MILWAUKEE -- The Western Michigan women's basketball team returns to the Cream City for the first time in over a decade this week.

LAST TIME OUT
Western Michigan fought until the final buzzer in a close 72-64 loss to the Duquesne Dukes on Sunday afternoon. The Broncos hosted their season opener on Sunday, Nov. 9 at University Arena, improving their overall shooting by over 14% on their home court. But improved shooting wasn't enough for WMU to fend off the visiting Dukes in the eight-point loss.

Four Broncos ended the game in double figures with senior guard Alli Carlson and senior forward Ariana Wilkes leading the offense with 11 points each. WMU had the advantage throughout the game in field goal percentage at 44% on 55 attempts, but struggled at the line only making nine of 19 attempts. The Brown and Gold also led the Dukes in blocks and steals with 5 swats and 11 takeaways.

OFFENSE BEGINNING TO COOK
Western Michigan's offense took a big step forward between its first and second games of the season. The Broncos improved their shooting from only 29.3% to 43.6% within a game during the first week of the season. And it was a balanced offensive attack for WMU across the floor in that improvement. 

Four members of the Brown and Gold scored in double figures against Duquesne on Sunday afternoon. Western Michigan got help from across the floor as guards Alli Carlson and Nile Mugeria and forwards Ariana Wilkes and D'Myjah Bolds all had 10 or more points when facing the Dukes. 

MAKING SOME MAC-TION NOISE
Senior guard Alli Carlson has been all over the floor to start the 2025-26 season for the Broncos. She currently leads the MAC in both steals and assists with eight takeaways and helping on 12 WMU buckets. Carlson is also in the Top 10 in the conference in assist/turnover ratio at 2.4. While nationally Carlson is in the Top 35 in assists per game and steals per game. She ranks 31st in steals per game, averaging 4 through 40 minutes and is 33rd in assists per game at 6.0. 

Brown and Gold forward De'Ahna Richardson is also in the Top 10 in the MAC in multiple categories. Richardson is 5th in defensive rebounds with 12 on the season and 9th in overall rebounds with 13 through two games. 

SERIES HISTORY
Thursday night will be just the fifth meeting between Western Michigan and UW-Milwaukee in program history. Whoever wins this season's matchup will become the series leader as they are currently tied at two wins each. Western Michigan took both wins in Kalamazoo in 1991 and 2011, while Milwaukee won both of its home games inside the Klotsche Center.

Thursday's game is also the first meeting in 13 years between the teams. Their last game came on November 14, 2012 in the Cream City as the Panthers came out victorious with a 88-79 win. Current Bronco Assistant Coach Aurielle Anderson led WMU in the 2012 loss, with 26 points, coming just three shy of her career high at the time.

SCOUTING THE PANTHERS
In the first week of action, Milwaukee is 1-2 earning its first win at fellow MAC school Northern Illinois on Friday evening. The Panthers earned a 76-65 win over the Huskies after dropping their first game of the season in a heart breaker to Loyola Chicago. Milwaukee struggled in its most recent game on Monday night against the Wisconsin Badgers in Madison. The Panthers fell to the Badgers 75-46 at the Kohl Center.

Milwaukee is led on the floor on both offense and defense by the same player. Junior forward Jorey Buwalda is averaging a double-double through only three games so far in the 2025-26 season. Buwalda is currently scoring 10.3 points and grabbing 10.3 rebounds through 40 minutes to power the Panthers on the floor.