MILWAUKEE – The Milwaukee men's basketball team battled to the end, coming up just short in a 61-57 loss to Alcorn State Sunday afternoon at UWM Panther Arena.
 
"It was a great opportunity for us today and we just didn't get it done," head coach Pat Baldwin said. "There are some plays that could have been in a back-and-forth game. When you are up eight, you have to continue to get defensive stops and make plays on the offensive end."
 
Taking the court with five players unavailable due to injury, the Panthers (1-5) led at the break and still were ahead, 43-42, with under eight minutes remaining before a 10-0 surge by the Braves (1-5) have them control.
 
"The guys that were on the floor, they played extremely hard today," Baldwin said. "They have to make those plays. I want to give our guys who were available credit. They fought extremely hard today but just didn't get it done."
 
Milwaukee made it interesting late, only to see the visitors cement the decision in the final minute from the free throw line.
 
DeAndre Gholston led the way with 17 points, adding five rebounds. Joey St. Pierre was a rebound away from a second-straight double-double (13 points/9 rebounds) and Donovan Newby joined them in double-figures with 12, adding three assists and four steals.
 
Paul King had a big game off the bench for Alcorn State, leading the way with 18 points. Lenell Henry finished with 12 points and 12 boards.
 
"They made the plays that they had to and we didn't," Baldwin said. "Whether it was free throws or plays at the rim. We had some open looks and just didn't knock them down."
 
Milwaukee used a large scoring run spanning both halves, eventually leading 30-22 on a layup by Newby at the 16:47 mark that capped a 16-2 run in which the defense held the Braves to 1-16 shooting from the floor.
 
Alcorn State responded, forgoing ahead in a stretch where the lead changed seven times, seeing a final advantage for the home team at 43-42 on a Jordan Lathon layup with 7:44 to go. From there, the Braves netted 10 unanswered to take control.
 
The first half was a bit disjointed, with neither team faring very well from the floor, with the MKE defense limiting the Braves to 25.7 percent (9-of-35). With the Panthers up early, eight straight by Alcorn State turned the scoreboard to 10-7 for the visitors. Tied again at 10-all, the Braves pulled ahead 16-10 to force a timeout by the home team.
 
From there it was all Milwaukee into the locker room, with five from Gholston and a dunk and layup by St. Pierre accounting for a 9-0 scoring punch to the halftime horn.
 
The final numbers in the defensive battle saw the visitors at 37.3 percent (24-of-64), with MKE wrapping up the day at 38.5 percent (20-of-52), with a tough go from long-range at 17.4 percent (13-of-20).
 
Up next, the Panthers open Horizon League play when they host Youngstown State Thursday. Game time against the Penguins is set for 7 p.m.