VALPARAISO, Ind. (Interstat) — In a game defined by grinding defense and missed opportunities, the Milwaukee Panthers outlasted the Valparaiso Beacons 72-67 in overtime Sunday in a non-conference women’s basketball matchup at the Athletics-Recreation Center.

The Panthers, who led for the majority of regulation, saw a late Valparaiso surge force the extra period but dominated the overtime session to secure their second win of the season.

Milwaukee established control early, opening the game on a 6-0 run and finishing the first quarter with a 14-10 lead. The Panthers’ interior presence was felt immediately, setting a tone they would maintain throughout the contest. Valparaiso responded forcefully in the second quarter, outscoring Milwaukee 21-15 behind the sharp shooting of Allia von Schlegell and Mor Shabtai. The Beacons took their first lead and built a 31-29 advantage heading into halftime.

The third quarter belonged to Milwaukee as they reclaimed the lead with a 19-14 frame. The Panthers’ offense worked effectively inside, while their defense forced Valparaiso into difficult shots. The back-and-forth nature of the game continued in the fourth quarter. Valparaiso’s Autumn Dibb hit a layup with 41 seconds remaining to tie the game at 58. Milwaukee had a chance to win in regulation, but a last-second three-point attempt by Jorey Buwalda missed the mark, sending the game to an extra period.

In overtime, Milwaukee’s Grace Lomen took over. After a slow start to the period for both teams, Lomen drained a crucial three-pointer to give the Panthers a lead they would not relinquish. She then sealed the game at the free-throw line, scoring 7 of her team-high 23 points in the final 37 seconds of overtime. Valparaiso struggled to find consistent offense in the extra frame, scoring just seven points.

The game was a statistical reflection of a defensive struggle. Both teams shot under 40 percent from the floor, with Milwaukee converting 27 of 68 attempts and Valparaiso making 23 of 63. Three-point shooting was particularly frigid; the Panthers hit just 2 of 15 from beyond the arc, while the Beacons were 6 of 25.

The decisive factor was Milwaukee’s dominance in the paint, where they outscored Valparaiso 38-24, and their superior ball movement, registering seven assists to Valparaiso’s three. The Panthers also capitalized on Valparaiso’s mistakes, scoring 14 points off 15 Beacon turnovers.

Lomen’s 23 points led all scorers, but the performance of Buwalda was perhaps more impactful. The forward from Randolph, Wisconsin, recorded a monstrous double-double with 15 points and 17 rebounds, adding five assists and a block in 35 minutes. Her work on the glass was instrumental in Milwaukee securing a rebounding advantage.

Valparaiso was led by von Schlegell, a guard from Downers Grove, Illinois, who scored 15 points. Kamryn Winch, a 6-foot-3 post player from Bonne Terre, Missouri, also notched a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds. Shabtai, from Tel Aviv, Israel, added 11 points for the Beacons.

With the win, Milwaukee improves its season record to 2-3. The Panthers look to build momentum when they host in-state rival Marquette on Wednesday. Valparaiso remains winless at 0-4 and will seek its first victory on the road at South Dakota on Friday. The announced attendance at the Athletics-Recreation Center was 276.