MILWAUKEE – A late scoring run provided the last of 13 lead changes on the day and helped send the Milwaukee men's basketball team past Robert Morris by a final score of 77-69 Saturday afternoon at UWM Panther Arena.
 
"Good bounce-back win after a tough one on Thursday and a short turnaround," head coach Pat Baldwin said. "Just really proud of our guys for their fight and resilience. It was great to have Patrick back and playing, but we had contributions from everyone – from Donovan Newby to Josh Thomas, and even some of the unheralded ones like Jordan [Lathon] who had 10 assists and Joey [St. Pierre] had four blocks. It was an all-around effort and really proud of our guys today and their fight back."
 
In a game seen nationally on ESPNU, the Panthers (2-6, 1-1 Horizon League) welcomed back Patrick Baldwin Jr. to the lineup after missing the past three games with injury. He responded with a season-high 26 points, helping Milwaukee to the win over the Colonials (0-7, 0-2 Horizon League) on a day the team set season-highs in three-pointers made (14), assists (22), and blocks (10).
 
"We needed it badly," Baldwin said of the win. "Every game we want to win and I think of every game as a must-win. I think our guys are confident, but to get even more confident, you need those W's in that column to take it to another level and the work that you put in, you want to see the fruits of your labor."
 
Tied at 61-61, the Panthers went on a 12-2 scoring run that pushed their lead to double-figures for the first time all contest, easily fending off RMU the rest of the way.
 
Baldwin Jr. equaled the 30-year old school record for three-point field-goal percentage in a game by making all six of his three-point attempts, adding seven rebounds, three assists and a pair of blocks.
 
Josh Thomas had a huge second half, scoring 15 of his 19 points after intermission, while recording four rebounds, four assists, three steals, and two blocks.
 
Donovan Newby contributed 16 points and three steals, while Jordan Lathon stuffed the stat sheet with six points, a team-high nine rebounds, a career-best 10 assists, two blocks, and a steal. In the post, Joey St. Pierre added eight boards and four more blocks.
 
Rasheen Dunn led Robert Morris with 21 points, adding six rebounds and six assists.
 
The second half went back-and-forth to start, with a three from Baldwin Jr. putting MKE ahead at 43-42, and another making it 47-45. A triple from Newby pushed the next scoring spurt to 7-0 and forced a timeout by RMU at 57-53.
 
Tied at 59-all and again at 61-61, Lathon connected from long range, followed by three more from Thomas to start the decisive run. PBJ added a pair of free throws, the streak hit 12-2, and the lead was 10 at 73-63 on a Thomas free throw with 2:05 to go.
 
RMU would try and get back in it down the stretch, but a perfect 4-for-4 effort from the line (Newby and Thomas) in the final 1:40 sealed it.
 
Down early, the Panthers used the three-point shot to find their way and forge ahead. It was the Baldwin Jr. show at one point, connecting on four consecutive from long range to jump ahead 25-23. The team connected on seven of its first 11 from deep, but still trailed by one at the break at 37-36 when the Colonials hit one at the buzzer.
 
Milwaukee ended the day at 47.3 percent (26-of-55) from the floor overall, as well as 56 percent (14-of-25) from distance. In addition to a season-high, the 10 blocks actually tied for third-most in a game in program history.
 
Up next, the Panthers hit the road for a contest at Colorado next, set to tip off at 8:30 p.m. CST on December 10.