Postgame Report: Milwaukee vs. Drake

Game #12 – Milwaukee 70, Drake 80

Full Recap and Stats

Player Of The Game: Well, I will leave it up to the reader on this one ... Ashley Green led the way with a game-high 23 points and added 7 boards, 3 blocks and a pair of steals. Angela Rodriguez was right behind with 22 points and recorded 5 boards and 4 assists. You make the call!

Play of the Game: The play of the game just always seemed to be "waiting" to happen. Every time UWM made a run in the second half, Drake responded. The Panthers could just never get over the hump. They cut the deficit to 7 late in the game with 7 in a row, but the Bulldogs answered with 7 of their own to regain control.

Key Stats: UWM made 7 more 3's on the day, but came up with just 2 makes in 12 tries from distance in the second half. Also, 17 turnovers was not a huge number but seemed to come at very inopportune times.

News and Notes: The Panthers did make at least one three (they had 7) to extend their streak of consecutive games with at least one to an impressive 312 in a row. Another extremely lengthy streak nearly came to an end. UWM did not have a made free throw until Avyanna Young made the team's only successful charity stripe toss with just 29.7 seconds left IN THE GAME (UWM finished 1-for-3). In the team's NCAA D-I history, it has never gone an entire game without one (over 650 games in a row!).

Up Next: The team is off until January 10, tipping off Horizon League play when it hosts Wright State in a 7 p.m. start. HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!

Postgame Notes - Milwaukee @ Wisconsin

Player Of The Game: J.J. Panoske posted the finest effort of his young career Saturday. The redshirt freshman, who had played just 53 minutes entering the game, played 27 minutes. He scored 13 points, grabbed six rebounds, had three blocks and added two steals.

Turning Point: Milwaukee held an early 10-8 lead as Paris Gulley started strong offensively. But the Badgers answered that surge with a 14-0 run and never really looked back.

Key Numbers: The first half shooting was the difference, as Wisconsin hit on 51.9 percent from the floor while Milwaukee converted on just 30.4 percent of its attempts.

News and Notes: Milwaukee has lost four straight and nine of its last 10 … Paris Gulley has now reached double figures in five of seven games since his return from injury … with J.J. Panoske reaching double figures in the loss at Madison, the Panthers have now had nine players post at least one double figure outing this season … Milwaukee’s 44.0 percent shooting clip was its best of the season and broke a string of five-straight games below 40 percent … after making 34 three-pointers in the first three games of the season the Panthers have made 51 in their last 10 outings.

Up Next: UWM wraps up 2012 with a Saturday afternoon home game against Ohio Dominican.

Postgame Report: Milwaukee at DePaul

Game #10 – Milwaukee 83, DePaul 94

Full Recap and Stats

Player Of The Game: Simple choice here. Angela Rodriguez set a career-high with 30 points. She was hitting from all over the court, finishing 12-23 from the floor, including 6-12 on 3's. That broke former career-bests of 25 points (vs. Bradley 12/1/10), 8 FG's (same BU game) and tied with the 6 triples.

Play of the Game: It was once again a series of plays, and it went to DePaul. After UWM had battled and battled and got it back to an 8-point deficit, the Blue Demons went on a 16-4 run that was the difference in the game. The most impressive part? They scored the 16 points in a span of just 4 and a half minutes.

Key Stats: Milwaukee continues to score. And score. And score. The team went over 80 for the 4th time in 10 games this season. For perspective, the team NEVER exceeded 80 points in a single game the ENTIRE 2011-12 campaign, topping out at a high-water mark of 79.

From DePaul's release: The Panthers used a relentless three-point barrage to hang close, sinking 14-of-33 attempts to set an opponent record for made three-point field goals at McGrath-Phillips Arena. The previous record was held by Louisville, which hit 13 from beyond the arc on January 12, 2001. The last time a DePaul opposing player went for at least 30 points was February 5, 2011 when Connecticut’s Maya Moore scored 34 points against the Blue Demons.

News and Notes: The Panthers had the rare noon start on a Tuesday to accommodate DePaul's sixth annual "ChicagoLand Field Trip Day". In a nutshell, they invite a ton of grade-schoolers to the game and they yell alot. If you want the full story, read up on the DePaul release HERE. It was unique. And it was LOUD.

Up Next: The team has its longest break in between games so far this season, a 12-day layoff before heading to Fargo for a tilt against North Dakota State Dec. 23.

Postgame Report - Buffalo and NIU

The Panthers got themselves back on the winning track with an 80-73 overtime win over Northern Illinois Friday. This came on the heels of a disappointing 20-point loss to Buffalo Wednesday. In order to combine the good with the bad, here’s a two-game postgame report.

Player Of The Game(s): Admittedly it’s hard to pick anyone out when you include long stretches of the Buffalo game. But it is very obvious the Panthers need Paris Gulley playing well. He didn’t have a great night Wednesday and Milwaukee struggled. He was stellar in the first 20-plus minutes against Northern Illinois and UWM built its lead. The Huskies clamped down on him after that and were able to get back in the game. But, his contributions on defense, his low-turnover count and his ability to spread the floor and hit a big shot continues to make him Milwaukee’s most valuable weapon.

Turning Point: The first two possessions of overtime against Northern Illinois for Milwaukee saw the Panthers touch the post. And, it resulted in paint baskets for Kyle Kelm and James Haarsma. In the end, it was those two possessions that allowed Milwaukee to salvage part of its two-game homestand.

Key Numbers: UWM was far from perfect in its win over Northern Illinois Friday but the Panthers showed improvement in some key areas. After allowing Buffalo to shoot nearly 56 percent from the floor in Wednesday's loss, the Panthers held NIU to just 39.7 percent shooting. Milwaukee also broke a recent trend of not getting to the foul line, going there 40 times while converting 29 attempts. UWM wound up outscoring NIU, 29-10, from the line.

News and Notes: Milwaukee had some luck from long distance Friday night in the win over Northern Illinois, knocking in nine 3-pointers. But UWM needed 31 attempts to make those nine and is still looking to regain the stride it had early in the season. The Panthers opened the year by making 34-of-82 on three-pointers in the first three games of the season. Then UWM made only 12-of-57 from beyond the arc in the next three outings. In the last week, the Panthers have steadily gotten better, going 23-of-75 from three-point range. On the season, that adds up to Milwaukee shooting 32.2 percent from long distance … Officially, the Panthers outrebounded Northern Illinois, 42-41, Friday night. It was just the fourth time in nine games where UWM has won the rebounding battle. But, the Huskies collected 21 offensive rebounds, with that tally coming on the heels of Buffalo having corralled 16 offensive rebounds Wednesday night. Milwaukee is being outrebounded by nearly five boards per game this season. UWM has held its own on the offensive glass, as even in giving up 21 on Friday night Milwaukee collected 15 of its own. And, its season deficit on offense rebounds is less than two per game.

Up Next: UWM heads to DePaul Sunday afternoon.

Postgame Report: Milwaukee at Toledo

Game #9 – Milwaukee 59, Toledo 83

Full Recap and Stats

Player Of The Game: It was a tough game overall for the Panthers, but I will probably roll with Angela Rodriguez on this one. She scored a team-high 13 points and drained 3 of 5 three-pointers to go with 5 rebounds and 4 assists.

Play of the Game: To me, it really wasn't a single, particular play, but rather the way the team played in the second half. Down 52-25 at halftime, no one would have blamed them for calling it a day. Instead, they sank 7-14 3's and never gave in, outscoring the Rockets after intermission

Key Stats: Milwaukee was forced into a season-high 24 turnovers and that really set them back after Toledo turned those miscues into a 25-3 advantage in points off turnovers. The Rockets also dominated the paint, scoring 41 points in the lane. On a positive note, UWM won the rebounding battle, 42-37 for just the second time this season. Toledo is off to its best start since 1996-97 and the 4,034 fans that came out to the game today were a season-high. Graduate manager Haylie Linn, who played at Toledo, was able to pick up her championship ring from last season in a pregame ceremony.

News and Notes: The UWM reserves got a chance to shine today and there were numerous highlights. Despite playing just 14 minutes, Avyanna Young scored 5 points and grabbed a team-high 8 rebounds. Macie Dorow had a great game, scoring 3 points, grabbing four rebounds and handing out 3 assists in a career-high 22 minutes. Sydney Howard also had a season-high 6 points and also had 2 steals.

Up Next: There is no rest for the Panthers, who leave Monday for a Tuesday matinee at DePaul. Rumor has it there will be 3,000 screaming kids for the noon tip for the Chicagoland Field Trip Day.

High Traffic Videos...

At The Black & Gold Network, we look to create, produce or at least post entertaining and exciting videos. As we looked over the numbers, we have found some videos have been appreciated a lot, garnering a good number of views and some "likes" along the way. While there is still some time left in 2012, here are the top-viewed videos of the first half of the 2012-13 school year...

4. Declan Rodriguez's goal at Marquette - 662 views (at the time of this post)
Rodriguez announced his presence with authority, blasting a tremendous shot in his first collegiate game... coming in a crosstown rivalry game, no less. This could be the goal of the year (voting for that will start next month) and at just 12 seconds, it's a video you can watch over and over again.



3. Pol Narbona's buzzer-beater vs. IUPUI - 769 views
Another men's soccer selection, this video is also just a goal, so it lends well to repeated views. Buzzer-beaters in basketball are one thing, but soccer? Not so much. Nonetheless, UWM endured more than its fair share this season on the pitch, and this is one that went the way of the Panthers.



2. Ashley Green forces OT in instant classic vs. Bradley - 973 views
This video was posted TUESDAY NIGHT for crying out loud and is nearing the 1,000-view mark. Ashley Green hit an off-balance three-pointer at the buzzer to force overtime vs. Bradley. Another short and sweet video, this was the highlight of a great game. Milwaukee wins 116-112 in two overtimes, the three caps a career-high 33 points for Green and Emily Decorah's inbounds pass was Hill-to-Laettner-esque.



1. Milwaukee Volleyball Presents "Forget You" - 1,484 views
Volleyball head coach Susie Johnson devised a plan to make a parody video of Cee Lo Green's "Forget You." She enlisted the help of her staff and fellow Panther head coaches, as well as some administrators and support staff to pull off a funny video. The end product was a surprise for the Volleyball team and debuted at the team's Senior Banquet in November. A little longer than the previous three entries, this video demands repeated viewings for a whole different set of reasons.



**Notes: Rodriguez's goal footage is courtesy of a helpful fellow at Marquette ... "Forget You" is a BGN production, but is posted on assistant coach Nikki Klingsporn's YouTube page (it received too many hits early to move it over).

In Case you Missed it!

With the Milwaukee/Bradley game an instant classic, be sure and catch the replay of the game on Time Warner Cable Sports 32 over the next few days.

Wednesday, Dec. 5th at 1:00 p.m.
Thursday, Dec. 6th at 7:00 p.m.
Friday, Dec. 7th at 9:00 a.m.

Sports 32 will also be airing the second edition of the "Kyle Rechlicz Show" this week as well.

Here is the full schedule:
Wednesday, Dec. 5th at 12:30 p.m.
Thursday, Dec. 6th at 3:00 p.m.
Friday, Dec. 7th at 11:30 a.m.

Postgame Report: Milwaukee vs. Bradley

Game #8 – Milwaukee 116, Bradley 112 (2OT)

Full Recap and Stats

Wow: I still cannot wrap my head around all that happened in this game. I honestly hope you were there to see it - this is one that will be talked about for a LONG time around here.

Player Of The Game: When you look at the box score, one name jumps at you IMMEDIATELY. Ashley Green was simply fantastic all night. A career-high 33 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 blocks and a steal. And, oh yeah, a shot she gets to tell the story about until she's 100 years old.

Watch the shot here!

She joined Scott Warras on the radio after the game. Listen to that interview HERE.

Play of the Game: The shot by Green speaks for itself. The Panthers called the timeout with 3.7 seconds left and Coach Rechlicz drew up the play with Bradley up by 2 points and still having one free throw remaining. After the make, Emily Decorah took the ball out. Her pass was just over the outstretched arms of a Bradley defender past midcourt where Green was waiting. Ashley took just two dribbles in front of the UWM bench, literally jumped off one foot with a 6-1 defender in her face, banked the ball off the backboard as the buzzer sounded and it went off the backboard and all the way around the rim before falling in.

Key Stats: Milwaukee broke numerous school records, but the most impressive one to me was the 116 points. It marked just the fifth time in NCAA D-I history that Milwaukee has scored over 100 points and blew past the old record of 104.

News and Notes: Green fouled out just into the first overtime period. No worries for Milwaukee, as Angela Rodriguez took over in the period. UWM and Bradley played to a 14-14 tie in the session - all ARod did was score 11 of those points and assist Macie Dorow's three-pointer to account for essentially all the scoring.

Up Next: The Panthers leave the comfy confines of the Klotsche Center and hit the road to take on Toledo Saturday, set for a 1 p.m. tip.

Postgame Report - Milwaukee at Northern Iowa

Recap
Rob Jeter Postgame Interview

Player Of The Game: It sure was nice to have Paris Gulley back on the floor. The senior guard marked his return from a broken hand by scoring 24 points. He knocked in three 3-pointers and made 10-of-18 shots overall.

Turning Point: Milwaukee started the second half with a surge, turning a 32-29 deficit into a 41-36 lead following an Austin Arians three with 15 minutes remaining. But UNI countered quickly to take control of the game, scoring 15 of the next 20 points. Once the Panthers pushed the lead above six, Milwaukee would get no closer.

Key Numbers: Milwaukee was pretty solid in most phases of the game, committing just nine turnovers while rediscovering its outside shooting touch in making 10 three-pointers. But UWM allowed UNI to shoot better than 60 percent from the floor in the second half.

News and Notes: Kyle Kelm made his first start of the season and responded with 16 points. He made three 3-pointers … Jordan Aaron had a season-high eight rebounds to go with 10 points … Demetrius Harris was quiet on offense but also collected eight rebounds … UWM committed a season-low nine turnovers … Milwaukee and Northern Iowa will play again in Milwaukee next season.

Up Next: UWM finally returns home, hosting Buffalo Wednesday and Northern Illinois Friday.