MILWAUKEE – Western Michigan converted a late layup with 7.5 remaining to escape with a one-point win over Milwaukee on Thursday evening, 65-64, at the Klotsche Center.
 
De'Ahna Richardson hit the off-balance, one-handed layup in the waning seconds, marking the 11th and final lead change in a back-and-forth affair.
 
Richardson led all scorers with 22 points, including eight in the final quarter. Kailey Starks also ended the game with 21 points for the Broncos.
 
Leading the way for Milwaukee was Jorey Buwalda with 12 points, including a pair of late free throws that gave the Panthers a brief lead before Richardson's basket. Buwalda also paced the team with eight rebounds, while Jada Williams had 11 points and Grace Lomen chipped in with 10.
 
Milwaukee connected on just four three-pointers, all coming in the first half, while Western Michigan knocked down seven from deep and held a 20-16 advantage in made free throws. The Panthers shot 45.8 percent (22-48) for the game but were unable to convert late, finishing with a game-low 41.7 percent (5-12) in the fourth quarter.
 
The Panthers jumped out to a quick 6-0 lead behind points from Buwalda and Valerie Cassidy-De Falco, prompting an early timeout by Western Michigan.
 
The Broncos responded with a 10-3 run, capped by a three-pointer by Starks to give WMU its first lead at 10-9, and eventually built a six-point lead of its own at 17-11. Milwaukee answered with back-to-back threes by Williams and Payton Rechlicz to tie the score at 17 after one.
 
With the game tied at 30 late in the half, Lomen gave Milwaukee a brief lead before the Broncos knocked down four straight free throws to reclaim the advantage. In the closing seconds, Madison Fitzgibbon buried a deep three from beyond the left elbow to send the Panthers into the break ahead 35-34.
 
Milwaukee maintained the lead midway through the third, but another WMU surge put the Broncos up by six following yet another clutch three from Starks. Williams connected on a late jumper to push Milwaukee back in front, 50-48, before a Western Michigan free throw sent the game to the fourth with the Panthers up one.
 
The fourth saw four lead changes through the opening 3:08, with Western Michigan leading 56-55 before both teams went nearly three minutes without scoring. The Broncos held a 63-60 with 1:21 left before Cassidy-De Falco finished a layup to pull the Panthers within one.
 
Buwalda sank two free throws with 24.2 seconds remaining to put Milwaukee back in front, 64-63. After a series of timeouts, Western Michigan inbounded the ball from under the basket, and following a pass into the lane, Richardson stepped back to knock down to the off-balance shot to give the Broncos the lead.
 
Milwaukee had one final attempt with one second remaining, but the shot did not fall as Western Michigan held on for the win.
 
Cassidy-De Falco had eight points and Fitzgibbon added seven. Rechlicz connected twice from the field, including a three, for five points. Izzy Pugh and Kendall Barnes each contributed four, while Sophia Rampulla rounded out the scoring with three.
 
Milwaukee returns to the road this Sunday for a 4:00 p.m. (CT) matchup against the Valparaiso Beacons in Indiana.