MILWAUKEE – After opening the season at Northwestern on Tuesday evening, Milwaukee travels to Saint Louis for a Thursday evening matchup against the Billikens. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. at Chaifetz Arena.

Thursday's contest will mark just the ninth all-time meeting between the Panthers and Billikens and Milwaukee's first trip to Saint Louis since November 27, 1995. The game will be streamed on ESPN+, with live stats also available through the links on MKEPanthers.com.
 
THE MATCHUP & GAME LINKS
Thursday, Nov. 5 | Milwaukee at Saint Louis | Chaifetz Arena | St. Louis, Mo. | 7:00 p.m. | ESPN+ / Live Stats
 
QUICK NOTES
» Milwaukee began its season with a 64-60 loss to Northwestern on Tuesday evening in Evanston, Ill. The Panthers held a lead heading into the fourth quarter but were unable to hold off a 13-4 run by the Wildcats, who ended up winning by four.
» The Panthers were led by Rita Gomes, who began her season 6-for-6 from beyond the arc and paced Milwaukee with 19 points. Izzy Pugh was also in double figures, ending the game with 11 points.
» Gomes' 19 points were the most for a Panther in a season opener since Kacee Baumhower scored 26 in the team's 2024-25 opener at St. Thomas.
» As a team, Milwaukee shot 43.4 percent from the field, the team's best shooting percentage in a season opener since knocking down 50.9 percent against Parkside at home in the season opener during the 2019-20 season.
» Meanwhile, Gomes' six three-pointers were the most in a season opener since Aubri Rote was 6-of-7 from three in the 2007-08 season opener.
» With nine three-pointers as a team in the opener, the Panthers knocked down their most shots from range in an opener since the 2012-13 lidlifter.
» Milwaukee takes on Saint Louis, who dropped its season opener in overtime on Monday at Middle Tennessee by a 91-84 score.
» The Billikens were led by newcomer Tyonna Bailey, who scored 26 points in her Saint Louis debut after transferring from Charleston Southern.
» Saint Louis committed 28 turnovers in its opener, including 11 by Jahda Denis, as Middle Tennessee scored 20 points off turnovers in its win.

THREE THINGS ABOUT SAINT LOUIS
1. Selected sixth in the Atlantic 10 preseason poll, the Billikens received 123 points, just four shy of Dayton in fifth position, while they are 17 points ahead of Virginia Commonwealth in seventh. Alyssa Koerkenmeier made such an immediate impact as a freshman, winning Rookie of the Year a season ago, the sophomore was named to the Preseason All-Conference First Team and Preseason All-Defensive Team.
2. Saint Louis trailed by nine after the opening quarter and fought all the way back tie the game at 72 through regulation. The Billikens were unable to keep up in overtime, being outscored 19-12 in the extra period. The team shot 52.9 percent from the field with 28 points coming in the paint. Tyonna Bailey (29 points) led three players in double figures in scoring along with Mia Bergstrom (19), and D'Myjah Bolds (15).
3. While the Billikens struggled in the turnover department with 28 giveaways in their opener, the team excelled at blocking shots as both D'Myjah Bolds and Jameela James ended the game with five blocks apiece. In the early-going, Saint Louis enters play on Wednesday fifth in Division I with 10 blocks this season. The team was also strong on the defensive glass and getting to the free throw line in its opener.

SERIES HISTORY / LAST MEETING
In eight meetings all time, the Panthers own a 5-3 record against Saint Louis, having most recently played in the WNIT Second Round in 2020-21 with the game played at a neutral site in Rockford, Ill. due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Billikens eliminated the Panthers by winning 61-44.

The Panthers have made the trip to St. Louis on three occasions and are 1-2 in those meetings. Milwaukee won their first-ever game as a visitor in 1992-93, with the team's last trip to 'The Lou' coming back on Nov. 27, 1995, a 69-65 win for Saint Louis. On the flip side, the Panthers boast a 4-0 record in home games against the Billikens.

ON THIS DATE
Milwaukee is 0-1 on the date of Nov. 5, suffering a season-opening loss in overtime to St. Thomas two seasons ago to begin the 2024-25 season.

UP NEXT
After Milwaukee's stop in St. Louis on Thursday evening, the Panthers will make their way to Edwardsville, Ill. for a matchup against SIUE on Sunday, Nov. 8. Tip-off is set for 1:00 p.m. (CT).

The Panthers are 2-0 all-time against SIUE, winning a home matchup in 2008-09, and recording a victory on the road a season later in 2009-10. The two sides have not met on the basketball court since Nov. 15, 2009.

GOMES SHOOTING PERCENTAGE
In Milwaukee's season opener on Nov. 3, Rita Gomes was 6-of-6 in her three-point attempts, becoming the first Panther to ever finish a game going 6-for-6 and ending with a 1.000 shooting percentage from three. The previous program record for three-point percentage was also 1.000 with four players finishing a game going 5-for-5, most recently Jenny Lindner doing so on Feb. 20, 2017, against Valparaiso.

LONG RANGE GOMES
On Nov. 3 in the team's season opener, Rita Gomes connected on six three-point makes, it was the most three-pointers made by a Panther in a season opener since Aubri Rote was 6-of-7 for the Panthers in 2007-08 against Chicago State.

DISTANCE SHOTS
Milwaukee as a team knocked down nine shots from distance in the 2026-27 opener at Northwestern, which was the most for a Panther team in a season opener since 2012-13, when the team also drained nine shots from range. The last time the Panthers connected on at least 10 three-pointers in a season opener was in 2007-08.

HOT SHOOTING IN THE OPENER
Milwaukee finished its season opener shooting 43.4 percent from the field, which was the team's best shooting effort in a season opener since the 2019-20 campaign, when the Panthers connected on 50.9 percent against Parkside.

ROAD TRIP TO OPEN
Milwaukee begins the 2026-27 season with three-straight road games, it marks the first time the Panthers' first three games came away from the Klotsche Center since the 2017-18 season, when the Panthers played in the preseason WNIT.

It marks the first time Milwaukee begins the season with three consecutive true road games since the 2006-07 season, when the Panthers began with South Florida, Miami (Fla.), and Drake to begin the year. This year is the fourth time

FIRST TIME, LONG TIME
This season, Milwaukee will not be playing a first time opponent, having at least one result against every team on its originally scheduled 2026-27 slate.

However, it has been a long time since Milwaukee has played several of its opponents having last played Northwestern (2021-22), Saint Louis (2020-21), SIUE (2009-10), North Dakota (2019-20), Indiana (2018-19), Toledo (2012-13), Michigan State (2012-13), and Eastern Kentucky (2012-13) at least five years ago.

MAGIC NUMBER
Since 2016–17, Milwaukee is 123–49 (.715) when shooting at least 40 percent from the field. When shooting 43 percent or better, the Panthers improve to 106–29 (.785). When shooting below 40 percent, Milwaukee is 27–112 (.194).

IN THE PAINT
Since the start of the 2023–24 season, Milwaukee is 26–25 when scoring more than 25 points in the paint and 6–41 when scoring fewer than 25.

KEEPING THE FOULS DOWN
Since the 2022–23 season, Milwaukee is 13–4 when committing 11 or fewer fouls. Conversely, the Panthers are 13–41 when committing 18 or more fouls.

CLOSE GAMES
Over the last two seasons, Milwaukee is 7-24 in games decided by nine points or fewer.