Milwaukee vs. Wisconsin Game Notes (pdf) 

MILWAUKEE vs. WISCONSIN
DECEMBER 10, 2014 – 8 P.M.
MILWAUKEE, WIS. – UWM PANTHER ARENA
ESPN2 – WISN (1130 AM)
 
THE OPENING TIP
• Milwaukee seeks its first win over a ranked opponent since knocking off No. 21 Butler, 63-60, on February 18, 2009 when it welcomes Big Ten Conference and in-state rival Wisconsin to UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena Wednesday night. The Panthers have not defeated the Badgers since December 12, 1992.
 
• Although the building in not new and has been the site to many historic basketball moments in Milwaukee history, this is UWM's first season in an arena that bears its name - UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena. In July, the University and Wisconsin Center District entered into a partnership that included naming rights to the facility formerly known as The MECCA and most recently, U.S. Cellular Arena.
 
• 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 77.4 ppg, and 48 percent (122-for-256) from the field.
 
• Though it is early in the season, senior Steve McWhorter should be in the discussion for Horizon League Player of the Year honors if he continues his torrid pace. The 6-foot-2 guard is putting up 16.2 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 3.4 apg, 1.7 spg and 0.8 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 7, 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 BADGERS
Wisconsin is 4-0 away from home this season but has played just one of those games on an opponent's home floor. The Badgers, who feature four players averaging double-figure points, are coming off a 49-38 victory at Marquette on December 6. In that game, Wisconsin limited the Golden Eagles to a paltry 29 percent (13-for-45) shooting and rode the play of Frank Kaminsky (15 points, 10 boards) to the win. The 7-foot Kaminsky, who is a candidate for the Wooden Award given annually to the nation's top collegiate player, is averaging team bests of 16.4 ppg and 8.9 rpg, while shooting 55 percent (55-for-101) from the field. Last month, the Badgers knocked off Horizon League preseason favorite Green Bay, 84-60.
 
SERIES STUFF
This is the 32nd meeting between the Panthers and Badgers and Wisconsin has dominated the series to the tune of a 30-1 lead. When these teams dueled in Madison nearly a year ago to the day (Dec. 11, 2013), Wisconsin hit 9 of 13 shots from three-point range in the first half and never looked back en route to a 78-52 victory. Ben Brust scored 18 points to the Wisconsin and Kyle Kelm pumped in 17 points to pace Milwaukee. The Panthers, who have dropped 21 straight games to the Badgers, are looking for their first win in the series since December 12, 1992, when they pulled out a 77-72 victory at UW Fieldhouse. Milwaukee is 10-48 (.172) all-time versus current members of the Big Ten Conference, with seven of those wins coming versus Northwestern. The Panthers' last win over a Big Ten foe came on January 26, 2005, when they knocked off Purdue, 73-68 in West Lafayette, Ind.
 
SEEING RED
Several members of the Milwaukee staff have ties to the Wisconsin basketball program. Panthers head coach Rob Jeter played for Bo Ryan at UW-Platteville and helped the Pioneers win the 1991 NCAA Division III Championship. Jeter then helped Platteville to a pair of NCAA titles and a staggering 108-6 (.947) as an assistant under Ryan from 1994-98. Jeter also served under Ryan at Milwaukee and at Wisconsin before landing the lead job with the Panthers in 2005.Assistant coach Duffy Conroy served in a variety of roles on Ryan's staff in Madison in a couple of stints and assistant coach Sharif Chambliss played one season for the Badgers after transferring from Penn State. He contributed 7.5 ppg and 2.8 apg in 2004-05, helping UW to a 25-9 overall record and an Elite Eight appearance.
 
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.
 
PANTHERS AND THE POLLS
Milwaukee is attempting to earn its first win versus a nationally ranked opponent since a 63-60 victory over No. 21 Butler on February 18, 2009. That was also the program's last win against a Top 25 team at UWM Panther Arena. At No. 5/6, Wisconsin is the highest ranked team to play Milwaukee on the Panthers' home floor.
 
TIBY TIME
The Panthers' emotional leader, Matt Tiby appears to be back on track after a bit of a slow start. Over the last pair of outings, the 6-foot-8 forward is pitching in 9.5 ppg, 10.5 rpg, 3.0 apg and 1.0 spg after managing 7.3 ppg and 4.7 rpg 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 7.8 ppg and 5.5 rpg through eight games this season and has scored in double figures three times. Last year versus Wisconsin, he totaled 11 points and five boards and in seven career December games has put up 12.7 ppg, 7.3 rpg and 2.3 apg. With 11 points and 11 boards versus UMKC in the Panthers' last home game, 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 has pulled down 10 or more boards in consecutive games for the first time in his Milwaukee career.
 
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 43 of his appearances as a Panther, McWhorter is putting up 17.5 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 3.8 apg and 1.4 spg, while shooting 53 percent (51-for-97) from the field and 37 percent (14-for-38) from three-point range in the last eight games. He has scored in double figures in a career-best eight straight outings and has also hit at least one three-pointer in each of the last eight games. McWhorter, who posted four points and four rebounds at Wisconsin last December, is tallying 17.0 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 5.4 apg, 1.2 bpg and 1.6 spg, while shooting 54 percent (29-for-54), in his last five games at Panther Arena. 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 as well as 12.0 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 5.0 rpg and shooting a sizzling 69 percent (9-for-13) in a pair of games versus power conference opponents in 2014-15.
 
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 nine games this year and is shooting 46 percent (19-for-41) 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 202 minutes of action, has hit 14 of his last 28 (.500) three-point attempts, and in his career Milwaukee is 6-0 when he scores in double digits. In his last two appearances at home, Wichmann is producing 12.0 ppg, 6.5 rpg and shooting 57 percent (8-for-14) from the field and 60 percent (6-for-10) from long distance. In a November 29 win 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' four 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 nine games this season and in two home games versus NCAA Division I opponents is collecting 14.0 ppg and 3.5 rpg, while hitting 47 percent of his shots from the field (9-for-19). In his last 10 starts, Lyle has contributed 10.1 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 1.5 apg, 1.1 spg and converted 46 percent (37-for-80) of his shots. He appears to have snapped out of a bit of a funk and is producing 11.0 ppg on 47 percent (8-for-17) shooting in the last two games after mustering just 4.0 ppg on 21 percent (3-for-14) accuracy in the previous three outings. He has converted 16 of his last 22 (.727) attempts from the foul line and is coming off a 13-point performance at DePaul, 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.
 
"D" KEYS HOME WINS
Milwaukee is yielding only 57.5 ppg and holding opponents to 36 percent (44-for-121) from the field in its last two home games. No opponent has shot higher than 37 percent from the field this season at Panther Arena.
 
WHITE HOT
Trinson White is showing signs of becoming more comfortable in the offense and of being a key contributor this season. The junior started two games last month in place of an injured Akeem Springs and averaged 9.5 ppg and 5.5 rpg in those contests. After managing only 0.3 ppg and 0.3 rpg in his first three appearances, the 6-foot-5 swing man is putting up 6.6 ppg, 3.8 rpg and 1.0 apg in his last five outings and Milwaukee is 2-0 this season when he scores nine or more points. He totaled a season-high 12 points and seven boards versus Concordia-St. Paul.
 
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. Justin played last season at Hargrave Military Academy and contributed 13 points, eight assists and four steals per game. In the season opener at Auburn, he 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 7.0 ppg, 1.8 rpg and shooting 58 percent (7-for-12) from three-point distance in the last five games. His nine points versus UMKC were his most since the opener against Auburn (11). In his last four games, Jordan has committed just one turnover and in his last two home games is going for 8.5 ppg and 3.0 rpg. Milwaukee is 3-1 when he scores seven or more points.
 
PANOSKE PRODUCES
Junior J.J. Panoske has gotten off to a solid start this season, averaging 6.4 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 1.1 apg and 1.1 bpg through the first nine games. The 6-foot-10 forward, who is putting up 6.7 ppg and 3.6 rpg in his last 11 starts dating back to last season, had 13 points, six rebounds and three blocks versus Wisconsin as a freshman in 2012-13. Milwaukee is 2-0 this season when Panoske knocks down two or more three-point field goals and the Brodhead, Wis., native is sinking 50 percent (5-for-10) 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.