Panthers win their 12th straight game
Make it an even dozen for the UWMilwaukee women's basketball team.
The Panthers endured foul trouble for stars Megan Walstad and Brandi Bisping and an uncharacteristic discrepancy at the free throw line and held on to defeat IUPUI in double overtime, 85-83, Saturday in Indianapolis in an epic battle between the two top teams in the Horizon League.
By sweeping the defending-champion Jaguars, UWM (15-1) has won 12 consecutive games in extending the best start to a season in program history.
Walstad, who played only six minutes in the first half after picking up two quick fouls, finished with 23 points and 11 rebounds to lead four Panther players in double figures.
Emma Wittmershaus, afforded more playing time than usual due to Walstad's and Bisping's foul trouble, finished with 16 points while Bre Cera added 13 points and McKaela Schmelzer 10.
Bisping, Walstad's running mate in the paint, was limited to eight points and four rebounds before fouling out in 28 minutes.
Rachel McLimore poured in 30 points for IUPUI and two-time defending Horizon League player of the year Macee Williams had 22 points and 13 rebounds.
A stifling overall defensive performance by the Panthers limited the Jaguars to 34.6% shooting and just 2 threepointers on the night. But IUPUI made up the difference by knocking down 27 of 40 free throws – an area UWM normally enjoys a significant advantage.
The Panthers hit 16 of 22 from the line, with none bigger than the pairs made by Sydney Staver and Cera in the second overtime.
The Panthers were nursing an 81-80 lead when Staver hit hers.
McLimore answered with a tough spinning layup on the other end to make it 83-82, and after Schmelzer missed a three-pointer Cera was fouled and hit both her attempt with 39.9 seconds remaining.
Morgan Allen split a pair of free throws on the other end, leaving the score 85-83.
Staver missed a three-pointer with the shot clock running down, leaving her 0 for 13 from the floor for the game. The ball bounced out of bounds, giving the Jaguars a chance.
But McLimore couldn't knock down a layup on a drive as the clock expired, and UWM escaped with its 14th consecutive Horizon League victory dating to last season.