MILWAUKEE – Kentrell Pullian recorded a double-double of 16 points and 12 rebounds and Angelo Stuart finished with 18 points to lead the Milwaukee men's basketball team to a 91-73 victory over the University of Wisconsin-Stout in the season opener Monday night at the Klotsche Center.
 
The Panthers (1-0) saw the Blue Devils hang around well past intermission before taking control with an 11-2 scoring run in the middle of the second half in building a 66-52 lead. The lead would grow to as many as 21 and the game was in control the rest of the way.
 
Pullian posted 10 of those points and 10 of those boards in the second half alone, recording his first double-double as a Panther. Stuart started strong from deep and kept going, finishing his team-high 18 points with a 7-of-11 showing from the floor which included 4-of-7 from long range.
 
"I told them in the locker room that we had some really good individual efforts – especially in the second half – but to think that that's the type of performance that is going to win us many games is not accurate," head coach Bart Lundy said. "We have to play a lot less disjointed and a lot harder defensively. I didn't want them to leave the locker room feeling like we have accomplished anything."
 
Zach Howell and Langston Wilson both added 10 points apiece to give the MKE offense four players in double-figures. For Stout, Brody Fox finished with a game-high 20 points.
 
"But give Stout credit – they handled all kinds of pressure and made some shots that I wasn't sure they could make," Lundy said. "Brody Fox could switch jerseys and play over here … he is a really good player. They are not the team that had the record they had last year – they are going to win some games and Coach Lake is doing a good job with that team."
 
Stuart hit a pair of early 3's to give the home team the quick 11-5 lead and cap 11 in a row after the visitors led 5-0.
 
It was back and forth from there, with the Panthers holding a slim 40-35 advantage at the break. Stout kept up the strong effort and was within four at 44-40 and again within two possessions at 55-50 well into the second half.
 
Pullian then helped MKE take control, with his 3-pointer and splitting of free throws on the next possession giving Milwaukee the 66-52 lead with 8:51 to play. The lead continued to get built from there, topping out at 86-65 before settling in for the 91-73 final.
 
The Panthers shot 42.6 percent (26-of-61) from the floor but had a tough night from the line, making 59.1 percent (13-of-22). But the defense held Stout to 43.8 percent (32-of-73) overall and dominated the glass to the tune of 53-32. In fact the 53 rebounds ties for the eighth-most in a game in program history.
 
Milwaukee also posted advantages of 42-24 in the paint, 21-6 on second-chance points, 50-22 in bench points, and 14-3 in points off turnovers, making just 11 miscues on the evening compared to 19 assists.
 
Faizon Fields chipped in nine points and eight rebounds, while Erik Pratt had eight points in just 13 minutes off the bench.
 
Up next, the Panthers hit the road to battle Providence Saturday. Game time is set for 5 p.m. CST.