Marquette women defeat UW-Milwaukee with ease

(MARQUETTE COMMUNICATIONS) – Stifling defense was the theme of Wednesday’s crosstown match-up as Marquette held Milwaukee to 29.8% shooting en route to a 75-43 win at the Klotsche Center. The swarming defense by the Golden led to 19 points off turnovers.

Halle Vice posted a career-high 23 points, shooting 9-of-11 from the field and 3-of-4 from deep. Lee Volker recorded her second-career double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds.

Following five straight stops to the game, Marquette jumped out to a 6-0 lead. Milwaukee ended its drought after four minutes but Skylar Forbes answered with a triple from the top of the key. MU stayed locked in defensively through the opening 10 minutes, holding the Panthers to just nine points as the Golden Eagles led by six at 15-9 after one.

Jordan Meulemans opened the second with back-to-back 3’s from opposite corners. Less than 90 seconds in, Milwaukee called its first timeout following a bucket from Charia Smith that brought MU’s lead to 14 at 23-9.

The Panthers battled back through the middle of the period with a 7-0 run that prompted a timeout from Marquette. The response was a 10-3 run to extend the advantage back to 15 which the Golden Eagles took into the half at 38-23.

After an early 3-pointer from the Panthers in the third, Marquette blitzed them with 14 unanswered. Five players scored during the run that saw the visitors lead balloon to 28 at 54-26. MU outscored Milwaukee 22-5 in the period to take a 32-point lead into the fourth.

NOTABLES

• Cara Consuegra earned the 250^th win as a head coach (225 at Charlotte, 25 at Marquette).
• Marquette improved its all-time record against Milwaukee to 35-20. It was the Golden Eagles fourth in a row in the series.
• Halle Vice was in double figures scoring for the second straight game, and third this year, finishing with 23 points.
• It was the fifth 20-point game of her career and first of the season.
• Lee Volker recorded the second double-double of her career with 14 points and 10 rebounds.
• The 10 rebounds matched the guard’s career high.
• Volker reached double figures for the fourth straight game, posting 14 points.
• Jordan Meulemans’ eight points were her most as a Golden Eagle.