Milwaukee Women’s Basketball team faced a challenging game against Northern Kentucky on Thursday evening at Truist Arena. Despite a strong comeback in the fourth quarter, Milwaukee fell short, losing 66-62.
Jorey Buwalda matched her career-high with 20 points and made a crucial three-pointer late in the game to narrow the gap. Kamy Peppler also contributed with 12 points, while Jada Donaldson and Payton Rechlicz each added seven.
Northern Kentucky’s performance from beyond the arc was notable, hitting 10 three-pointers. They also capitalized on free throws, making 16 out of 17 attempts compared to Milwaukee’s perfect but limited six attempts.
“Northern Kentucky shot well,” said head coach Kyle Rechlicz. “They took advantage of their home court and were a hot shooting team tonight.”
Milwaukee managed to win the rebounding battle with a total of 36-33, but nine second-half offensive rebounds by Northern Kentucky helped them maintain control of the game.
“We did a great job of boxing them out in the first half,” Rechlicz noted. “However, we gave up some key offensive rebounds down the stretch.”
Buwalda contributed significantly with seven rebounds for Milwaukee, including two offensive boards. Rechlicz led with three offensive rebounds and five overall alongside Donaldson.
“I thought Jorey came out extremely aggressive,” Rechlicz stated regarding Buwalda’s performance.
Despite trailing at halftime by just two points (34-32), Milwaukee struggled in the third quarter as Northern Kentucky extended their lead. Halle Idowu and Macey Blevins were pivotal during this period for NKU.
In an intense final quarter, Milwaukee narrowed an 11-point deficit with nine unanswered points initiated by Peppler. However, despite efforts including a critical three-pointer by Buwalda near the end, Northern Kentucky held onto their lead through successful free throws.
For Northern Kentucky, Meredith and Blevins led scoring with 13 points each while Wolterman and Idowu added ten apiece.
Milwaukee aims to bounce back as they prepare to face Wright State Raiders on Saturday at Nutter Center. Fans are advised to check @MKE_WBB on X for updates due to potential scheduling changes following an earlier men’s basketball game.
