MILWAUKEE – BJ Freeman scored a game-high 23 points and Langston Wilson netted a career-best 14 to lead the way as the Milwaukee men's basketball team topped Luther College, 85-56, at UWM Panther Arena.
 
The Panthers (2-2) scored 28 of the final 34 points of the contest to run and hide from the Norse, while also setting a program record for fewest turnovers (3) in a game played in front of the UWM Homecoming crowd Friday evening.
 
"Give Luther a lot of credit. They have nine seniors that have been [with their program] their whole career and that's pretty amazing to me," head coach Bart Lundy said. "They really battled. We are trying to find ourselves as a team and how we are going to play and who we are going to be. And I thought we made some strides in that direction tonight."
 
Freeman finished with 23 points on 9-of-18 shooting, adding six rebounds and three steals. Wilson topped his former NCAA-best of 11 with his 14-point outing, adding a highlight-reel dunk that brought the crowd to its feet down the stretch. He also added four boards and a pair of blocks.
 
Elijah Jamison finished with a season-high 15 points and Kentrell Pullian contributed heavily with a 9 point/6 rebound/5 assist/5 steal performance.
 
"We've got to find a way to be more consistent in our effort and our ability to play together," Lundy said. "It's going to be a process – I think people thought this team was going to be ready-made and that's just not the way it works. We have a lot of new pieces and have to continue to get better. But from my seat, I thought we played the right way for large portions of the game and that's all you can ask for as a coach."
 
Randall Days led three players in double figures for the visitors with 13 points off the bench, adding a game-high eight rebounds.
 
The Panthers were brilliant down the stretch, limiting the opposition to just six points on 1-of-14 shooting from the floor while also forcing six turnovers over the final 10-plus minutes. At one point, they even went on a 16-0 scoring run.
 
"We shared the ball and we didn't turn it over – 18 assists and three turnovers – and I thought we got a lot of contributions from a lot of guys," Lundy said. "Langston (Wilson) came off the bench and had a great game. Markeith Browning had two points but I thought his unselfishness really set the tone for us."
 
On the other side of the ball, Milwaukee committed just three turnovers – none in the second half – to establish a new school record, topping the prior low of four set against Washinton State in 2006 and Butler in 2005.
 
The MKE offense built a substantial first-half lead, eventually grabbing a 19-point advantage at 34-15 with just over four minutes left before intermission. But the Norse had a big answer, scoring 15 of the next 16 points to trim the deficit to just seven at the break. They also hit a big three to open the second and get within four at 34-30 before the Panthers took over.
 
For the game, Milwaukee hit on 40 percent (30-of-75) from the floor, making 10 three-pointers. The Panthers posted a 34-4 advantage on points off turnovers and doubled up the Norse, 36-18, in the paint as well as 14-0 on second-chance points. The defense also held Luther to under 40 percent from the floor at 38.0 percent (19-of-50) and led from start to finish.
 
Up next, the Panthers get right back into travel mode and head to Florida to participate in the "Sunshine Slam". Game one of the event will see them take on Stetson Monday afternoon at 12:30 p.m. CST.