MILWAUKEE – Two players on the Western Michigan women's basketball team had career scoring nights in the first win of 2025-26.
In a game that came down to the final buzzer, the Broncos were victorious over the Milwaukee Panthers 65-64 on the road. WMU was led by a pair of players with career shooting nights, redshirt senior forward
De'Ahna Richardson and sophomore guard
Kailey Starks with 22 and 21 points. Both Brown and Gold players ended the night with over 20 points for the first time in their careers. It was also the first game for Western Michigan having multiple players score 20+ since Feb. 5 against Akron.
The Broncos called an early timeout inside the Klotsche Center as Milwaukee broke out on a six-point run. WMU found its offense after the timeout, trading made buckets with the Panthers. The Brown and Gold took the lead midway through the first with a seven-point run of their own spurred by a trey from Starks. Western Michigan benefited from being in the bonus for over three minutes, taking a six-point lead with a minute thirty on the clock. But back-to-back threes to end the half for Milwaukee tied the game up at 17 all.
Junior guard Nile Mugeria Orbe opened the second quarter with a three for her third straight game, giving the Broncos a lead. The Panthers answered with a layup and then both teams split free throws at the line. WMU again found a long stretch of offense, adding seven to take a 28-20 lead. Milwaukee made up the deficit and took a two-point lead with under two to go in the half. The Brown and Gold had two more trips to the line in the second, retaking the lead by two. A late three from the Panthers to end the first half had Western Michigan trailing by only a point going into the locker room.
Milwaukee grew its lead to start the second half to put the Broncos down by five. But the Panthers offense dwindled as WMU stepped it up on defense. Milwaukee spent over three minutes without making a field goal, so the Brown and Gold had a six-point lead at the media timeout of the quarter. Then it was Western Michigan's turn to experience a scoring lull as the lead was traded for the sixth time in the game. The Broncos added one free throw at the line before the end of the third quarter, again making it a one-point game.
The lead changes continued in the fourth quarter early as the teams' traded buckets. WMU took a point lead after three minutes of the quarter. That was the last basket scored for the next three minutes. Richardson broke the freeze at the line, splitting a foul opportunity to give the Brown and Gold a basket lead. The Panthers tied the game up twice, but Western Michigan kept coming back on top until the final 30 seconds of the game.
The Broncos were called for a foul on a Milwaukee rebound, sending a Panther to the line for two shots. Milwaukee's player made both, giving the team a point lead with only 24 seconds left. WMU had the ball for one final shot and took two timeouts to get the best look. And it was Richardson who became the Brown and Gold's hero, sinking her final jump shot to put Western Michigan back in front by one. The Broncos were able to defend the Panthers, forcing a final second shot that went wide, giving WMU a 65-64 win.
The Brown and Gold capitalized on 18 turnovers from Milwaukee, scoring 17 points after taking the ball away. Western Michigan also had better chances after the initial shot, getting 10 second chance points. While Richardson led the Broncos on offense, three separate players had six rebounds each on defense. Senior guard
Alli Carlson had another big night helping others on the floor with six assists while Starks led the team in steals with three.
WMU remains on the road for its next game but will be much closer to home. The Brown and Gold head east on I-94 to East Lansing to face the #24 Michigan State Spartans. Tip-off from the Breslin Center against MSU is set for 2:00 p.m.
