MILWAUKEE – In a closely-contested matchup, the Milwaukee women's basketball team dropped a two-point game to visiting Detroit Mercy in the 2026 Barbasol Horizon League Basketball Championship Play-In game, 69-67.
 
Tierney Madigan led all scorers with 22 points on 9-of-11 shooting, including a pair from beyond the arc. Jorey Buwalda finished her season with a double-double, totaling 19 points and 12 rebounds.
 
Detroit Mercy built up a six-point advantage in the opening quarter after a sluggish start for both sides. The Titans closed the period on a five-point run to lead 17-11 heading into the second.
 
The Panthers and Titans went shot-for-shot in the lead-up to halftime as both sides knocked down eight field goals in the quarter and finished even at 20-20. Detroit Mercy took a 37-31 lead into the break, finishing the first half at 44.8 percent from the field while the Panthers shot 40.7 percent.
 
In the third quarter, the Panther offense erupted for 24 points, outscoring the Titans by a 24-16 margin. Madigan scored 10 of Milwaukee's points with a perfect 4-for-4 effort from the field, including a three-pointer and a free throw. The Panthers shot 69.2 percent from the field while knocking down a game-high three from long range.
 
Leading 55-53 entering to the fourth, Madigan connected on another basket to give the Panthers a four-point advantage. However, Milwaukee was unable to pull away, leaving the door open for the Titans, who took the lead back at 61-60. Buwalda answered with a basket on the ensuing possession to put the Panthers back in front by one.
 
Payton Rechlicz scored on a layup off a feed from Madison Fitzgibbon to put the Panthers back up by three, but back-to-back makes by Anna Lassan gave the Titans the lead once again.
 
After two empty possessions by Milwaukee, Nisea Burrell sank a layup to make it 67-64. Grace Lomen converted one at the line for the Panthers, but Makayla Jackson answered with a basket to push the lead back to three.
 
Fitzgibbon was fouled and sank both free throws before a Panthers foul sent the Titans to the line with a chance to ice the game. Kailee Davis missed both attempts, giving Lomen a chance at the lead in the closing seconds, but she was unable to convert. Another foul by Milwaukee was again followed by two missed free throws by the Titans with 0.3 seconds remaining, but the Panthers were unable to get a shot off to tie or win the game.
 
Going just seven players deep, Detroit Mercy was led by Jasmine Edwards and Jackson with 17 points each, while Aaliyah McQueen added 15 points and a team-high eight rebounds.
 
The game was heavily contested in the paint, with Detroit Mercy holding a 42-36 advantage in paint points. The Panthers led 28-17 in bench scoring, including Madigan's 22 points.
                                                                                                                                          
Lomen finished the game with eight points, Rechlicz added seven, and Jada Williams chipped in with four.
 
Milwaukee ends its season with an 8-24 record and a 4-16 mark in Horizon League games. Detroit Mercy advances to the Horizon League Championship First Round and will take on top-seeded Green Bay at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday evening.