Milwaukee at Wright State Game Notes (pdf)

MILWAUKEE (12-16, 7-7) at WRIGHT STATE (11-17, 3-11)
FEBRUARY 26, 2015 – 7 P.M. ET
NUTTER CENTER – DAYTON, OHIO
ESPN3
WISN (AM 1130)
 
THE OPENING TIP
• Milwaukee looks for its second consecutive road victory and third straight win overall when it travels to Wright State Thursday night. The Panthers have won seven of their last 11 games overall including three of their last four, and are coming off of a 66-60 victory over Horizon League title contender Cleveland State. Thursday's game is a rematch of the 2014 Horizon League Championship game, which Milwaukee claimed, 69-63, at the Nutter Center, on March 11, 2014.
 
• The Panthers have snapped out of a shooting funk to knock down shots at an impressive clip from the perimeter. Over the last seven outings, Milwaukee is hitting 43.2 percent (60-for-139) of its three-point field goal attempts after sinking just 23.7 percent (50-for-211) of its triple tries in the previous 10 contests. Milwaukee is 8-4 this season when it knocks down eight or more three-pointers.
 
• Taking care of the basketball has also been a key to the Panthers' last few wins as they are coughing the ball up just 8.4 times per game in their last five victories. Milwaukee is 7-1 this season when it commits 10 or fewer miscues.
 
• Milwaukee is allowing just 60.0 points per game and is limiting opponents to 37.3 percent (44-for-118) accuracy from the field in its last two games, both victories.
 
• Through games of February 23, forward Matt Tiby ranked 34th in the nation with 6.36 defensive rebounds per contest.  With 7.8 rebounds per outing, Tiby has a chance to become the first Panther ever to lead the Horizon League in rebounding for a season. Corey Petros (Oakland) paces the circuit with 8.2 rpg.
 
• The Panthers had a great semester in the classroom posting a 3.078 team GPA for the Fall 2014 term.
 
ABOUT THE RAIDERS
Wright State has been decimated by injuries this season and comes into Thursday's game having dropped 10 of its last 11 decisions, though each of its last four setbacks have come by nine points or less. Junior forward JT Yoho leads the Raiders with 16.1 points and 6.7 rebounds per game, but he has been sidelined for the last 10 games with an injury. Guard Joe Thomasson, a junior college transfer, is pitching in 10.2 ppg and 5.5 rpg, and freshman guard Grant Benzinger, the son of former Cincinnati Red Todd Benzinger, has been a key contributor of late, contributing 20.0 ppg over the last five games, while shooting 50 percent (36-for-72) from the field. Wright State has lost six straight home games.
 
SERIES STUFF
This is the 51st meeting between Milwaukee and Wright State and the Panthers hold a 27-23 advantage in the all-time series. The Panthers have claimed each of the last three meetings between the teams, including a 67-41 decision at UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena on January 20 as Justin Jordan tallied a season-high 17 points to lead Milwaukee, which held Wright State to 27.5 percent (14-for-51) shooting from the field, the lowest mark allowed since January 12, 2012 versus WSU (25.5 percent; 13-for-51). The last time the Panthers took the floor at the Nutter Center, they left as champions after winning the 2014 Horizon League Championship, 69-63, to earn the program's fourth NCAA Tournament bid.  Milwaukee led from start to finish in that contest as Kyle Kelm totaled 20 points and nine boards to pace the Panthers. Milwaukee's lone win in its last 10 trips to the Nutter Center came in last year's Horizon League Championship game.
 
SPRINGS FEVER
Fully recovered from a broken hand that hampered his shooting for the better part of the first month of the 2014-15 season, Akeem Springs has been a force at both ends of the floor and in Milwaukee's last seven outings is accounting for 14.7 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 3.1 apg and 1.0 spg, while shooting 48.1 percent (39-for-81) from the field. The 6-foot-4 guard, who transferred from Northern Illinois, has scored in double figures in 10 of the last 13 contests and recorded his first-ever double-double (13 points, 10 rebounds) against Oakland on February 10. He is contributing 11.7 ppg and shooting 46.9 percent (75-for-160) from the field in the Panthers' last 18 outings after managing just 6.0 ppg on 24.6 percent (17-for-69) shooting from the field in his previous eight appearances. Springs has buried 45 of his last 63 (.714) tries from the charity stripe after opening the year by hitting 9 of his first 17 (.529) foul shots and in the last two road games is pitching in 16.5 ppg, 4.0 rpg and 2.5 apg, while shooting 52.2 percent (12-for-23) from the field and 60 percent (3-for-5) from beyond the arc. He is contributing 11.8 ppg and 6.2 rpg in Milwaukee's wins and in the last pair of games is notching 15.5 ppg, 6.0 rpg and shooting a blistering 61.9 percent (13-for-21) from the field. Springs, who recorded nine points and 13 boards versus Wright State last month, owns an impressive 4.75 assist-to-turnover ratio (19-4) in the last six contests.
 
McWHORTER NAMED PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Steve McWhorter was named Horizon League Player of the Week on Monday after putting up 17.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 6.5 apg, 1.5 spg and 1.0 bpg, and shooting 50 percent (12-for-24) from the field to lead Milwaukee to a pair of victories last week. This marks the second time in the senior guard's career that he has been so honored and he also was the last Panther to claim the award, doing so on November 18, 2013. McWhorter matched a career high with 21 points and added six boards and four assists in a 71-60 victory at UIC on February 19, then just missed out on recording his fourth double-double of the season, on Senior Day no less, by tallying 13 points, nine assists, four rebounds, two blocks and a pair of steals in a 66-60 win against Cleveland State on February 22.
 
TIBY TIDBITS
The Panthers' emotional leader, Matt Tiby has been consistently producing great numbers since early December. Over the last 19 outings, the 6-foot-8 forward is pitching in 14.8 ppg, 8.6 rpg and 1.9 apg after managing 7.8 ppg, 6.0 rpg and 1.9 apg through the first nine contests. A 2015 Preseason Second Team All-Horizon League selection, the Urbandale, Iowa native ranks second in the conference with 7.8 rpg and sits second in League contests only with 8.7 rpg. Tiby is one of four players to rank among the top 10 in the League in both scoring and rebounding in conference play. Tiby is averaging 12.6 ppg and 7.8 rpg through 28 games this season and has scored in double figures 22 times, including in each of the last 19 outings. With a career-high-tying 22 points and 12 boards at Green Bay on February 5, he registered his seventh double-double of the season, surpassing his total from a year ago (6), and Milwaukee is now 9-4 in his career when he totals 10 or more points and rebounds. The seven double-doubles are the most by a Panther in a single season since Adrian Tigert had nine in 2005-06. In League action this season, he is putting up 14.7 ppg and 8.7 rpg. Tiby, who had 12 points and six boards against Wright State last month, is averaging 11.0 ppg and 6.7 rpg against the Vikings in his career. He has scored in double figures in nine consecutive road games, averaging 15.9 ppg and 8.6 rpg during that stretch. His current streak of 19 straight games with double-digit points is the longest by a Panther since Joah Tucker in 2005-06 (27 games). Tiby has knocked down 7 of his last 18 three-point attempts (.389) after making just 1 of his previous 20 (.050). He is connecting on only 33.7 percent (28-for-83) of his field goal tries over the last seven outings after draining 51.6 percent (32-for-62) in the previous six contests.
 
STEVIE WONDERFUL
Redshirt senior Steve McWhorter has saved his best season for his last. After averaging 7.8 ppg last season, the Racine, Wis., native leads the Panthers with 14.3 ppg in 2014-15.  McWhorter, who matched a career high with 21 points to go with six rebounds, three assists and a steal at UIC on February 19, has scored in double digits on 37 occasions in his UWM career and the Panthers are 23-14 in those contests. A starter in all 63 of his appearances as a Panther, McWhorter has a 2.92 assist-to-turnover ratio (38-13) over the last six contests. He has scored in double digits in 24 of the last 27 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 16.2 ppg, 5.5 rpg and 5.0 apg in Milwaukee's wins this year and had 10 points against Wright State last month. Milwaukee is 0-4 this season when he has failed to score at least 10 points this season. 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. McWhorter has played all 40 minutes in five of the last 13 contests and if you dismiss the game at Green Bay on February 5, when he was just 1-for-12 from the field, is contributing 16.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 4.5 apg and 1.5 spg, while shooting 56.5 percent (13-for-23) from the field in the last two road games. His six steals versus Detroit on January 31 are the most by a Panther since Larry Treadwell had a half dozen thefts against Butler on February 9, 1998. McWhorter is putting up 16.3 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 6.5 apg, 1.5 spg and 1.0 bpg, while connecting on 52.1 percent (25-for-48) of his field goal attempts and 50 percent (5-for-10) of his three-point tries in the last four contests. McWhorter has converted his last eight attempts from the foul line.
 
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. Over the last seven outings, Wichmann is putting up 7.1 ppg and shooting 51.5 percent from the field (17-for-33) and 56.5 percent (13-for-23) from three-point territory. In his previous three games, Wichmann mustered 1.7 ppg on just 11.1 percent (1-for-9) shooting from the field and downtown. The 6-foot-5 guard is shooting 40.7 percent (46-for-113) from beyond the arc and scored a career-best 15-points against Youngstown State on January 14.  Five of his seven double-digit-scoring performances this season have come at Panther Arena, where he is shooting 53.7 percent (36-for-67) from the field and 53.8 percent (28-for-52) from three-point land. In his career, Milwaukee is 8-2 when he scores in double digits. His marksmanship has helped the Panthers to victory this season as he is contributing 7.8 ppg and knocking down 51.7 percent (31-for-60) of his field-goal tries and 54.3 percent (25-for-46) 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 16 of his last 19 (.842) attempts from the foul line.
 
 
PANTHERS GET CHARITABLE
After a slow start, Milwaukee has reversed its fortunes at the foul line, shooting a healthy 76.1 percent (356-for-468) over the last 25 contests. Through the first three games of 2014-15, the Panthers knocked down just 55.4 percent (36-for-65) of their charity throws. At 73.5 percent, Milwaukee ranks second in the Horizon League and 35th in the nation in free throw percentage through games of February 23.
 
PANOSKE PRODUCES
J.J. Panoske has scored in double figures in each of the last three games, marking the first time in his career he has totaled 10 or more points in three or more consecutive outings. During this current three-game stretch, the 6-foot-10 junior forward is putting up 14.3 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 1.0 apg, 2.0 bpg, 1.0 spg and shooting 55.2 percent (16-for-29) from the field and 60 percent (9-for-15) from three-point territory. In the previous five games, Panoske managed 3.2 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 0.4 apg, 0.4 bpg, 0.4 spg and knocked down 26.1 percent (6-for-23) from the field and 16.7 percent (1-for-6) from long distance. Milwaukee's career blocks leader with 95 rejections, Panoske is coming off of a career-high, 19-point effort, which included five three-point field goals, versus Cleveland State on Sunday. He has converted 30 of his last 34 (.882) overall attempts from the foul line, including 12 of the last 13 (.923) on the road. Panoske has shot lights from beyond the arc recently, hitting 10 of his last 17 (.588) shots after sinking just 3 of his previous 24 (.125) from three-point land. Milwaukee is 4-1 this season when he knocks down two or more triples and in the Panthers' last road game Panoske totaled 14 points, six rebounds and two blocks at UIC on February 19.
 
JORDAN RULES
Freshman Justin Jordan had his best game as a Panther the last time Milwaukee faced Wright State. In that game on January 20, the 6-foot-3 nephew of Hall of Famer Michael Jordan went for a season-high 17 points, hitting 6 of 7 shots from the field, and added four boards and three assists to power Milwaukee to a 67-41 victory. The Panthers are 7-3 this season when Jordan scores seven or more points and he has knocked down 12 of his last 31 (.387) triple tries after misfiring on his previous 13 attempts. In Milwaukee's wins, the Davidson, N.C. native is producing 7.4 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 1.6 apg, and shooting 45.2 percent (28-for-62) from the field and 47.1 percent (16-for-34) from long distance.
 
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.