Feb. 27, 2014

Box Score

  

DETROIT, Mich. - JeVon Lyle scored a collegiate-high 20 points and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee finished the game on an 8-2 run to claim an important 68-62 win at Detroit Thursday night.

Malcolm Moore broke a 60-all on a follow-up basket with 2:15 remaining and Austin Arians helped clinch the win with a three-pointer 50 seconds later as Milwaukee (17-13, 7-9 Horizon) sealed a home game Tuesday in the league tournament.

The victory snapped a four-game losing streak and came without leading scorer Jordan Aaron, who was serving the final game of his four-game suspension for a violation of team rules.

Milwaukee set the tone quickly in the game, jumping out to a 14-4 lead before finishing the win with one final surge.

"The key for us was the start of the game," Milwaukee head coach Rob Jeter said. "For the first time in this stretch, I thought we started the game positively. We got a lot of contributions off the bench."

Lyle was the most noteworthy contributor Tuesday, scoring nine points early and then effectively clinching the win with a late layin.

"He sealed the game for us with a back cut," Jeter said. "We've been talking to our guys about putting themselves in position to get a rebound or at least get something at the rim. I thought we've been standing on the perimeter way too much. It's just good to see someone do exactly what they know is the right thing to do. Then it pays off for them and hopefully it creates a habit of continuing to do that.

Kyle Kelm added 11 points and Austin Arians 10 for Milwaukee, which overcame extensive foul trouble throughout the night and wound up getting at least one basket from eight of the 11 players that made the trip. Plus, the Panthers vastly improved their defense from a loss to UIC Tuesday and shot an efficient 55.3 percent from the field.

Jarod Williams had 12 points and Evan Bruinsma 10 for Detroit (13-17. 6-9), which finishes its season Saturday afternoon at home against Green Bay.

The Panthers put together a very solid first 20 minutes of basketball. The Panthers jumped out to a 14-4 lead in the first six-plus minutes behind nine points from Lyle. Detroit pulled back to within 14-8 but Lyle knocked down a three with 6:11 left to push the Panther advantage to 23-13.

After Carlton Brundidge scored to make it 23-17, Milwaukee answered with the next six points to build a 29-17 advantage with 2:23 remaining. But Detroit countered with the final six points of the half to pull within 29-23 at the break.

The Panthers still led 39-31 after a pair of Kelm free throws with 14:01 remaining and 43-37 on a Cody Wichmann basket with 12:25 left. But Detroit rallied, pulling within 43-42 on a Matthew Grant layin before taking a 51-49 lead on a pair of Brundidge free throws with 7:31 remaining.

The Panthers never let the Titans get ahead any further, though, as a Wichmann three gave Milwaukee a 58-55 lead and a layin by Lyle pushed Milwaukee ahead 60-58.

That set the stage for UWM's final burst, with Moore and Arians starting it before a Lyle layin and a free throw by Kelm salted the game away.

Now the Panthers turn their attention toward the league tournament and returning to the form that made them the only league road team to win in Green Bay this season. The bulk of the tournament will be held at the Resch Center.

"Of our last five games, four of them have been on the road and we've persevered," Jeter said. "For our guys to respond - we lost to this team by almost 20 the first time - to be on the road and respond, it's going to make us feel better. Now we have a couple of days here to actually prepare for our tournament game."