MILWAUKEE - Jalisha Terry scored a team-high 13 points followed by 11 points each from Alona Blackwell and Kahlaijah Dean and 10 from Chloe Guingrich as Oakland led most of the game but could not hold off Milwaukee's fourth quarter run as the Golden Grizzlies fell 73-65 in the opening round of the Horizon League Championships on Tuesday night. Autumn Kissman and Kalya Luchenbach also each chipped in with eight points.

After shooting a blistering 70 percent from the field in the third quarter to lead by 53-46, Oakland's (11-19) offense cooled off in the fourth quarter only shooting 33 percent. Conversely, Milwaukee (15-15) shot 58.3 percent from the field for the second straight quarter outscoring the Golden Grizzlies 27-12 in the frame. The Panthers were also to get to the free throw line going 10-for-13 down the stretch and 22-for-30 for the game compared to 8-of-11 for the Golden Grizzlies.

Milwaukee opened the fourth quarter on 11-4 run to tie the game at 57-57 with six minutes left. Kissman hit a jumper to halt the run putting Oakland back up by two points, 59-57. After both teams exchanged baskets, Milwaukee's Jamie Reit hit a 3-pointer giving the Panthers' a 62-61 lead with 4:46 remaining. Milwaukee then added the next seven straight points to move ahead 69-61 at the 2:14 mark.

Dean hit a jumper ending the run at the 1:57 mark followed by a put back from Kissman pulling Oakland within four points at 69-65 with 21 seconds to go. After a pair of Milwaukee free throws, Terry's 3-point attempt was off the mark with 12 seconds left followed by a pair of ensuing free throws to seal the game for the Panthers.  

Kissman hit a jumper giving Oakland its biggest lead of the game at that point, 42-30,with 6:19 left in the third quarter. Terry hit a pivotal jumper to stop an 8-1 Milwaukee run. Sydney Gouard added a layup along with a 3-pointer from Blackwell kept the Golden Grizzlies' lead at 11 points, 50-39. However, the Panthers closed out the frame on 7-3 spurt to pull within seven points, 53-46.

In the second quarter, a jumper from Kissman followed by a runner from Dean extended the lead to 28-19 at the 3:12 mark. Back-two-back 3-point buckets from Blackwell gave Oakland a 34-26 lead at the half.

A Dean 3-pointer, followed by a Guingrich layup and a pair of free throws from Dean capped off a 7-0 Oakland run to lead 18-13 at the end of the first quarter.



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