Milwaukee vs. UIC Game Notes (pdf)

MILWAUKEE (7-14, 2-5) vs. UIC (5-16, 1-5)
JANUARY 29, 2015 – 7 P.M. CT
MILWAUKEE, WIS. – UWM PANTHER ARENA
TIME WARNER CABLE SPORTSCHANNEL
ESPN3 (subject to blackout)
WISN (AM 1130)
 
THE OPENING TIP
• Milwaukee puts a two-game winning streak at home on the line when it welcomes UIC to UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena Thursday evening. The Panthers have won 12 of their last 14 match-ups with the Flames. Thursday's game is the fourth in the last 10 days for Milwaukee.
 
• The Panthers have three Illinois natives on the 2014-15 roster - Akeem Springs (Waukegan), Jimmy Stamas (La Grange) and Brock Stull (Caledonia). In addition, head coach Rob Jeter is a Chicago native who attended Quigley South High School while director of basketball operations Chris Hill starred at Whitney Young High School in the Windy City.
 
• Defense has keyed the Panthers' wins this season as they are surrendering only 54.6 points per game and limiting opponents to just 36.4 percent (142-for-390) from the field. In defeats, those figures jump to 78.1 ppg and 51 percent (397-for-779) from the field.
 
• Milwaukee is 5-2 this season when knocking down eight or more three-point field goals.
 
• Milwaukee, which has won five of its last seven home games, is averaging 72.0 points per game and shooting 54.7 percent (52-for-95) from the field during its current two-game winning streak at Panther Arena.
 
• Milwaukee has won its last 11 games when holding the opposition to fewer than 60 points. The Panthers have surrendered more than 60 points just once in their wins this season.
 
• The Panthers had a great fall in the classroom posting a 3.078 team GPA for the Fall 2014 term.
 
ABOUT THE FLAMES
UIC, which is coached by former University of Wisconsin player and assistant coach Howard Moore, has dropped five straight games since winning back-to-back contests versus Judson and Youngstown State and is 0-9 in true road games this season. Seven of the Flames' 16 losses have been by eight or fewer points. UIC has had difficulty putting the ball in the basket, hitting just 36.9 percent of its field-goal attempts and 28.6 percent of its tries from beyond the arc. Guard Jay Harris leads the Flames with 14.2 points per game, while junior forward Jake Weigand pitches in 11.3 ppg and leads the club with 6.9 rpg.
 
SERIES STUFF
Milwaukee holds a 39-24 advantage in the all-time series with UIC and the Panthers have captured 12 of the last 14 meetings between the teams. When playing on its home court, Milwaukee has dominated the series to the tune of a 27-8 edge and it has prevailed in seven of the last eight meetings in Milwaukee. Last season, the teams split the regular-season series, with the road team winning each time out. Kelsey Barlow tallied 23 points to lead UIC to an 80-58 victory in Milwaukee when the teams last hooked up on February 25, 2014 Kyle Kelm scored a team-high 12 points to lead the Panthers, who shot just 31.6 percent (18-for-57) from the field in that game.
 
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 over the last month and is averaging 11.0 ppg, 4.7 rpg and shooting 47.3 percent (26-for-55) from the field in the last six games. Springs, who has knocked down 10 of his last 29 (.345) attempts from three-point territory and scored in double figures in four of the last six outings, just missed out on his first career double-double when he totaled nine points and a career-best 13 rebounds against Wright State on January 20. He is contributing 9.8 ppg and shooting 45.6 percent (36-for-79) from the field and 34.5 percent (10-for-29) from three-point range in the Panthers' last 11 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 28 of his last 38 (.737) 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 13 starts this season, Springs is tallying 8.6 ppg, 4.8 rpg and 1.3 apg and in Milwaukee's last four home games is going for 14.8 ppg, 4.5 rpg and shooting 52.5 percent (21-for-40) from the field, including 41.7 percent (5-for-12) from three-point range. In Horizon League play, he is accounting for 9.9 ppg and shooting 45.8 percent (27-for-59) 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 12 outings, the 6-foot-8 forward is pitching in 14.8 ppg, 8.3 rpg, 2.2 apg and shooting 45.4 percent (59-for-130) 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 fourth in the conference with 7.3 rpg and sits second in League contests only with 8.4 rpg. Tiby is averaging 11.8 ppg and 7.3 rpg through 21 games this season and has scored in double figures 15 times, including in each of the last 12 outings. He is shooting 51.6 percent (32-for-62) from the field in the last six outings and has knocked down 50 of his last 58 (.862) attempts from the free throw line, including each of the last 10. 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 five of the last 14 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 14.6 ppg, 8.4 rpg and shooting 49.3 percent (36-for-73) from the field. In two career meetings with UIC, Tiby has put up 11.5 ppg and 3.5 rpg. The junior forward is accounting for 12.7 ppg, 9.7 rpg and 1.7 apg in Milwaukee's last three League home games.
 
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 14.1 ppg in 2014-15. McWhorter, who has converted 13 of his last 16 (.813) attempts from the foul line, has scored in double digits on 31 occasions in his UWM career and the Panthers are 18-13 in those contests. A starter in all 56 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 18 of the team's 21 games this season and has scored in double digits in 18 of the last 20 outings. A winner in every sense of the word, in three previous 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 15.7 ppg, 6.1 rpg and 4.0 apg in Milwaukee's wins this year and in the last four contests has dished out 6.3 apg. 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. During his current seven-game streak with double-figure scoring, McWhorter is posting 14.0 ppg, 3.4 rpg and 5.6 apg, while knocking down 50 percent (32-for-64) of his field-goal attempts.  Over his last four home games, he is contributing 15.5 ppg, 4.3 rpg and 5.3 apg. and shooting at a 55.3 percent clip (21-for-38) from the field, including 45 percent (9-for-20) from long distance.
 
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 36.7 percent (33-for-90) from beyond the arc and scored a career-best 15-points 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 tossed in 11 points in a win at UIC last season, is perfect from the field (5-5 FG, 4-4 3FG) against the Flames in his brief career. Four of his five double-digit-scoring performances this season have come at Panther Arena, where he is shooting 51.1 percent (23-for-45) from the field and 48.6 percent (18-for-37) from three-point land. In his career, Milwaukee is 7-1 when he scores in double digits. His marksmanship has helped the Panthers to victory this season as he is contributing 9.7 ppg and knocking down 52.6 percent (20-for-38) of his field-goal tries and 54.8 percent (17-for-31) 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 13 of his last 15 (.867) attempts from the foul line.
 
MAKE SHOTS, WIN GAMES
Milwaukee, which has won seven of the last eight games in which it has shot at least 50 percent from the field, is posting 72.3 ppg and hitting 52.1 percent (74-for-142) from the field and 41.4 percent (24-for-for-58) from three in its last three victories.
 
PANTHERS GET CHARITABLE
Milwaukee has reversed its fortunes at the foul line, shooting a healthy 75.8 percent (257-for-339) over the last 17 contests. Through the first three games of 2014-15, the Panthers knocked down just 55.4 percent (36-for-65) of their charity throws.
 
JORDAN RULES
True freshman Justin Jordan registered his best performance since the season opener when he dropped in a season-high 17 points versus Wright State on January 20. Jordan's 17 points are the most by a Milwaukee freshman since Austin Arians collected 17 points versus Loyola Chicago on January 30, 2013. The 6-foot-3 guard, who is the nephew of former Chicago Bulls guard, Hall of Famer and six-time NBA champion Michael Jordan, is averaging 9.3 ppg, 1.7 rpg and 1.3 apg, while shooting 50 percent (10-for-20) from the field in the last three contests. In the Panthers' last two home games, the Davidson, N.C., native is contributing 12.0 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 2.5 apg, and shooting 66.7 percent (8-for-12) from the field and 60 percent (3-for-5) from three-point range. He has scored in double digits in two of the last three games and in Monday's loss at Valparaiso tallied all 11 of his points in the second half. In Milwaukee's wins, Jordan is putting up 7.3 ppg and converting 47.1 percent (8-for-17) of his triple tries.
 
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 18 games this season, has scored in double figures on six occasions recently put together a season-high, 15-point performance at Oakland, his best output since totaling a career-best 16 points at Youngstown State on February 15, 2013. A native of Brodhead, Wis., Panoske is shooting 49 percent (25-for-51) from the field in the last nine 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. With two blocks against Wright State on January 20, Panoske moved into a tie with Craig Greene (1990-93) atop the UWM all-time list with 87 rejections. He is pitching in 8.3 ppg, 4.8 rpg and 1.3 bpg, while sinking 50 percent (11-for-22) of his field-goal attempts in the last four home games.
 
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.