Milwaukee vs. Wright State Game Notes (pdf) 

MILWAUKEE (6-12, 1-3) vs. WRIGHT STATE (10-9, 2-3)
JANUARY 20, 2015 – 7 P.M. CT
UWM PANTHER ARENA – MILWAUKEE, WIS.
TIME WARNER CABLE SPORTSCHANNEL
ESPN3 (subject to blackout)
WISN (AM 1130)
 
 
THE OPENING TIP
• Milwaukee will try to win back-to-back games for the first time since knocking off Concordia-St. Paul and UMKC, November 29 and December 3, when it welcomes Wright State to UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena Tuesday night. Under head coach Rob Jeter, the Panthers are 8-1 against the Raiders in Milwaukee.
 
• In last Wednesday's victory over Youngstown State, Milwaukee scored a season-high 77 points and shot 62 percent (28-for-45) from the field, marking the first time since the season opener at Auburn (51 percent) that the Panthers shot 50 percent or better. Milwaukee has prevailed seven of the last eight times it has connected on at least 50 percent of its field-goal tries.
 
• Defense has keyed the Panthers' wins this season as they are surrendering only 56.8 points per game and limiting opponents to just 38 percent (128-for-339) from the field. In defeats, those figures jump to 79.6 ppg and 50 percent (343-for-680) from the field.
 
• Milwaukee is 5-2 this season when knocking down eight or more three-point field goals.
 
• The Panthers have shot the ball much better of late, hitting 50 percent (72-for-143) of their field-goal attempts in the last three outings. That is quite an improvement from the previous four contests, when they shot only 33 percent (71-for-214). Milwaukee's .622 field-goal percentage versus Youngstown State last Wednesday was its best since sinking 65 percent (26-for-40) at UMKC on November 30, 2013. In the second half of the game against the Penguins, the Panthers converted 70 percent (14-for-20) of their field-goal attempts, the best in a half since being successful on 71 percent (15-for-21) of their tries in the first half at UMKC on November 30, 2013
 
ABOUT THE RAIDERS
Wright State has dropped five of its last seven games, but it has played well away from home, winning five true road contests this season. Junior forward JT Yoho leads the Raiders in both scoring (16.1 ppg) and rebounding (6.7 rpg), while junior guard Joe Thomasson averages 10.3 ppg and shoots 52 percent (62-for-120) from the field. Traditionally one of the top defensive teams in the Horizon League, Wright State is yielding 67.3 ppg this season, a figure that ranks fourth in the conference.
 
SERIES STUFF
Milwaukee and Wright State are meeting for the 50th time in a series that dates back to 1977. The Panthers hold a slim 26-23 advantage in the series and last season prevailed in two of the three meetings between the teams. Milwaukee has dominated Wright State in games played in Milwaukee, winning 15 of the last 16 encounters between the clubs. When the teams met in Milwaukee last season, UWM led by as many as 20 points in the second half and held on for a 68-64 victory as five Panthers scored in double figures, led by 13 points apiece from Jordan Aaron and Kyle Kelm. Overall, six of the last 11 meetings between the teams have been decided by six points or less.
 
SPRINGS FEVER
Earlier this season, Akeem Springs was hampered by a hand injury that impacted his play for the better part of a month. Now healthy, the transfer from Northern Illinois has been a key contributor of late and is averaging 15.7 ppg and shooting 63 percent (19-for-30) from the field in the last three games. Springs, who has knocked down 9 of his last 20 (.450) attempts from three-point territory and scored in double figures in each of the last three outings, has tallied 18 points in consecutive games versus Green Bay and Youngstown State. He is contributing 11.1 ppg and shooting 54 percent (29-for-54) from the field and 45 percent (9-for-20) from three-point range in the Panthers' last eight outings after managing just 1.5 ppg on 5 percent (1-for-19) shooting from the field in his previous four appearances. Springs has buried 24 of his last 31 (.774) tries from the charity stripe after opening the year by hitting 9 of his first 17 (.529) foul shots. He returned to the starting lineup on January 4 at Detroit for his first starting nod since December 7 versus DePaul and responded with 11 points, five boards and a pair of assists. In 10 starts this season, Springs is tallying 9.3 ppg, 4.3 rpg and 1.5 apg and in Milwaukee's last three home games is going for 16.7 ppg and shooting 60 percent (18-for-30) from the field and 50 percent (4-for-8) from long distance. In Horizon League play, he is accounting for 12.5 ppg and shooting a whopping 59 percent (20-for-34) from the field.
 
FROM THE HARDWOOD TO THE GRIDIRON
Former Milwaukee forward Demetrius Harris has joined the likes of one-time 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. On February 22, the first 1,000 fans to arrive for Milwaukee's game versus Cleveland State will receive a free Demetrius Harris bobblehead.
 
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 nine outings, the 6-foot-8 forward is pitching in 15.3 ppg, 9.1 rpg, 2.3 apg and shooting 45 percent (43-for-96) from the field after managing 7.8 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 1.9 apg and 37 percent (21-for-57) through the first nine contests. A 2015 Preseason Second Team All-Horizon League selection, the Urbandale, Iowa native ranks third in the conference with 7.6 rpg and tops it in League contests only with 10.3 rpg. 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 11.6 ppg and 7.6 rpg through 18 games this season and has scored in double figures 12 times, including in each of the last nine outings. He is contributing 13.4 ppg, and 9.8 rpg in his last five home games and has knocked down 43 of his last 51 (.843) attempts from the free throw line. With 13 points and 12 boards versus Youngstown State on January 14, he registered his fifth double-double of the season and Milwaukee is now 8-3 in his career when he totals 10 or more points and rebounds. Tiby, who scored a season-high 20 points and ripped down nine boards at Detroit on January 4, has registered a double-double in each of the last two games. 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. In League action this season, he is putting up 15.5 ppg, 10.3 rpg and 2.0 apg, while shooting 51 percent (20-for-39) from the field.
 
STEVIE WONDERFUL
Redshirt senior Steve McWhorter is closing out his collegiate career in fine fashion. After averaging 7.8 ppg last season, the Racine, Wis., native leads the Panthers with 14.6 ppg in 2014-15. McWhorter, who has played all 120 minutes in Milwaukee's last three games, has scored in double digits on 28 occasions in his UWM career and the Panthers are 17-11 in those contests. A starter in all 53 of his appearances as a Panther, McWhorter matched a career high by pouring in 21 points against Green Bay on January 9. He has hit at least one three-pointer in 16 of the team's 18 games this season and has scored in double digits in 15 of the last 17 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 16.7 ppg, 6.8 rpg and 4.3 apg in Milwaukee's wins this year and in the last pair of contests has dished out 17 assists and committed only two turnovers. Milwaukee is 0-3 this season when he has failed to score at least 10 points. In a January 14 victory over Youngstown State, he recorded his third double-double of the season by collecting 16 points and a career-high 12 assists with only one turnover. His 12 helpers are the most by a Panther since Kaylon Williams dished out a dozen assists at Western Michigan on January 3, 2012. In the last two games he has tallied 18.5 ppg, 4.0 rpg and 8.5 apg, while shooting 52 percent (12-for-23) from the field. McWhorter has doled out 13 assists to only two turnovers in his last two games versus Wright State.
 
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 is shooting 40 percent (32-for-81) from beyond the arc and is coming off a career-best, 15-point performance against Youngstown State on January 14.  In that game, Wichmann connected on 5 of 6 tries from beyond the arc as he totaled the most points by a Panther off the bench since J.R. Lyle dropped in 15 points against Youngstown State on February 20, 2014. Prior to his impressive showing against YSU, Wichmann had missed his previous eight three-point attempts and knocked down just 12 of his previous 40 (.300) triple tries. Wichmann, who has coughed the ball up just eight times in 437 minutes of action this season, scored 10 points at South Dakota on December 28 in his first-ever starting nod. In his career, Milwaukee is 7-1 when he scores in double digits. His play has helped the Panthers to victory this season as he is contributing 9.7 ppg and knocking down 54 percent (19-for-35) of his field-goal tries and 57 percent (16-for-28) 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. Dating back to last season, the Pulaski, Wis., native has connected on 11 of his last 13 (.846) attempts from the foul line.
 
K.C. MASTERPIECE
Kansas City, Mo., native J.R. Lyle has scored in double digits on five occasions this season and has knocked down 5 of his last 12 (.417) tries from beyond the arc. The junior, who has drained 21 of his last 30 (.700) attempts from the charity stripe, averaged 11.3 ppg in three games from December 7-14, but since injuring his foot against Montana on December 14, has mustered just 4.4 ppg in his last five appearances. Lyle is accounting for 8.5 ppg, 1.5 rpg and 1.2 apg in his last 17 starting assignments.
 
PANTHERS GET CHARITABLE
Milwaukee has reversed its fortunes at the foul line, shooting a healthy 76 percent (226-for-299) over the last 15 contests. Through the first three games of 2014-15, the Panthers knocked down just 55 percent (36-for-65) of their charity throws.
 
DOUBLE-DOUBLE VISION
Both Steve McWhorter (16 points, 12 assists) and Matt Tiby (13 points, 12 rebounds) recorded double-doubles in Milwaukee's 77-62 victory against Youngstown State last week. That marked the first time since December 22, 2013 that multiple Panthers notched double-doubles in the same game. That night, Kyle Kelm (24 points, 12 rebounds) and Tiby (14 points, 11 boards) achieved the feat in a victory over Alabama State.
 
CHAMPIONSHIP REDUX
Tuesday's game versus Wright State is a rematch of the 2014 Horizon League Championship title game, which was played at the Nutter Center in Dayton, Ohio. Milwaukee completed an improbable run through the League tournament by never trailing en route to a 69-63 victory at Wright State on March 11, 2014, thanks to 20 points and nine rebounds from Kyle Kelm and 18 points from Jordan Aaron. The Panthers took control of the game early by jumping out to a 24-9 lead and the victory capped an amazing run that saw Milwaukee win four games in eight days, with two of the wins coming on their opponent's home floor (at Green Bay and at Wright State).
 
PANOSKE PRODUCES
Forward J.J. Panoske has developed into a productive player 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 15 games this season, has scored in double figures on five occasions. A native of Brodhead, Wis., Panoske is shooting 52 percent (13-for-25) from the field in the last five contests after knocking down 35 percent (18-for-52) of his shots in the previous seven outings and has drained 25 of his last 29 (.862) attempts from the foul line. He totaled 10 points and five boards against Green Bay on January 9 and is pitching in 8.8 ppg and 3.8 rpg in the Panthers' last four home games. With 85 blocks to his credit, Panoske is two rejections away from tying Craig Greene's (1990-93) school record of 87.
 
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.