MILWAUKEE – BJ Freeman led five players in double-figures with 26 points to help the Milwaukee men's basketball team pull out a 94-89 victory over Detroit Mercy Thursday night at UWM Panther Arena.
 
The Panthers (17-8, 11-4 Horizon League) led by 19 at intermission before the Titans (10-16, 6-9 Horizon League) stormed back. Milwaukee was up to the task down the stretch, however, coming up with big shot after big shot while holding UDM without a field goal the final four minutes to claim their first season sweep of Detroit since the 2017-18 campaign.
 
"I thought the first half was probably the best both sides of the ball we have played all year," head coach Bart Lundy said. "We shared the ball – a lot of assists. I don't know if they clawed back in, they just sort of stormed back in. They got really hot and we weren't getting any stops. And then Markeith went down [Browning was hurt with 8:20 remaining and left the game]. We found a way to win and made some big plays down the stretch."
 
Freeman finished with 26 points on 9-of-18 shooting, tallying his second double-double of the season with 10 assists. Markeith Browning II put together one of the best games of his young career, adding 17 points/6 rebounds/6 assists/0 turnovers before leaving with the injury.
 
Antoine Davis – who came into the game as the leading scorer in the NCAA at 26.6 points per game, finished with 42 – tying for the most scored by an opponent in a regulation game in program history.
 
"BJ made some huge plays but most proud of the 26 assists on 32 made baskets – that's really special stuff and if we play like that, we have a chance," Lundy said. "I thought Coach Davis did a great job. Obviously, Antoine is an amazing, special player – 42 points – and he earned every single one of them. We did just enough."
 
Ahmad Rand was impressive with 15 points, a team-high eight rebounds, and four more blocked shots – giving him 55 on the season to break the former mark of 54 set by J.J. Panoske in 2015-16.
 
Kentrell Pullian had 15 points, six boards, and four assists, hitting a big three to give MKE a 77-75 lead at the 5:21 mark after the team had fallen behind.
 
Moses Bol continues his solid play, finishing with 10 points on a perfect 4-for-4 night from the floor and 2-for-2 from the line to round out the double-figure scorers.
 
An amazing first half saw MKE shoot over 70 percent from the floor and lead 50-31 at intermission. Detroit Mercy, led by Davis (who netted 30 in the second half alone), started hitting shots and eventually used a 29-11 scoring run to take a lead on several occasions, including a final edge of 87-86 on a pair of Davis free throws with 1:44 to go.
 
Elijah Jamison then hit the shot of the night on the next possession, burying a three-pointer from the left wing that put Milwaukee ahead for good at 89-87.
 
On the next possession, Rand came up with that record-breaking block, sending a shot into the student section before a steal by Justin Thomas got possession back. Kentrell Pullian hit a pair of free throws with 52 seconds left and two more free throws from Thomas with just 15 seconds remaining sealed the victory.
 
The first half was all Milwaukee, up 16-9 out of the gates and 21-9 on the strength of a 13-0 run. A Rand alley-oop got the crowd into it and made it 31-18 and the team scored eight of the final 10 points of the period to build that 19-point advantage at the break. The Panthers connected of 19 of 27 (.704) field-goal attempts in the opening period.
 
The team finished at a solid 58.2 percent (32-of-55) from the floor overall, with the 94 points the most in a game this season against an NCAA Division I opponent. The defense still held UDM to 40 percent (28-of-70) but the team lost the rebound battle, 43-27.

Up next, the Panthers wrap up the current homestand Saturday evening when the team hosts Oakland. Game time is set for 6 p.m. from UWM Panther Arena.