MILWAUKEE – Justin Thomas hit the game-winning three-pointer as time expired to give the Milwaukee men's basketball team an improbable 87-85 victory over UC Davis Saturday night at the Klotsche Center.
 
"Proud of these guys," head coach Bart Lundy said. "They fought and they scrapped. We are not pretty, we don't know what we are doing on offense yet half the time, we still have to cut down turnovers, but what we do have is a bunch of winners. Guys with heart and they are playing together and recognize how we need to get better in the areas we need to improve in – and I thought we did all of that tonight."
 
The Panthers (3-3) led nearly the entire second half, yet trailed by one after the Aggies (3-3) scored six in a row over the final 32 seconds to take the late lead in opening night action of the "Cream City Classic".
 
"And then I drew up that great play at the end and Justin made the shot," Lundy joked. "My son, when he was younger, would say it was 'at the buzzard'. So we are going to call that 'at the buzzard'."
 
With 8.9 seconds remaining Thomas started the final possession, dribbling across the top of the key before finding BJ Freeman. Freeman drove to the hoop but had his shot come up short. The rebound went to a UC Davis player, who threw the ball up on the air before falling to the ground. It went to a waiting Thomas, who got the three-pointer off just as time expired.
 
The referees went to the replay monitor to check. The winner was confirmed and Milwaukee pulled off the amazing finish and the celebration was on.
 
"The play didn't go as planned," Thomas said. "Their guy got it (the rebound) and just threw it up. And then I heard Coach Lundy say 'shoot it' and then I shot it and it went in."
 
Thomas finished with seven points and four steals on the night, saving the best for last. The shot as time expired was the first buzzer-beater he has hit since he started playing the game of basketball.
 
"I knew it was on-line, I didn't know if it was going to be short or long – but I knew it was on-line," Thomas said. "I heard the buzzer when it left my hand so I knew we were good on that part!"
 
Kentrell Pullian led the way with a huge outing, scoring a team-high 20 points off the bench. He added a season-high nine rebounds (6 offensive), three assists, and a block and seemed to be in the right place at the right time on a handful of occasions.
 
Five different players reached double-figure scoring totals on the night – four of them from off the bench. Freeman wrapped up his evening with 14 points and six rebounds, while Elijah Jamison recorded 13.
 
Markeith Browning II and Jalen Johnson each added 12 points apiece. Ty Johnson led the Aggies with a career-high 32 points, adding six rebounds as well as eight steals.
 
Following a tight first half, the MKE offense started to click and put together some really good stretches, eventually getting the lead to double-figures for the first time early in the second. Six in a row forced a UCD timeout at 50-41 and Pullian hit a turnaround in the lane to make it 10 for the first time at 52-42.
 
The Aggies wouldn't go quietly but MKE always had the response. Johnson finished off a tough and-1 to push the team ahead 58-48 and Pullian hit an acrobatic layup to slow down the Aggies at 60-54; which was pushed to 63-54 on another three, this time from Angelo Stuart.
 
Thomas came up with a steal and a finish after UC Davis had made it a one-possession game at 71-67, while Browning's dunk seemingly put the Panthers in charge at 79-72 with 3:02 to play.
 
The Aggies pulled a rabbit out of their hats in the final minute, converting on a four-point play and then forging ahead with just 14 seconds left to set the stage for Thomas.
 
The final stats saw Milwaukee shoot an even 50 percent (30-of-60) from the field, including an impressive 62.5 percent (10-of-16) from three-point range. UCD finished at 50.8 percent (31-of-61) and did win the rebounding battle, 37-31. MKE had a whopping 59-13 advantage in points from its bench.
 
The celebration will have to be a quick one, as the Panthers are back in action in the "Cream City Classic" tomorrow afternoon. They take on Boston University, who fell to SEMO in the opener by a final score of 63-52, at 3 p.m.