INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Ahmad Rand blocked a potential game-tying shot in the closing seconds of regulation and the Milwaukee men's basketball team closed out a 72-69 victory over IUPUI Thursday morning at Indiana Farmers Coliseum.
 
The Panthers (16-7, 10-3 Horizon League) were hurt by foul trouble on the day, yet dug deep to claim the road victory over the Jaguars (3-21, 0-13 Horizon League) and remain at the top of the Horizon League standings with their 10-3 record. That 13-game start marks their best to league play since the 2005-06 campaign.
 
Milwaukee spent the afternoon trying to pull away in front of a large contingent of youths on "Indianapolis Public School Day", extending its lead to seven on numerous occasions and to as much as eight at 66-58 with just under six minutes remaining.
 
But IUPUI would not go away, forcing a miss for a final opportunity to win or tie after drawing within two points with 40 seconds left. Rand made the difference on the other side, blocking the drive of Jylnn Counter into the hands of Markeith Browning II to seal it. Browning made one of two from the line with 8.9 seconds and the Jags missed a desperation three before the horn sounded.
 
"We have come up with big defensive plays over and over in games," head coach Bart Lundy said. "When our defense in the second half was set, we were really good. Everybody that has come in here (IUPUI's home court) has had a close game and they are way better than their record. Credit to them, they are having a rough year but they have kept it together and their kids play with a good spirit."
 
With a pair of starters in foul trouble – including leading scorer BJ Freeman (16.3 ppg coming in) who picked up his third in the first half and his fourth with 15:31 to play – Lundy went to his bench.
 
Angelo Stuart finished with nine points, five rebounds, and a pair of steals. Browning added a statline of 8 points/6 boards/3 assists, and Jalen Johnson added six points and four boards in just 11 minutes.
 
"We had great contributions from a lot of guys," Lundy said. "Angelo was awesome, Jalen had great stretches, Mo (Moses Bol) was really good, and Keith (Markeith Browning) came off the bench and did a really good on Counter (IUPUI's Jylnn Counter) in the second half. It was foul trouble on our side and the whole game felt disjointed. We never really found a rhythm to the game but we will take the win and keep moving."
 
Kentrell Pullian led the way with 12 points, adding five rebounds. Freeman has his streak of scoring 20-plus points snapped at six games – the longest such-streak for a Panther since 1994 – but did finish with 10 points and a team-high seven rebounds.
 
Counter led the Jaguars with 22 points, but only had four in the second half. DJ Jackson added 15 in the loss.
 
Up just a point at the break, the see-saw affair ended up featuring four ties and 16 lead changes overall. Back-and-forth a bit in the second, Milwaukee took the lead for good on a driving layup by Browning to edge ahead, 48-47.
 
IUPUI would push back but the Panthers would always answer. Stuart drilled a triple to extend the lead to 53-47 and Pullian swished a three-pointer of his own to push the advantage to its largest of the afternoon at 64-56.
 
Just as quick, a 9-2 spurt made it a one-point game at 66-65 before Browning came up with a huge defensive play – drawing a charge with MKE ahead just 69-67 with 1:27 on the clock.
 
A Freeman putback made it 71-67, setting the stage for Rand's late rejection – his 50^th block of the season – just four off the school record of 54.
 
The Panthers jumped ahead early and led 13-5, but a 9-0 streak by IUPUI had the home team ahead, 14-13, before Moses Bol would net four in a row on a dunk and a pair of free throws. Milwaukee did again lead by as many as six on a pair of occasions before intermission but were unable to build on it.
 
The Panthers came out on top despite shooting 37.7 percent (26-of-69) from the floor. IUPUI connected on 48.1 percent (26-of-54) overall but MKE handled the glass to the tune of 40-33 advantage and also held substantial advantages in second-chance points (25-11), points in the paint (40-30), and points from turnovers (21-9).
 
Up next, the Panthers are back home Monday night and set for an entertaining evening against Green Bay at UWM Panther Arena. It's "Daulton Varsho" Bobblehead night with tipoff set for 7 p.m. against the Phoenix.