Nov. 21, 2012
Game 4 | Milwaukee (2-1) vs. Georgia Tech (2-1)
|
| Date |
Saturday, November 24 | 11 a.m. CST |
| Location |
San Juan, Puerto Rico | Mario Morales Coliseum |
| Live Stats |
None |
| Media |
Audio | Twitter Updates |
The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee women's basketball team packs it bags for a holiday tournament in Puerto Rico, taking on a pair of opponents in the 2012 San Juan Shootout. The Panthers open play in the event Saturday, taking on a Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets squad that was ranked in the preseason. Tip time is set for 11 a.m. CST at Mario Morales Coliseum in Guaynabo, a nearby suburb of San Juan.
UWM Game Notes 
Georgia Tech Game Notes
Looking At Georgia Tech/Eastern Kentucky
The Yellow Jackets are 2-1 after a 76-72 win over Marquette and coming off their best season in school history in which they won 26 games and advanced to the Sweet 16 for the first time. Tech will be seeking its seventh straight 20-win season and seventh consecutive NCAA Tournament bid. EKU went 13-16 last year and returns all five starters from a team that reached the quarterfinals of the OVC Tournament in 2011-12.
Series History
The Panthers and Yellow Jackets have never faced each other on the basketball court. In fact, UWM has played current ACC teams just six times in program history (going 0-2 against Duke and Miami; 0-1 against Florida State and North Carolina State). The Sunday matchup against EKU will also be the first in the series.
Last Outing
Sophomore Ashley Green set career-highs with 20 points and 14 rebounds and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee women's basketball team made 13 three-pointers in an 88-79 victory over Western Michigan University Nov. 14 at the Klotsche Center.
The Panthers (2-1) led the Broncos (1-1) by as many as 12 in the first half, but saw that lead trimmed down to two with just over three minutes remaining. But, a 7-0 run gave Milwaukee back the momentum and it went on to score 13 of the final 19 points to secure the victory in the home opener for head coach Kyle Rechlicz.
In addition to Green's double-double, senior Sami Tucker had 18 points and eight rebounds, junior Emily Decorah netted 15 on five three-pointers, senior Sammy Theut had 11 and junior Angela Rodriguez finished with 10.
Five Over Ten = Team Effort
The Panthers had five players score in double-figures against Western Michigan Nov. 14, which was a notable accomplishment. The last time UWM had at least five players score 10 or more points? The answer would be January 24, 2009 against Loyola - a total of 109 games ago.
Three's Company
The Panthers heated up from downtown against the Broncos Nov. 14, coming close to quite a few team records when it comes to three-pointers after they hit 13-of-18 (72.2 percent) from beyond the arc. The first was team percentage in a game. Only a 78.6 percent clip (11-of-14) against Central Michigan back on December 17, 2000 was better in program history. The 13 total three's also came close to the school mark of 15 (set twice, most recently against Wright State December 31, 2010) and junior Emily Decorah's 5-of-6 performance (83.3 percent) was the sixth-best single-game performance in program history.
More On The 3's
The Panthers have been clicking on offense so far, scoring over 80 points in two of three games and currently leading the Horizon League in scoring average at 75.3 points per game. The three-point shooting has certainly helped - UWM is hitting at an impressive 50 percent clip (29-for-58) from long distance so far to easily lead the league (Wright State is second at 35 percent). Junior Angela Rodriguez has led the way individually - making nine of her 12 attempts to pace the conference at 75 percent (second place is at 57 percent).
Up Tempo
Milwaukee continues to push the ball on offense under new head coach Kyle Rechlicz. The 88 points against Western Michigan Nov. 14 marked the most for a Milwaukee squad in the regular season since an 88-65 win over SIU Edwardsville in November of 2008. The team also netted 88 points in its exhibition against Hillsdale Nov. 3.
Green Does It Again
For the second outing in a row, sophomore Ashley Green set a career-high in points scored. She actually one-upped that accomplishment against Western Michigan Nov. 14, setting a new career-high in rebounds as well. Prior to the Wisconsin game, Green's previous bests in points was 18 (set twice last season) and in rebounds was 13 (set against Loyola March 3 last season). She netted 19 against the Badgers Nov. 11 and then topped it again against the Broncos with 20 points and 14 rebounds. The double-double was the first for a UWM player this season and the second of Green's career.
Simply Perfect
Senior Sammy Theut was the fifth player to record double-figures in points against the Broncos Nov. 14, sinking a pair of free throws with just 1.4 seconds left to finish with 11 points. Not only was that nearly a career-high (she scored 12 against Western Illinois in November of 2010), but she finished the night without a miss of any type: 2-2 on field goals, 1-1 on 3FG's and 6-6 from the free throw line.
Out Of The Chutes
It may just be three games, but at 2-1, the Panthers have won two of their first three contests for just the second time in the past 11 seasons. The only other 2-1 start in that span came in the 2009-10 campaign.
Preseason Publicity
Sami Tucker was named to the Preseason All-Horizon League Second Team in the league's annual preseason poll of head coaches, media members and sports information directors. In addition, College Sports Madness also named Tucker to its All-Horizon League Second Team for the second year in a row.
Start `Em Young
The Panthers were led in rebounding by a freshman in the season opener, as Avyanna Young collected nine boards to go along with her seven points in her UWM debut against Chicago State Nov. 9. That marked the second time in three seasons a frosh has led the team in rebounds in the season opener (Angela Rodriguez had seven to lead the way her freshman campaign) and it also marks highest rebound total ever for a freshman in a UWM season opener. The former mark was seven, done three times, most recently by Rodriguez. Young also tied for the team lead in rebounds in game two (with six) at Wisconsin.
Play Them All
The Panthers had all 12 players who were suited up for the season opener against Chicago State Nov. 9 play in the game. In fact, 10 of them found their way into the scoring column and 11 saw at least 10 minutes of playing time.
For Openers
The Panthers now hold a 7-16 record in season-openers at the NCAA Division I level (dating back to 1990-91) after the 82-58 win over Chicago State Nov. 9. A year ago, UWM dropped a 68-51 decision to Wisconsin in the first game of the year.
500 Club
The Panthers had a pair of returning players eclipse the 500-point mark in their careers last season. Senior Sami Tucker started the campaign with 483 and tallied her 500th at Drake Nov. 18. Junior Angela Rodriguez joined the club against Loyola Dec. 29, scoring 14 to move to 502 and become the 30th player to score 500 points in a career in program history.
500 Again
Senior Sami Tucker became the 29th player to score over 500 points in a career and also added the title of 22nd player in program history to collect 500 rebounds during her junior campaign. Of the 14 she grabbed Feb. 23, her second of the game gave her No. 500. The last to accomplish the feat was Lindsay Laur (2007-11), who ended her career in fifth-place all-time with 791.
Returning Starters + One
The Panthers return three starters from the regular rotation in senior Sami Tucker (30 starts in 30 games), junior Angela Rodriguez (28 in 28) and sophomore Ashley Green (24 in 30). And, with junior Emily Decorah also returning from injury after starting the first six games of the 2011-12 campaign, the team essentially has four starters returning to the mix for 2012-13.
Postseason Awards
Ashley Green was named to the All-Horizon League All-Newcomer Team after averaging 10.4 points and 5.4 rebounds per game. She started 24 out of 30 games on the season.
Young Panthers
Milwaukee used a very young roster last season and the proof was in the numbers. Freshman and sophomores accounted for 113 of 150 starts (75.3%) and 4,221 of 6,025 minutes played (70.1%) last season. Sami Tucker was the only regular starter that was a junior or senior.
Ranked Foes
The Panthers took on Green Bay twice last year, facing their third different nationally-ranked opponent. UWM also played No. 1/1 Baylor and No. 24/23 Oklahoma earlier last season. Milwaukee has now played 33 games all-time against nationally-ranked opponents in program history.
Trial By Fire
Ashley Green found her way into the starting rotation just six games into her freshman season. She responded well, going on to average 10.4 points and 5.4 rebounds a game. In league play, she picked it up another notch, leading the team with 12.2 points per contest on 46.8 percent shooting from the floor.
Tucker-Tucker
Sami Tucker posted three-consecutive double-doubles last season, ending with 21 points and 11 rebounds at Western Michigan Dec. 3. The most recent comparable streak of consecutive double-doubles was in 2010-11 when Lindsay Laur posted five in a row (Dec. 19-Jan. 6).
Youth is Served
The Panthers will indeed be a young squad again this season, with the projected starting lineup being comprised of just one senior. In addition, five true freshmen join Milwaukee in 2012-13, giving the team a total of nine players (out of 15 on the roster) who will be either sophomores or freshmen.
Get Your Popcorn Ready
Fans will have the opportunity to watch the Panthers all season long. The team will play six games on television, returning to Time Warner Sports 32. Another 16 games will be carried live online on the Horizon League Network. For the Panthers' Sports 32 contests, Bob Brainerd and former UWM great Maria Viall will once again be calling the action.
Hit Us at 920 on the Dial
Every Milwaukee regular season game will once again be available on the radio and online via AM 920 The Wolf. Scott Warras is back for his seventh season donning the headset. Fans can also catch Warras' call with the majority of the team's HLN webcasts.
Rechlicz Welcomes Her New Staff
Head coach Kyle Rechlicz rounded out her staff in the offseason by naming Frank Goldsberry, Jessica Wilhite and Janese Banks as members of her coaching staff.
Goldsberry had served as the women's director of basketball operations and video coordinator at Dayton University since 2003 before adding the title of assistant director of compliance to his duties last season. Wilhite returned to her alma mater last year as video coordinator and remains with the staff in 2012-13 as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator. Banks spent last season as a graduate assistant at Auburn University, assisting in all aspects of the day-to-day operations of the women's basketball team.
More New Faces
Head coach Kyle Rechlicz welcomed some new faces to her support staff in the offseason as well. Gina Gonzales joins the staff as the Director of Basketball Operations, Latrell Fleming as the Video Coordinator and Haylie Linn as the Graduate Manager.
Gonzales comes from Missouri State University, where she spent last season as the Athletics Marketing Graduate Assistant. Fleming spent the past four seasons as a coach in the AAU ranks in the Milwaukee area and Linn recently wrapped up her collegiate career in 2011-12 at the University of Toledo.
Up Next
The Panthers return to the States, but stay on the road, taking on Illinois State Nov. 29.
