Milwaukee vs. Montana Game Notes (pdf) 

MILWAUKEE vs. MONTANA
DECEMBER 14, 2014 – 5 P.M. CT
KLOTSCHE CENTER – MILWAUKEE, WIS.
ESPN3 – WISN (1130 AM)
 
 
THE OPENING TIP
• The Panthers will try to get back on the winning track when they host Montana Sunday evening at the Klotsche Center. After registering consecutive wins over Concordia-St. Paul and UMKC, Milwaukee has dropped its last two games. The Panthers have won their last five contests at the Klotsche Center dating back to the 2012-13 season.
 
• Junior Matt Tiby is averaging 14.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.0 steals and is shooting 47 percent (9-for-19) from the field and 50 percent (2-for-4) from three-point land in his last two home games. He poured in a season-high 17 points against No. 5 Wisconsin Wednesday night.
 
• Defense has keyed the Panthers' wins this season as they are surrendering only 55.2 ppg and limiting opponents to just 35 percent (81-for-231) from the field. In defeats, those figures jump to 80.0 ppg, and 50 percent (161-for-320) from the field.
 
• A third of the way through the season, senior Steve McWhorter should be in the 15 for Horizon League Player of the Year honors if he continues his outstanding play. The 6-foot-2 guard is putting up 16.2 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 3.4 apg, 1.6 spg and 0.7 bpg this season and is attempting to become the first Panther since Clay Tucker in 2001-02 (17.6 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 3.0 apg) to lead the team in scoring, rebounding and assists in the same season. Through games of December 11, McWhorter was the only player in the Horizon League to rank in the top eight in the conference in scoring, rebounding and assists.
 
• Milwaukee has prevailed the last nine times it has held an opponent to fewer than 60 points, with the last loss coming at Wright State (53-51) on January 5, 2013.
 
ABOUT THE GRIZZLIES
Montana, which is 1-4 on the road this season, has lost three of its last four games and is coming off a high-scoring 110-99 setback versus Davidson on Wednesday evening. Junior forward Martin Breunig (17.5 ppg, 6.8 rpg) and Jordan Gregory (15.6 ppg) do the bulk of heavy lifting for the Grizzlies and are the only two UM players averaging double-figure points. Both players had monster games against Davidson on December 10, with Breunig pouring in 30 points (in only 28 minutes) on 10 of 13 shooting form the field and 10 of 11 from the foul line, while Gregory pitched in 29 points.
 
SERIES STUFF
Milwaukee and Montana are meeting for the fourth time in a series that dates back to the 1964-65 season. The Panthers have prevailed in two of the previous three meetings, including each of the last two. When the teams last hooked up, in Mizzoula, Mont., on December 30, 2005, in Rob Jeter's first season as head coach at Milwaukee, Boo Davis scored 20 points and Joah Tucker added 16 points and nine rebounds in a 78-74 win. In the only previous meeting between the teams in Milwaukee, the Panthers collected a 95-83 win on November 22, 2003. Milwaukee is 15-10 (.600) all-time against current members of the Big Sky Conference.
 
HOME AWAY FROM HOME
Sunday's game versus Montana will be the only contest the Panthers play on campus at the Klotsche Center this season. Last season, Milwaukee went 3-0 at Klotsche, picking up victories over Bradley (73-67), Wright State (68-64) and Oakland (86-64), and dating back to the 2012-13 campaign, the Panthers have won five straight at their on-campus facility. In its three games at the Klotsche Center in 2013-14, Milwaukee averaged 75.7 ppg and shot a healthy 52 percent (76-for-147) from the field, 39 percent (25-for-65) from three-point territory and 73 percent (50-for-69) from the charity stripe.
 
FROM THE HARDWOOD TO THE GRIDIRON
Former Milwaukee forward Demetrius Harris has joined the likes of former college basketball players Antonio Gates and Jimmy Graham and made a career as a tight end in the National Football League. The 6-foot-7 Harris, who starred at UWM for two seasons (2011-13), was a member of the Kansas City Chiefs' practice squad last year before earning a spot on the active roster this season. Before breaking his foot in pregame warm-ups on November 9, he had appeared in eight games this year and caught three passes for 20 yards. Harris averaged 9.1 points and 5.3 rebounds per game at Milwaukee in 2012-13 and is the first Panther to play in the NFL since 1983.
 
D IS KEY
The Panthers know they need to be a better team on defense in order to achieve their goal of winning the Horizon League regular season championship. Over the last two games, both to quality opponents (DePaul and Wisconsin), Milwaukee has surrendered 88.0 ppg and seen those clubs shoot a staggering 58 percent (65-for-113) from the field and 53 percent (18-for-34) from beyond the arc. Entering the DePaul game on December 7, the Panthers were yielding 65.6 ppg and opponents were knocking down 40 percent (177-for-438) of their shots from the field and 40 percent (47-for-118) from long distance.
 
TIBY TIME
The Panthers' emotional leader, Matt Tiby appears to be back on track after a bit of a slow start. Over the last three outings, the 6-foot-8 forward is pitching in 12.0 ppg, 8.7 rpg, 2.7 apg and shooting 44 percent (12-for-27) from the field after managing 7.3 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 1.6 apg and 34 percent (14-for-40) through the first seven contests. A 2015 Preseason Second Team All-Horizon League selection, the Urbandale, Iowa native recorded six double-doubles a year ago and scored in double figures on 24 occasions, five times topping the 20-point mark. Last month, Tiby was named to the Lou Henson Award Watch List. The award is presented annually to the NCAA Division I Mid-Major Player of the Year and Tiby is one of three Horizon League players - Keifer Sykes (Green Bay) and Tyler Lewis (Cleveland State) are the others - on the watch list. Tiby is averaging 8.7 ppg and and 5.9 rpg through 10 games this season and has scored in double figures four times. In three games at the Klotsche Center last season, Tiby put up 11.0 ppg, 9.3 rpg and 2.3 apg and in an 86-64 victory over Oakland on February 2, 2014, totaled 10 points and a career-best 17 boards. In eight career December games Tiby is chipping in 13.3 ppg, 7.0 rpg and 2.3 apg. With 11 points and 11 boards versus UMKC on December 3, he registered his first double-double of the season and Milwaukee is now 6-1 in his career when he totals 10 or more points and rebounds. Tiby, who scored a season-high 17 points and pulled down five rebounds versus No. 5 Wisconsin on December 10, has a 5.0 assist-to-turnover ratio (5 A, 1 TO) in the last two games.
 
STEVIE WONDERFUL
Redshirt senior Steve McWhorter is having an outstanding start to the 2014-15 campaign. Not known for being a big scorer, McWhorter has scored in double digits on 21 occasions in his UWM career and the Panthers are 15-6 in those contests. A starter in all 44 of his appearances as a Panther, McWhorter is putting up 16.2 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 3.7 apg and 1.7 spg, while shooting 51 percent (53-for-104) from the field and 38 percent (16-for-42) from three-point range in the last nine games. He has hit at least one three-pointer in each of the last nine games and had a string of eight straight games with 10 or more points snapped by Wisconsin (6 points). A winner in every sense of the word, in three seasons on active rosters at both Indiana State and Milwaukee, McWhorter has helped his team reach the postseason on three occasions (2 NCAA, 1 CIT). He is accounting for 17.3 ppg, 7.5 rpg and 4.0 apg and 2.0 spg in Milwaukee's wins this year and in his last two appearances at the Klotsche Center is tallying 10.5 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 3.5 apg and shooting a scalding 58 percent (7-for-12) from the field.
 
CODY CONTRIBUTES
With Austin Arians on the sidelines as a redshirt this season, sophomore Cody Wichmann has shouldered more of a load and has responded in fine fashion after logging only 6.8 minutes and 2.4 ppg a year ago. The 6-foot-5 guard has knocked down at least one three-point field goal in all 10 games this year and is shooting 47 percent (20-for-43) from beyond the arc. Wichmann, who did not commit a turnover in the first four games of the season and has coughed the ball up just four times in 230 minutes of action, has hit 15 of his last 30 (.500) three-point attempts, and in his career Milwaukee is 6-0 when he scores in double digits. His play has helped Milwaukee to victory this season as he is contributing 10.0 ppg and knocking down 52 percent (13-for-25) of his field-goal tries and 56 percent (10-for-18) of his three-point attempts in UWM's wins. In a November 29 victory versus Concordia-St. Paul, he registered his first career double-double with 13 points and 11 boards. He came into that game with just 13 rebounds this season. Wichmann has scored 10 or more points in three of the Panthers' five home games this season.
 
K.C. MASTERPIECE
Kansas City, Mo., native J.R. Lyle has gotten his junior campaign off to a strong start. The 6-foot-2 guard has started all 10 games this season and in two home games versus NCAA Division I opponents is collecting 11.0 ppg and 3.0 rpg. In his last 11 starts, Lyle has contributed 9.6 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 1.4 apg, 1.0 spg and converted 44 percent (38-for-86) of his shots. He appears to have snapped out of a bit of a funk and is producing 9.0 ppg on 39 percent (9-for-23) shooting in the last three games after mustering just 4.0 ppg on 21 percent (3-for-14) accuracy in the previous three outings. He has converted 18 of his last 24 (.750) attempts from the foul line and his 13-point performance at DePaul on December 7 was his best showing since a season-high 19-point effort versus IUPUI on November 19.
 
SITTING THIS ONE OUT
Four Panthers will sit out the 2014-15 season - freshmen Derek Rongstad and Brock Stull, sophomore Scotty Tyler, who is a transfer from Idaho State University, and junior Austin Arians, who averaged 11.1 ppg and shot a team-best 37 percent (65-for-177) from three-point range a year ago.
 
ON THE PRAHL
Redshirt freshman Brett Prahl is starting to come into his own and has been a key contributor off the bench of late, averaging 7.5 ppg, 2.0 rpg and 1.0 spg, while connecting on 75 percent (6-for-8) of his field goal attempts in the last two games. After producing 2.7 ppg and 1.9 rpg in seven games in November, Prahl, who totaled a season-high eight points against Wisconsin, is springing for 6.0 ppg and 3.3 rpg in December. He has been impressive against the best competition, averaging 6.0 ppg, 4.7 rpg and shooting an amazing 89 percent (8-for-9) from the field against power conference foes.
 
JORDAN RULES
Freshman guard Justin Jordan brings some interesting bloodlines to the Milwaukee program. The Davidson, N.C., native is the son of Larry Jordan and the nephew of former NBA great, six-time NBA champion, Hall of Famer and current Charlotte Hornets owner Michael Jordan. In the season opener at Auburn, Justin showed the poise of a veteran, totaling 11 points, three rebounds and three assists off the bench to become the first Panther true freshman since Tony Meier in 2008 to score 10 or more points in a season opener. That effort earned him Horizon League Freshman of the Week honors. Jordan is contributing 6.2 ppg, 1.8 rpg and shooting 54 percent (7-for-13) from three-point distance in the last six games. His nine points versus UMKC were his most since the opener against Auburn (11). In his last five games, Jordan has committed just two turnovers and in the Panthers' wins is going for 6.8 ppg and 3.3 rpg. Milwaukee is 3-1 when he scores seven or more points.
 
PANOSKE PRODUCES
Junior J.J. Panoske is going for 8.0 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 1.0 apg and 1.0 bpg in the last two games, A starter in all 10 games this season, the 6-foot-10 forward is coming off of a nine-point, four-rebound effort versus No. 5 Wisconsin. He is looking to snap out of a shooting slump that has him draining 29 percent (10-for-34) of his shots over the last five games after hitting 57 percent (16-for-28) through the first five outings.  Milwaukee is 2-0 this season when Panoske knocks down two or more three-point field goals and the Brodhead, Wis., native is sinking 42 percent (5-for-12) of his triple tries at home.
 
HOW SWEET IT WAS
The 2014-15 season marks the 10-year anniversary of Milwaukee's magical run to the NCAA Sweet 16. Led by the play of Ed McCants, Joah Tucker and Adrian Tigert, the Panthers knocked off Alabama and Boston College in the NCAA Tournament before falling to eventual national runner-up Illinois. Two members of Rob Jeter's current staff - Chris Hill and Allan Hanson - were on that Sweet 16 squad. Milwaukee finished the year with a 26-6 overall record and a No. 23 ranking in the final ESPN/USA Today Top 25 Poll.