six games she has played in since returning, incluging a season-best 27-point performance at Purdue Fort Wayne on Saturday. In just eight games this season, Davidson has connected on nearly half of her attempts (48-of-97; 49.5 percent) including 11-of-20 from three (55.0 percent).

In Davidson's absence, Shania Nichols-Vannett was leading the way and is still averaging better than 10 points per game in just over 25 minutes per contest. Faith Stinson is still a force for the Jaguars in her second season with the team and is among the conference leaders in blocks with 26 and blocks per game at 1.30. Naveah Foster, like Stinson, has started in all 20 games this season for IU Indy and is averaging nine points per game and leads the Jaguars from deep with 35 makes from distance this season.

Azyah Newsom-Cole is a redshirt freshman this season, after sitting out 2023-24 with an injury, and broke into the starting lineup against Green Bay on Dec. 4 and not surrendered her starting position. She leads the team with 40 assists, and is averaging 2.0 per game, both number sit just outside the top-15 in the Horizon League.

UP NEXT
After the three-game trip away from home, Milwaukee heads back to the Klotsche Center for the next three beginning with Cleveland State on Saturday afternoon at 2:00 p.m. (CT). The homestand will also include home games against Robert Morris on Feb. 6 and Youngstown State on Feb. 8.

THE COUNTDOWN IS ON
After scoring three points in her first five career games at Saint Bonaventure in 2021-22, then adding another 714 points in two years with the Wright State Raiders. Kacee Baumhower is now just four points away from reaching 1,000 career points as she enters Wednesday's game with 279 points in her lone season with the Panthers.

Last season Milwaukee had two players reach their 1,000th career point, including Kendall Nead, who scored all 1,043 of her career points in a Panther uniform between 2020-24. Vanessa Jurewicz scored her 1,000th career point with the Panthers in her first-ever game with Milwaukee in the season opener at Wisconsin.

BACK-AND-FORTH IN THE PAINT
Over the past six games, Milwaukee has alternated games in which it has scored 40 or more points in the paint. The run began with 42 points at home against Northern Kentucky, before another 42-point effort at home against Oakland, Milwaukee hit 40 again in the paint against the Norse on the road on Jan. 23.

Milwaukee has only had four games this season with at least 40 points in the paint, including a season-best 44 in the season opener at St. Thomas. The Panthers have reached 30 or more points in a game on seven occasions this year.

TEN OR FEWER
After the team's loss to Wright State on Jan. 25, Milwaukee is now 0-11 in games decided by 10 or fewer points, including four overtime losses.

ALL-TIME IN ASSISTS
Kamy Peppler has a total of 364 assists, currently placing her fifth on the all-time list in Panther history. She is currently 66 behind fourth place, occupied by Angela Rodriguez with 430. The all-time mark in Panther history is held by Pam Bartnik, who finished her career with 469 assists from 1990-94.

With her seven assists on Jan. 16 vs. Oakland, Peppler crossed over the 100-assist plateau for the season, accomplishing the feat in each of her three seasons at Milwaukee. Should Peppler hold onto her team lead, she will become the first Panther since Jen Greger to lead the team for three consecutive seasons with 100+ assists, Greger had 129 in 1994-95, 109 in 1995-96, and 123 in 1996-97.

TOPS IN THE HORIZON
Three Panthers are leading the way in the Horizon League in several statistical categories entering play this weekend. Kamy Peppler leads the HL in both assists (111) and is second in assists per game (5.0), while Anna Lutz is third in the league lead in both blocks (24) and blocks per game (1.1).

Kacee Baumhower is among the league leaders in field goal attempts with 246, field goals made (90), free throws made (61), free throws attempted (75), and points scored (279).

DOUBLE-DIGIT GETTERS
This season, Milwaukee has had 48 instances of players scoring double digits in a game including Anna Lutz (13) and Kacee Baumhower (13) leading the team. Kamy Peppler has accomplished double digits in points nine times in 2024-25.

The Panthers have also had four double-digit scoring efforts Jorey Buwalda and three from Jada Donaldson. Payton Rechlicz has done so three times, and both Kallie Peppler and Izzy Pugh reaching double digits once each this season.

DONALDSON'S ATR
Jada Donaldson with a 2.50 assist/turnover ratio in 2023-24 finished 17th in Division I in assist/turnover ratio. This season, she has a has a 1.15 assist/turnover ratio and has a career mark of 1.83 assists to turnovers, with 233 assists and 127 turnovers in 125 career games.

Milwaukee is currently fifth in the Horizon League as a team with a 0.83 assist/turnover ratio in 2024-25.

RECENT STRETCH FOR 24
Since Nov. 28, Jada Donaldson had been shooting at a high efficiency, scoring 38-of-85 from the field (44.7 percent) and 18-of-42 from three (42.9 percent).

Overall, this season, Donaldson has made 53-of-127 from the field (41.7 percent) and 25-of-64 from three (39.1 percent).

BUWALDA WITH A NEW CAREER HIGH
Jorey Buwalda had a career-best eight field goal makes in the team's matchup at Northern Kentucky on Jan. 23, eclipsing her previous career-high of six set back on Nov. 23, 2023, against Mississippi Valley State. During both contests, she scored a career-best 20 points.

CAREER DAY FOR LUTZ VS. OAKLAND
On Jan. 16 vs. Oakland, Anna Lutz had a career afternoon as she finished the game with 30 points on 13 field goal makes. Her 30-point performance were the 40th occurrence in Milwaukee basketball history, and first since former teammate Kendall Nead had 38 points against McNeese State on Nov. 17, 2023. Her 13 field goal makes is also tied for sixth in program history in a single game.

In five career games against Oakland, Lutz has shot 33-of-44 (75.0 percent) from the field, 7-of-12 (58.3 percent) from three, and has 73 points and 23 rebounds when facing the Golden Grizzlies.

JOINING THE 100 STEAL CLUB
With four steals to tie her career high on Jan. 16 vs. Oakland, Kamy Peppler reached the 100-steal mark for her career. To break into the top-10, Peppler will need another 34 steals this season, as the 10th place occupant is Maria Viall with 137 career steals. The all-time leader is Pam Bartnik with 268 steals in a Panther career.

PEPPLER'S DOUBLE DOUBLES
Against Carroll, American, and Wright State, Kamy Peppler recorded the first three 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, 14 points/10 assists vs. American, 11 points/11 assists vs. Wright State.

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. With her 11-assist effort against Wright State on Jan. 2, she becomes just the second different player to have a points/assists double-double with more than 10 assists, Pam Bartnik had a 14-point/13-assist double-double in the 1992-93 season, and a 12-point/14-assist double-double on in 1993-94.

Peppler is now tied for second in single-season points/assists double-doubles with Angela Rodriguez, who had three during the 2013-14 season. The record is currently four held by Bartnik during the 1993-94 campaign.

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

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.

PANTHERS FOR THREE
In early January, Iowa State had its NCAA Division I record-setting streak of 945 consecutive games with a three-point basket stopped by Texas Tech. With the Cyclones failing to convert, Milwaukee now takes over the third longest active streak in which it has made at least one three-point basket in 691 games.

All-Time Streaks
1. Iowa State – 945 (1995-2025)
2. Chattanooga – 794 (1999-Present) *
3. South Alabama – 746 (2000-Present) *
4. Dayton – 697 (2001-2024)
5. Milwaukee – 691 (2002-Present) *
* - Active Streak (through Jan. 25, 2025)

BALANCING THE FIRST AND SECOND HALVES
Overall, this season Milwaukee has been consistent in its shooting by making 38.7 percent (244-for-631) of its shots in the first half and 40.5 percent (235-for-580) in the second half. In overtime, the Panthers are 7-for-30 (23.3 percent).

DROUGHT FROM DISTANCE
After starting the season shooting 37.0 (30-for-81) percent from three over the first four games, the Panthers have struggled from distance the last 17 games connecting on just 28.1 percent (111-for-395).

The Panthers have had three halves this season with seven three-point makes including the second half against Robert Morris (Dec. 7), first half against Cleveland State (Dec. 29), and first half against Wright State (Jan. 2).

Milwaukee has been kept off the scoresheet from distance in two halves this season, the second half against Air Force (Nov. 28), and the second half against Youngstown State (Dec. 4).

IN OVERTIME
With the team's four overtime losses this season, Milwaukee is now 21-27 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. With four games going beyond the allotted 40 minutes, the 2024-25 season has seen the most overtime games in one season in program history. The previous record was three set on six occasions (2008-09, 2007-08, 2006-07, 2005-06, 1999-2000, and 1996-97).

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 five times in 2024-25. Milwaukee knocked down 10 three against Carroll on Nov. 6, 11 in the Nov. 14 win over Valparaiso, another 10 against Northern Illinois on Nov. 24, 11 at Cleveland State on Dec. 29, and a season-best 13 against Wright State on Jan. 2. The team has reached double-digit threes 68 times since Kyle Rechlicz has taken over as head coach.

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 112-43 (.723) when hitting at least 40 percent from the field. Bump that field goal percentage to 43 percent and the Panthers are 96-23 (.807).

When shooting under 40 percent, Milwaukee is 26-89 (.226).

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 8-27 when they have committed 18 or more fouls in a contest.

IN THE PAINT
In 2023-24, when Milwaukee scored more than 25 points in the paint the Panthers had a 12-7 record, while the team was 4-11 when scoring fewer than 25 points in the paint.

This year, the Panthers are 3-7 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 1-11 when scoring fewer than 25 points in the paint, with a season-low 11 against Green Bay on Dec. 11. The Panthers picked up the win over Wright State on Jan. 2 while scoring 24 points in the paint.

OFFENSIVE BOARDS TURNING INTO POINTS
Dating back to the 2022-23 season, the Panthers have pulled down double-digits in offensive rebounds in 33 of their 68 games and scored 647 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.

HIGH SHOOTING PERCENTAGE, WRONG RESULT
Milwaukee shot 45.8 percent (27-of-59) from the field in the Jan. 4 loss to Northern Kentucky, the team's highest shooting percentage in a loss this season. It was the team's highest shooting percentage in a loss since last season, when the Panthers also shot 45.8 percent (22-of-48) at home against Oakland on Feb. 24, 2024.

LOW, LOW, LOW
After holding Central Michigan to just 26.2 percent from the field, Milwaukee's defense topped that performance on Jan. 2 against Wright State as the Raiders finished the game shooting 26.0 percent (19-for-73). The mark was the lowest since the Panthers' historic performance against Detroit Mercy on Dec. 29, 2022, where the Titans finished with a .175 shooting percentage (7-for-40).

Wright State also shot 4-of-28 from three, which was also a season-best by the Panther defense as WSU finished at 14.4 percent. Last season, Milwaukee held Robert Morris (Jan. 11) and Cleveland State (Feb. 17) to identical 2-for-19 performances (10.5 percent).

FREQUENT FLIER MILES
Since Milwaukee played three consecutive games at home from Nov. 6 through Nov. 14, the Panthers have played nine of its next 11 games away from home. In total the team will travel 9,123 miles beginning with the team's trip to Madison to take on Wisconsin on Nov. 17 and wrapping up with the team's trip to the Wolstein Center in Cleveland against Cleveland State on Dec. 29.

By comparison, the Panthers will travel an estimated approximately 2,978 miles the rest of the season, which includes trips to Purdue Fort Wayne, Northern Kentucky, Wright State, IU Indy, Detroit Mercy, Oakland, and Green Bay.

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.

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.

CLOSING IN ON 500
Milwaukee currently has with 491 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 185 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. Cleveland State's Chris Kielsmeier is second in the league beginning his tenure in 2018-19 (7th season in 2024-25).

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.

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.