Milwaukee Athletics

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – Izzy Pugh recorded the first double-double of her career with a career-high 20 points and 10 rebounds, but Milwaukee was unable to come out on top, falling to host SIUE, 63-57.
 
Pugh finished the game 8-of-14 from the field, while Madison Fitzgibbon knocked down five shots, including three from beyond the arc, to finish with 15 points.
 
Kiyoko Proctor and Tyra Robinson had 17 points to lead the Cougars, while Adriana Blazquez also scored 10. All three players led SIUE with seven rebounds apiece.
 
The game featured 13 lead changes and 13 ties throughout the back-and-forth matchup. The Panthers shot 39 percent from the field, while SIUE connected on 35.5 percent of its attempts. The Cougars made 15 of their 18 free throw attempts, while Milwaukee went 7-of-10 from the line.

"Overall, we did a much better job of following the game plan, and we put ourselves in a position to win on the road," head coach Kyle Rechlicz said. "Unfortunately, we needed to hit outside shots, and they just weren't there for us tonight."
 
SIUE led 22-16 after the opening quarter as the Cougars finished the period on an 8-0 run following a three-pointer by Olivia Olson for the Panthers.
 
Milwaukee began the second quarter with seven-straight points, capped by a layup from Kylie Butler, to take a one-point lead. The Panthers carried a 32-31 advantage into halftime after outscoring the hosts 16-9 in the second quarter.
 
In the third, the Panthers took their largest lead of the game at four points as Fitzgibbon opened the half with a three-pointer. Milwaukee held the lead throughout the majority of the third quarter and carried a 44-42 advantage into the final period.
 
Ahead 54-52 with under four minutes remaining, the Cougars scored the next nine points, taking advantage of two turnovers and a blocked shot to build a 61-54 advantage. Fitzgibbon answered with a three-pointer, but the Panthers were unable to get closer than four as SIUE scored a late layup to secure the 63-57 win.
 
Tierney Madigan scored seven points and grabbed five rebounds while adding four assists, while Jaeda Murphy contributed with six points. Payton Rechlicz also dished out a career-high six assists.

"Payton and Izzy had a great connection tonight on the court, which led to some consistent paint touches in the second and third quarters," Rechlicz said. "I also thought Madison came alive in the second half. She is proving to be a consistent scorer for us. We are looking forward to getting home and playing this Thursday at the Klotsche Center."
 
Milwaukee will host North Dakota for its home opener on Thursday, Nov. 12 with tip set for 6:00 p.m. Coverage of the game will be available on ESPN+ with Matt Menzl.