Milwaukee vs. Oakland Game Notes (pdf)

MILWAUKEE (9-15, 4-6) vs. OAKLAND (12-13, 7-3)
FEBRUARY 10, 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 tries to extend its home-court winning streak to five games when it hosts surging Oakland, which has won seven of its last eight outings, Tuesday night. A win would give the Panthers their first five-game winning streak at home since a five-game run, February 14, 2012 - November 17, 2013.
 
• The Panthers have shot the ball well from the perimeter recently, connecting on 42.1 percent (24-for-57) of their three-point attempts in the last three contests after draining just 23.7 percent (50-for-211) of their triple tries in the previous 10 games. Milwaukee's nine threes at Green Bay on February 5 are its most since December 14 versus Montana (9).
 
• Milwaukee has been a different team when playing at home, where it has posted an 8-3 record this season, surpassing its total number of wins on its home floor in 2013-14 (7). During their current four-game winning streak at UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena, the Panthers are averaging 73.8 points per game and shooting 48.7 (96-for-197) from the field, 41.1 percent (30-for-73) from beyond the arc and 80.7 percent (71-for-88) from the foul line.
 
• Defense has keyed the Panthers' wins this season as they are surrendering only 57.9 points per game and limiting opponents to just 38.5 percent (192-for-499) from the field. In defeats, those figures jump to 78.3 ppg and 51.3 percent (429-for-837) from the field.
 
• 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 three times in nine 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 GOLDEN GRIZZLIES
Oakland had a seven-game winning streak snapped when it dropped an 82-76 decision at Horizon League co-leader Valparaiso on Sunday. The high-scoring Golden Grizzlies, who lead the Horizon League in scoring offense with 73.5 ppg, are lighting up the scoreboard for 87.6 ppg in their last three contests. Oakland annually plays one of the top nonconference schedules in the country and this season was no different as it faced Iowa State, Michigan State, Arizona, Maryland, Pittsburgh and Clemson. Sophomore do-it-all guard Kahlil Felder leads Oakland in scoring (17.1 ppg), and assists (7.4 apg), and despite his 5-foot-9 frame, is also pulling down 4.6 rpg. Senior post player Corey Petros chips in 14.6 ppg and leads the team with 8.3 rpg, while Dante Williams adds 10.0 ppg.
 
SERIES STUFF
Milwaukee and Oakland are meeting for the 11th time in a series that dates back to the 1969-70 season. The Panthers own an 8-2 lead in the all-time series, though the teams have split their last four meetings. Last month, Oakland shot 52.9 percent from the field and received 18 points apiece from Kahlil Felder and Corey Petros in a 66-53 victory at the O'rena in Rochester, Mich. J.J. Panoske was one of four Panthers to score in double figures in the game, finishing with a team-best and season-high 15 points in only 17 minutes of action. Milwaukee has won all five of the meetings between the teams in Brew Town, and last season benefited from 23 points from Jordan Aaron and 10 points and 17 rebounds from Matt Tiby in an 86-64 victory on February 2, 2014.
 
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 of late and in Milwaukee's last three outings is accounting for 16.7 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 3.7 apg and 1.3 spg, while shooting 47.1 percent (16-for-34) from the field and 75 percent (15-for-20) from the foul line. The 6-foot-4 guard, who transferred from Northern Illinois, has scored in double figures in seven of the last nine contests and is coming off of a 16-point, five-rebound, four-assist effort at Green Bay on February 5. He is contributing 11.3 ppg and shooting 46 percent (52-for-113) from the field and 33.3 percent (13-for-39) from three-point range in the Panthers' last 14 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 43 of his last 58 (.741) 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 16 starts this season, Springs is tallying 10.1 ppg, 5.3 rpg and 1.8 apg. In Horizon League play, he is accounting for 11.9 ppg and shooting 46.2 percent (43-for-93) from the field. Springs has scored in double digits in five of the last six home games and is posting 15.5 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 1.7 apg, 1.2 spg and shooting 49.2 percent (30-for-61) from the field in the last half-dozen outings at Panther Arena. He is contributing 10.8 ppg and 5.8 rpg in Milwaukee's wins. Springs owns a 4.0 assist-to-turnover ratio (8-2) in the last two contests and in Milwaukee's first meeting with Oakland this season contributed 10 points and five rebounds.
 
VALUING THE ROCK
In its last two home games, Milwaukee has averaged just 9.0 turnovers per game after committing 28 total turnovers in its previous two outings at Panther Arena. The Panthers are 4-1 this season when they have 10 or fewer turnovers. 
 
TIBY TIDBITS
The Panthers' emotional leader, Matt Tiby has been consistently producing great numbers for the last two months. Over the last 15 outings, the 6-foot-8 forward is pitching in 15.7 ppg, 8.7 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 tied for second in the conference with 7.7 rpg and sits first in League contests only with 9.0 rpg. Tiby and Anton Grady (Cleveland State) are the only two players to rank among the top five in the League in both scoring and rebounding in conference play. Tiby is averaging 12.7 ppg and 7.7 rpg through 24 games this season and has scored in double figures 18 times, including in each of the last 15 outings. He is shooting 47 percent (47-for-100) from the field in the last nine outings and has knocked down 34 of his last 38 (.895) overall attempts from the free throw line. 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. Tiby has registered a double-double in seven of the last 17 games. In League action this season, he is putting up 15.9 ppg and 9.0 rpg. In three career meetings with Oakland, Tiby has victimized the Golden Grizzlies to the tune of 12.7 ppg, 11.3 rpg, 4.0 apg and 1.3 spg, while shooting 50 percent (15-for-30) from the field. He had 13 points and seven boards at Oakland on January 22 and last season corralled a career-best 17 boards in a home victory over the Grizzlies. He has scored in double figures in eight consecutive home games, averaging 14.3 ppg and 9.3 rpg during that stretch. His current streak of 15 straight games with double-digit points is the longest by a Panther since Joah Tucker in 2005-06 (27 games). 
 
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 13.9 ppg in 2014-15. McWhorter, who was limited to a season-low five points at Green Bay on February 5, has scored in double digits on 33 occasions in his UWM career and the Panthers are 20-13 in those contests. A starter in all 59 of his appearances as a Panther, McWhorter matched a career high by pouring in 21 points against Green Bay on January 9. He has scored in double digits in 20 of the last 23 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 15.9 ppg, 5.7 rpg and 4.2 apg in Milwaukee's wins this year and in three career games versus Oakland is tallying 13.0 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 6.0 apg and is shooting 50 percent (11-for-22) from the field. 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 scored in double digits in six straight home games (15.8 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 5.2 apg, 1.5 spg) and has played all 40 minutes in five of the last nine contests. Over the last six home games, McWhorter has drained 55.9 percent (33-for-59) of his field goal attempts and 46.2 percent (12-for-26) of his triple tries. 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.
 
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 three outings, Wichmann is putting up 10.3 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 1.0 apg and 1.0 spg and shooting 47.8 percent from the field (11-for-23) and 56.3 percent (9-for-16) 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 39.6 percent (42-for-106) from beyond the arc and scored a career-best 15-points against Youngstown State on January 14.  In the last four games at Panther Arena, Wichmann is averaging 9.5 ppg off the bench and shooting a sizzling 56.5 percent (13-for-23) from the field and 63.2 percent (12-for-19) from three-point range. Five of his seven double-digit-scoring performances this season have come at Panther Arena, where he is shooting 50.8 percent (30-for-59) from the field and 51.1 percent (24-for-47) 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 9.0 ppg and knocking down 51.9 percent (27-for-52) of his field-goal tries and 56.1 percent (23-for-41) 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.
 
PANTHERS GET CHARITABLE
Milwaukee has reversed its fortunes at the foul line, shooting a healthy 76.5 percent (314-for-410) over the last 21 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 73.7 percent, Milwaukee leads the Horizon League and ranks 29th in the nation in free throw percentage through games of February 7.
 
JORDAN RULES
True freshman Justin Jordan is beginning to emerge as a consistent scoring threat. Jordan's season-high 17 points against Wright State on January 20 were 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 8.3 ppg, 1.8 rpg and 2.2 apg, while shooting 43.6 percent (17-for-39) from the field in the last six contests. In Milwaukee's last three games at Panther Arena, he is producing 12.3 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 3.3 apg and draining 54.5 percent (12-for-22) of his shots from the field, including 50 percent (6-for-12) from downtown. He has an admirable 2.8 assist-to-turnover ratio (14-5) at home this season and Milwaukee is 6-3 when he scores seven or more points. In Milwaukee's wins, Jordan, who has scored in double figures three times in the last six games, is putting up 7.9 ppg and converting 46.2 percent (12-for-26) of his triple tries. He has knocked down nine of his last 11 attempts (.818) from the foul line.
 
PANOSKE PRODUCES
Forward J.J. Panoske, who is contributing 6.7 ppg this season, has more than doubled his offensive output after averaging just 3.2 ppg in 2013-14. The 6-foot-10 junior, who has started 21 games this season, has scored in double figures on six occasions and on January 22 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 has drained 27 of his last 31 (.871) attempts from the foul line. With a block against Detroit on January 31, Panoske moved into sole possession of the UWM all-time record with 88 rejections. He has scored in double figures four times in 11 home games in 2014-15. Over the last four contests, Panoske is mustering just 2.5 ppg and 2.8 rpg after putting up 9.5 ppg and 4.0 rpg in the previous four outings.
 
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.