Milwaukee vs. Denver Game Notes

Milwaukee (0-0) vs. Denver (0-0)
Cable Car Classic
Nov. 13, 2015 – 4:30 p.m. PT
Leavey Center - Santa Clara, Calif.
Radio: WISN (AM 1130)
 
THE OPENING TIP
• Milwaukee officially raises the curtain on the 2015-16 season when it takes on Denver at the Cable Car Classic Friday, Nov. 13. The Panthers, who were picked to finish third in the Horizon League preseason poll of the conference's coaches, sports information directors and media, carry over a four-game winning streak from last season into the 2015-16 campaign. Milwaukee is 17-15 in season openers as a NCAA Division I program, with 11th-year head coach Rob Jeter sporting a 6-4 record in season lid-lifters. The Panthers are in search of their first victory in a season opener since a 76-46 decision over Mary to open the 2012-13 campaign.
 
• The Panthers will be challenged right out of the gate by playing eight games in the season's first 13 days. Making that opening stretch even more difficult to navigate is that seven of those eight contests will be played away from UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena, where Milwaukee went 10-4 a season ago. Over the first 13 days of the 2015-16 season, Milwaukee will travel a total of 7,450 miles and play in four states. A year ago, the Panthers also were quite busy at the outset of the season, playing seven games in 16 days.
 
• Once again, Milwaukee will play some of the nation's best teams during the nonconference portion of the schedule. After facing teams from the Southeastern (Auburn, Arkansas), Big 12 (Oklahoma State), Big Ten (Wisconsin) and Big East (DePaul) conferences a year ago, Milwaukee will take on Notre Dame (Atlantic Coast), Wisconsin (Big Ten) and Minnesota (Big Ten) this season, along with perennial Ohio Valley Conference contender Murray State.
 
• Off the court, the Panthers had a phenomenal year in 2014-15, achieving high marks in the classroom, while also earning the Horizon League's Community Outreach Award after performing nearly 1,000 hours of community service. Milwaukee men's basketball players posted a team grade point average over 3.0 during the 2014-15 academic year and the team's total of four individuals on the Horizon League Academic Honor Roll was the highest in the conference. Continuing with the academic theme, Milwaukee placed two student-athletes - Evan Richard and Cody Wichmann - on the National Association of Basketball Coaches Honors Court and the Panthers also posted a perfect Academic Progress Rate (APR) score.
 
SERIES STUFF
Milwaukee and Denver are meeting for the first time, the Panthers are 29-30 (.492) all-time against current members of the Summit League. Last season, Milwaukee dropped contests to Summit League foes IUPUI, Oral Roberts and South Dakota.
 
ABOUT DENVER
Arguably one of the youngest teams in the country, Denver's roster features 13 underclassmen. Picked to finish eighth in the Summit League, the Pioneers return eight players from last season, including senior guard Nate Engesser, who contributed 10.1 ppg a year ago. Denver posted a 12-18 overall record and a 6-12 mark in the Summit League in 2014-15.
 
TIBY TIDBITS
The Panthers' emotional leader and a Second Team All-Horizon League pick a year ago, Matt Tiby is poised for a monster season. Over the final 21 outings of 2014-15, the 6-foot-8 forward pitched in 15.6 ppg and 8.6 rpg after managing 7.8 ppg, 6.0 rpg and 1.9 apg through the first nine contests. A 2015-16 Preseason First Team All-Horizon League selection, the Urbandale, Iowa native ranked third in the conference with 7.8 rpg last season. Tiby was one of five players to rank among the top 12 in the League in both scoring and rebounding in 2014-15. Tiby averaged 13.3 ppg and 7.8 rpg in 30 games last season and scored in double figures 24 times, including in each of the last 21 outings. With 22 points and 12 boards at Green Bay last February, he registered his seventh double-double of the season, surpassing his total from 2013-14 (6) and Milwaukee is now 9-4 in his career when he totals 10 or more points and rebounds. The seven double-doubles were the most by a Panther in a single season since Adrian Tigert had nine in 2005-06. Over the final two games of 2014-15, Tiby was unstoppable, producing 23.0 ppg, 8.5 rpg and 2.0 apg, while shooting 65 percent (13-for-20) from the field and 80 percent (8-for-10) from beyond the arc. He enters 2015-16 having scored in double digits in 11 consecutive road games, averaging 16.7 ppg and 8.3 rpg during that stretch. His current streak of 21 straight games with double-digit points in the longest by a Panther since Joah Tucker in 2005-06 (27 games). Tiby has knocked down 15 of his last 28 three-point attempts (.536) after making just 1 of his previous 20 (.050). He tossed in a career-best 24 points at Wright State on February 26, 2015. In the Panthers' exhibition game versus Parkside Nov. 5, he produced 21 points, hitting all five of his three-point attempts. Counting that contest, he has now drained 13 of his last 15 (.867) shots from downtown.
 
SPRINGS FEVER
Akeem Springs had an impressive first season as a Panther last year, averaging 10.3 ppg, 4.9 rpg and 1.7 apg, while appearing in 28 contests. The transfer from Northern Illinois ranked third on the club in scoring last season. Springs burst onto the scene a year ago, exploding for 21 points, seven rebounds and three assists at Auburn in the season opener, but then tried to play through a hand injury that severely limited his ability to shoot the basketball. The 6-foot-4 guard scored in double figures in 12 of the final 17 contests of 2014-15 and recorded his first-ever double-double (13 points, 10 boards) against Oakland on February 10 and over the final 15 outings of the season put up 13.3 ppg, 5.7 rpg and 2.0 apg, while shooting 47.7 percent (73-for-153) from the field. Springs has buried 56 of his last 75 (.747) tries from the charity stripe after opening last year by hitting 9 of his first 17 (.529) foul shots. He contributed 12.3 ppg and 5.9 rpg in Milwaukee's wins. Springs finished the 2014-15 season just as he started it - by scoring 21 points - in Milwaukee's victory at Youngstown State. Over the final four outings of the year, he shot 55.3 percent (21-for-38) from the field and 46.2 percent (6-for-13) from three-point land, while averaging 15.3 ppg and 5.3 rpg. In his last four games away from home, Springs is accounting for 15.8 ppg, 4.3 rpg and 1.8 apg, while shooting 55 percent (22-for-40) from the field and 46.2 percent (6-for-13) from long range.
 
PANOSKE PRODUCES
Senior J.J. Panoske, who averaged 7.7 ppg and 3.7 rpg a year ago, will look to build upon the incredibly strong finish he had to the 2014-15 season. Already the Panthers' Division I career leader with 100 blocked shots, the 6-foot-10 forward pitched in 12.6 ppg, 5.0 rpg and 2.2 bpg over the final five outings in 2014-15 to help Milwaukee to a 4-1 record over that stretch. Last season's team leader in free throw percentage (.857), the Brodhead, Wis., native drained each of his final 10 and 27 of his final 29 (.931) attempts from the foul line. Panoske's best game of 2014-15 came at home versus Cleveland State when he poured in a career-high 19 points, hitting 5 of 8 shots from three-point range, and added five rebounds, two blocks and a pair of steals in the Panthers' victory. In his last three appearances away from home, Panoske has collected 11.3 ppg, 6.7 rpg and 2.3 bpg, while hitting 52 percent (13-for-20) of his field goal attempts. He has connected on 12 of his last 22 (.545) attempts from beyond the arc and last season, Milwaukee went 4-1 when he drained two or more treys.
 
AUSTIN'S POINTS POWER PANTHERS
Junior Austin Arians established himself as one of the premier shooters in the Horizon League in 2013-14 and after redshirting last season, returns to action in 2015-16. The 6-foot-6 forward will provide the Panthers with another long-range threat and in 2013-14, he connected on 36.7 percent (65-for-177) of his tries from three-point range en route to 11.1 ppg. As a sophomore, he scored in double digits on 22 occasions and the Panthers posted a healthy 16-6 record in those contests. Arians will look to get off to a fast start this season, much like he did in 2013-14 when he totaled 10 or more points in 10 of the team's first 11 games. A career 35.7 percent (104-for-291) shooter from beyond the arc, Arians led the team with 17 points in a 2014 NCAA Tournament loss to Villanova.
 
GOTTA GET BACK IN TIME
The 2015-16 season marks the 10-year anniversary of one of the best years in Milwaukee basketball history. Led by the play of Joah Tucker, Boo Davis and Adrian Tigert, the Panthers knocked off Oklahoma in the NCAA Tournament before falling to eventual national champion Florida. Two members of Rob Jeter's current staff - Chris Hill and Allan Hanson - were on that team, which won a NCAA Tournament game for a second consecutive season. Milwaukee finished the 2005-06 season with a 22-9 record in Jeter's first season as the Panthers' bench boss.
 
CODY'S CONTRIBUTIONS
With Austin Arians on the sidelines in 2014-15, Cody Wichmann shouldered more of a load and responded in fine fashion after logging only 6.8 minutes and 2.4 ppg as a freshman in 2013-14. In addition to leading the team in three-point field goals made (47) and three-point field goal percentage (.402) a season ago, Wichmann pitched in 6.1 ppg, 2.3 rpg and 1.1 apg, while appearing in all 30 contests. He will be looking to get off to another strong start in 2015-16. Last season, Wichmann came out of the starting blocks fast, hitting at least one three-pointer in each of the first 11 and 14 of the first 15 games. Over the final eight outings of 2014-15, Wichmann put up 7.0 ppg and shot 50 percent (20-for-40) from the field and 51.8 percent (14-for-27) from three-point territory. In his previous three games, Wichmann mustered 1.7 ppg on just 11.1 percent (1-for-9) shooting from both the field and downtown. Five of his seven double-digit scoring performances last season came at Panther Arena, where he shot 53.7 percent (36-for-67) from the field and 53.8 percent (28-for-52) from three-point land. In his career, Milwaukee is 8-2 when he scores in double digits. His marksmanship helped the Panthers to success in 2014-15 as he contributed 7.2 ppg and knocked down 50.7 percent (34-for-67) of his field goal tries and 52 percent (26-for-50) of his three-point attempts in Milwaukee's wins. Dating back to the 2013-14 season, the Pulaski, Wis., native has connected on 16 of his last 19 (.842) attempts from the foul line. He is on track to earn his accounting degree in less than four years.
 
JORDAN RULES
Junior Jordan Johnson, a transfer from John Wood Community College, made quite an impression during the Panthers' exhibition victory over Parkside, giving tremendous hope for his future with the program. In 32 minutes of action, the 5-foot-9 guard did it all, tabulating 13 points, seven assists and six rebounds. The Waukegan, Ill., native was a NJCAA First Team All-American and helped John Wood to the NJCAA Division II national title game in 2014-15. At Waukegan High School in Waukegan, Ill., Johnson was a teammate of current Panther Akeem Springs.
 
A CHIEF AMONG US
Former Milwaukee forward Demetrius Harris (2011-13) is once again on the active roster for the National Football League's Kansas City Chiefs. The first Panther to play in the NFL since 1983, Harris played two seasons at Milwaukee and helped the team to a College Basketball Invitational appearance in 2012 before putting up 9.1 ppg and 5.3 rpg in 2012-13. Last season, the 6-foot-7 Harris appeared in eight games as a tight end for the Chiefs and hauled in three passes for 20 yards before suffering a season-ending foot injury during warm-ups against Buffalo in early November.
 
SHOOTING STARS
Improved perimeter shooting was a key factor in Milwaukee's late-season surge in 2014-15. Over the final nine outings, Milwaukee knocked down shots at an impressive 43.2 percent (79-for-183) clip from three-point territory after sinking just 23.7 percent (50-for-211) of its triple tries in the previous 10 contests. Milwaukee went 9-4 in 2014-15 when it knocked down eight or more three-pointers. In last week's exhibition victory over Parkside, the Panthers opened 9-of-13 from three-point range and finished the game 13-for-27 (.481).
 
THE BEST THINGS IN LIFE ARE FREE
Milwaukee nearly set a single-season school record by draining 73.7 percent (434-for-589) of its free throw attempts in 2014-15 for the second-best accuracy rate in Division I program history. That percentage placed the Panthers tied for 32nd in the nation and tied with UIC for the top spot in the Horizon League. Four Panthers shot 80 percent or better from the charity stripe last season, including J.J. Panoske, who converted 85.7 percent (36-for-42) of his foul shots. Milwaukee matched a single-game school record for free throw accuracy by sinking all 22 of its attempts in the regular-season finale at Youngstown State on February 28, 2015. The Panthers had twice previously connected on all of their foul shots in a game (minimum 10 attempts) - versus Green Bay (20-for-20) on January 9, 2009 and against Youngstown State (15-for-15) on January 7, 2008.