BOULDER, Colo. – A late scoring run by Colorado put the home team back ahead and spoiled a strong defensive effort by the Milwaukee men's basketball team, falling by a final score of 65-54 victory Friday night at the CU Events Center.
 
The Panthers (2-7) used a strong second-half showing to lead the Buffaloes (8-3) late, taking a final advantage at 52-51 with under four minutes remaining. From there a scoring run of 12 straight decided Milwaukee's fate, helping the home team improve to 6-1 on the season.
 
"For about 35 minutes, we really fought and gave ourselves an opportunity to win tonight," head coach Pat Baldwin said. "The last five minutes was where it turned and to not be in the bonus late hurt as well. Our guys really fought tonight and I told them they played well enough to win, but we need to play better to finish and get the win."
 
Jordan Lathon led Milwaukee with 14 points, sinking 4-of-6 from three-point range while adding three rebounds and three assists.
 
Patrick Baldwin Jr. added 12 points, grabbing five rebounds.
 
Milwaukee used an 8-0 run of its own to forge ahead late in the second, taking an initial lead of 48-46 on a Baldwin Jr. three.
 
Back-and-forth from there, MKE was also ahead at 50-49 on a Tafari Simms dunk and again at 52-51 on a PBJ layup – all the while holding the Buffaloes without a field goal for a span of 7:45 on the clock.
 
"Our defense has to carry us and if we get this kind of defensive effort, most nights we will be pretty successful," Baldwin said. "I am just proud of our guys. They played hard, they fought, and they gave us a chance with our defense. Just not enough at the end. I thought our legs were tired at the end and couldn't make the plays that we needed."
 
From that point it was all Colorado, finishing the contest on a 14-2 run overall to claim the late comeback.
 
The first half was a defensive battle both ways, with Colorado holding a slim 28-24 edge at the break. MKE came out strong, as the Buffs did not have a point until the 14:22 mark, at which time Milwaukee led 7-2.
 
A PBJ 3 made it 10-6 at the 11:28 mark but then MKE went cold from floor. Five straight from the home team put them ahead, 11-10, and they held the advantage the rest of the period, but only able to grow the lead to as many as seven in the final minute at 26-19 before Lathon would come through with a three and a jumper to trim the deficit to four at the halftime horn.
 
The Panthers finished the game at 36.4 percent (20-of-55) from the floor following a chilly 30 percent in the first half. CU ended the hard-fought night at 42.9 percent (24-of-56) after a strong surge to end it.
 
Up next, the Panthers return home for a matchup Monday with Rhode Island. Tip-off at UWM Panther Arena is set for 7 p.m.