Milwaukee at Cleveland State Game Notes (pdf)

MILWAUKEE (5-9, 0-0) AT CLEVELAND STATE (6-8, 0-0)
JANUARY 2, 2015 – 7 P.M. ET
CLEVELAND, OHIO – WOLSTEIN CENTER
TIME WARNER CABLE SPORTSCHANNEL/ESPN FULL COURT/ESPN3
WISN (1130 AM)
 
THE OPENING TIP
• Milwaukee, which won the Horizon League Tournament title last season, opens conference play at Cleveland State Friday night. The Panthers, who are on the back end of a grueling five-game road trip, are seeking their first true road win of 2014-15.
 
• Since joining the Horizon League (then known as the Midwestern Collegiate Conference) for the 1994-95 season, the Panthers are 11-9 in conference openers and have won five of their last six league lid-lifters. Head coach Rob Jeter is 6-3 in Horizon League openers in his Milwaukee tenure.
 
• Defense has keyed the Panthers' wins this season as they are surrendering only 55.8 points per game and limiting opponents to just 37 percent (103-for-279) from the field. In defeats, those figures jump to 78.8 ppg and 49 percent (245-for-501) from the field.
 
• Shooting has plagued Milwaukee during its current three-game losing skid as the Panthers have knocked down just under 33 percent (57-for-174) of their field-goal attempts and 17 percent (12-for-69) of their three-point tries, while averaging 56.7 ppg. In the first 11 contests, Milwaukee put up 65.7 ppg and shot 43 percent (244-for-577) from the field, including 36 percent (82-for-231) from long distance.
 
• Milwaukee has prevailed the last 10 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. The Panthers have limited opponents to fewer than 60 points in each of their five wins this season.
 
 
ABOUT THE VIKINGS
Picked to finish second in the Horizon League this season, Cleveland State has dropped its last two games and is coming off a 72-63 setback at VCU on Monday night. It comes as no surprise that the Vikings are one of the top defensive teams in the Horizon League, ranking third in scoring defense with 61.8 ppg. Junior guard Trey Lewis leads the team and ranks third in the Horizon League with 17.4 ppg, while junior forward Anton Grady contributes 11.6 ppg and 5.6 rpg. Senior guard Charlie Lee, a Milwaukee native, rounds out CSU's double-figure scorers with 10.8 ppg.
 
SERIES STUFF
Milwaukee and Cleveland State are meeting for the 43rd time in a series that dates back to 1994. The Panthers hold a 23-19 edge in the all-time series but have dropped the last three meetings between the teams. Milwaukee, which is 8-12 all-time against the Vikings in Cleveland, is seeking its first win at the Wolstein Center since an 87-83 decision on February 24, 2011. Cleveland State swept the regular-season series last season, winning 77-49 in Milwaukee on January 4, 2014, before claiming a 74-50 victory in Cleveland in February. When the teams met in Cleveland last February, Kyle Kelm scored a team-high 13 points, but the Panthers connected on only 32 percent of their field-goal tries and Lee tallied 14 points to lead the host Vikings to the win.
 
SPRINGS FEVER
Earlier this season, Akeem Springs was hampered by a hand injury that impacted his play for the better part of a month. However, the transfer from Northern Illinois appears to have turned the corner with his play off the bench over the last four contests. In the Panthers' victory against Montana on December 14, Springs came off the bench to register 14 points, on 4 of 7 shooting, in only 20 minutes of action, for his best output since dazzling with 21 points in the season opener at Auburn. In six true road games this season, the 6-foot-4 sophomore guard has put up 8.8 ppg, 4.2 rpg and 1.3 apg. He is contributing 9.8 ppg and shooting 45 percent (9-for-20) from the field and 60 percent (6-for-10) from three-point range in the Panthers' last four outings after managing just 1.5 ppg on 5 percent (1-for-19) shooting from the field in his previous four appearances. Springs, who pitched in 11 points, five rebounds and a block at South Dakota on December 28, has buried 17 of his last 21 (.810) tries from the charity stripe after opening the year by hitting 9 of his first 17 (.529) foul shots.
 
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.
 
START ME UP
Slow starts have plagued the Panthers in their last four road contests - at South Dakota, Arkansas, SIU Edwardsville and DePaul. Milwaukee has struggled out of the gate in each of those games, shooting a combined 31 percent (36-for-118) from the field and 19 percent (8-for-43) from three-point range in the first period.
 
TIBY TIME
The Panthers' emotional leader, Matt Tiby has rebounded from a slow start to show the form that made him one of the top forwards in the Horizon League a season ago. Over the last seven outings, the 6-foot-8 forward is pitching in 13.6 ppg, 8.9 rpg, 2.7 apg and shooting 41 percent (30-for-73) 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. Earlier this season, 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 10.4 ppg and 6.8 rpg through 14 games this season and has scored in double figures eight times, including in each of the last five outings. He is contributing 15.3 ppg, 8.7 rpg and 2.3 apg in his last three road games and has knocked down 24 of his last 27 (.889) attempts from the free throw line. With 15 points and 14 boards, the second-highest total of his career, at South Dakota, he registered his third double-double of the season and Milwaukee is now 7-2 in his career when he totals 10 or more points and rebounds. Tiby, who scored a season-high 17 points versus No. 5 Wisconsin on December 10, has hit 6 of his last 15 (.400) three-point attempts after opening the year 6-for-24 (.250). He got off to a hot start in Horizon League play a year ago, averaging 15.7 ppg and 6.3 rpg, while draining 51 percent (28-for-55) of his field-goal tries through the first half dozen conference contests.
 
STEVIE WONDERFUL
Redshirt senior Steve McWhorter is having an outstanding 2014-15 campaign. McWhorter has scored in double digits on 24 occasions in his UWM career and the Panthers are 16-8 in those contests. A starter in all 48 of his appearances as a Panther, McWhorter registered his second double-double of the season with 11 points and 10 boards at SIU Edwardsville on December 20. He has hit at least one three-pointer in each of the last 13 games and has scored in double digits in 11 of the last 13 outings. 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 16.8 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 2.8 apg and 1.6 spg in Milwaukee's wins this year and earlier this season poured in a career-high 21 points versus Oral Roberts. Milwaukee is 0-3 this season when he has failed to score at least 10 points. After averaging 7.8 ppg last season, McWhorter leads the Panthers with 14.1 ppg this year, and is looking to get off to a fast start in League play once again this season. In 2013-14, he put up 12.8 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 5.0 apg and 2.0 spg in the first five conference contests. He has managed only 10.4 ppg on 33 percent (18-for-55) shooting in Milwaukee's last five games after going for 16.2 ppg on 53 percent (53-for-101) shooting through the first nine contests of the year.
 
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 but one game (at SIU Edwardsville) this year and is shooting 42 percent (25-for-60) from beyond the arc. Wichmann, who has coughed the ball up just five times in 334 minutes of action this season and once in the last five games, is coming off a 10-point performance at South Dakota in his first-ever starting nod. In his career Milwaukee is 6-1 when he scores in double digits. His play has helped Milwaukee to victory this season as he is contributing 8.6 ppg and knocking down 48 percent (14-for-29) of his field-goal tries and 50 percent (11-for-22) 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. Defenses have keyed on Wichmann of late, limiting him to 4.5 ppg on 28 percent (7-for-25) shooting from beyond the arc in the last six contests after he went for 10.7 ppg on 57 percent (8-for-14) shooting from long distance in the previous three outings. Dating back to last season, in his last four regular-season Horizon League appearances, the Pulaski, Wis., native is springing for 7.0 ppg and shooting 60 percent (9-for-15) from the field and 55 percent (6-for-11) from long range.
 
K.C. MASTERPIECE
Kansas City, Mo., native J.R. Lyle, who missed the Arkansas game with a foot injury, returned to action at South Dakota. The 6-foot-2 guard has scored in double digits on four occasions this season and his 16-point performance against Montana on December 14 was his best since a season-high 19-point output against IUPUI. The junior, who has knocked down 20 of his last 28 (.714) attempts from the charity stripe, is contributing 10.0 ppg, 1.3 rpg and 2.0 apg, while shooting 53 percent (17-for-31) from the field in his last four regular-season Horizon League appearances. Lyle is accounting for 9.0 ppg, 1.7 rpg and 1.2 apg in his last 14 starting assignments dating back to last season.
 
PANTHERS GET CHARITABLE
Milwaukee has reversed its fortunes at the foul line, shooting a healthy 76 percent (161-for-213) over the last 11 contests. Through the first three games of 2014-15, the Panthers knocked down just 55 percent (36-for-65) of their charity throws. J.J. Panoske (.826) is one of four Milwaukee players shooting 75 percent or higher from the free throw line this season.
 
ROAD WOES
Milwaukee averaged 70.5 ppg and shot 50 percent from the field and 37 percent from three-point range in its first two true road games this season, but has mustered just 57.8 ppg on 34 percent shooting from the field and 17 percent from downtown in the last four road outings.
 
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. Milwaukee is 3-2 this season when he scores seven or more points and in the Panthers' wins, he is tallying 5.4 ppg and shooting 42 percent (5-for-12) from three-point land.
 
PANOSKE PRODUCES
Forward J.J. Panoske has developed into a productive force at the offensive end of the floor this season after averaging just 3.2 ppg in 2013-14. The 6-foot-10 junior, who has started 13 games this year, has scored in double figures on four occasions and Milwaukee is 2-2 in those contests. A native of Brodhead, Wis., Panoske is pitching in 8.8 ppg and 4.2 rpg over the last five outings and has knocked down 17 of his last 19 (.895) attempts from the foul line, including each of the last 11. He totaled a season-high 12 points at SIU Edwardsville on December 22 and as a freshman in 2012-13 contributed 7.5 ppg, 5.5 rpg and 2.0 bpg in two games versus Cleveland State.
 
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.