MILWAUKEE – Darius Roy scored 25 points but a late scoring run and a near-perfect showing from the free throw line in the closing minutes helped Green Bay pull out a 92-82 victory over the Milwaukee men's basketball team Saturday night at UWM Panther Arena.
"It was a very good game to open up the conference season and it didn't turn out the way we had hoped," head coach
Pat Baldwin said. "Our guys fought, they came and played with a lot of energy."
The Panthers (5-9, 0-1 Horizon League) led for the entire first half and fought back to draw even with the Phoenix (7-7, 1-0 Horizon League) at 68-68 with 8:10 remaining in the contest.
From there, a scoring run helped the visitors take control, using an 11-1 stretch to surge ahead. Milwaukee cut the deficit to four with 90 seconds left, but a 9-for-10 showing from the line the rest of the way sealed the win for Green Bay.
"I thought our guys were locked in to everything that Green Bay wanted to do in the first half," Baldwin said. "I think we made some really good plays to give us the lead. Second half was a back-and-forth game, there were just some key plays that Green Bay made, and we didn't. Whether it was on the offensive end or the defensive end, and I think that was the difference."
Roy was one of five in double-figures, joined by
DeAndre Abram (13 points/6 rebounds),
Bryce Barnes (12),
Jake Wright (12) and
Vance Johnson (10 points/6 rebounds).
Green Bay was led by Sandy Cohen, who went for a season-high 28 points on 7-of-12 shooting from the floor. He added six rebounds, four assists and an 11-for-12 showing from the free throw line.
Up 42-39 at the half, the second featured a back-and-forth battle, with teams continuing to respond to every surge. Green Bay went ahead for the first time at the 16:22 mark and the next 8-plus minutes then featured six ties and seven lead changes.
Tied, 52-52, Roy helped MKE edge ahead with a hoop. Down one, Johnson threw down a ferocious dunk to put his team back ahead, 56-55. Green Bay continued to answer, and Roy did the same. His fastbreak layup gave the Panthers a 62-60 advantage and a deep three-pointer broke a 62-all tie as well.
Wright's three from the corner knotted things at 68-68, and that was when the tide changed. The Phoenix went on that 11-1 scoring run to take control, with the strong showing from the charity stripe over the final 90 seconds of the night ruining any chance for another late Milwaukee comeback.
"Give them credit," Baldwin said. "They pushed through in the end when it was neck-and-neck. Went on a little run and we couldn't recover and that was the difference."
The Panthers finished the night at 41.7 percent (30-for-72) from the floor, finishing with 12 made three-pointers. Green Bay ended the night at an even 50 percent (28-for-56), taking a large advantage from the free throw line. The visitors went to the line 33 times (making 27), compared to just 13 (making 10) for Milwaukee.
The decision put a damper on another great start for the Panthers, who came out of the gates up 14-2.
Up next, the Panthers remain at home, playing the second of three in a row at UWM Panther Arena Thursday when they host Cleveland State. Tip time against the Vikings is set for 7 p.m.
