ORLANDO, Fla. – A tie game deep into the second half and a one-possession contest late, the Milwaukee men's basketball team came up just short of an upset victory over UCF in falling by a final score of 84-76 Wednesday night at Addition Financial Arena.
 
The Panthers (5-3) fought the Knights (5-2) the whole way in a contest that featured seven ties and seven lead changes. The home team came through at the end, making 5-of-6 from the free throw line over the final 84 seconds to escape with the victory.
 
"I thought we came out with the right mentality, the right togetherness," head coach Bart Lundy said. "We were connected in every way. They were fighting together and Panther fans should be proud of this team."
 
Jamichael Stillwell led the charge for Milwaukee, posting his fourth double-double of the season with 14 points and 12 rebounds. He was one of four different players in double-figures, seeing Kentrell Pullian top the offense with a 15-point effort, adding eight rebounds.
 
Themus Fulks finished with 13, including a pair of big three-pointers that tied the game down the stretch. AJ McKee chipped in with 12 points and four boards.
 
"I think we are trending in the right direction, but I don't want to be too happy about not making the plays we needed to win the game," Lundy said. "They need to understand the effort has to be the same and then you have to make the plays to win. But I do think we are going to get to that point."
 
Darius Johnson paced UCF with a game-high 28 points, coming up with big shot after big shot to stave off numerous runs by the Panthers. He was especially dangerous from deep, connecting on a career-high eight three's in just 10 attempts.
 
"Our effort was at an elite level," Lundy said. "We outrebounded a Big 12 team by 10 [41-31] on their home floor and they came in as one of the Top 20 rebounding teams in the country. They had a career night from one of their best players – and we need to be able to guard other team's best players – but some of those were shots that I didn't even know how he got them off, let alone make them."
 
Milwaukee never let the score get out of arm's reach and, after trailing by no more than four in the second half, made it a new game at 63-63 on back-to-back clutch makes from three-point range by Fulks with 8:45 left.
 
UCF's Johnson hit from deep to regain footing for the home side and extend the lead back to seven at 73-66. The visitors punched right back, getting three consecutive layups to pull within one and a chance to tie with a free throw but couldn't convert. Johnson sank another from downtown and then hit two free throws to push it back to seven in the final minute.
 
Following a slow start both ways, Pullian hit a three to make it 14-11 in front of a 10-2 UCF run. The team also had a good push prior to intermission, with Pullian again coming through with a triple to beat the halftime horn and draw his team back within one possession at 43-40.
 
For the game, MKE posted some impressive numbers. The team outrebounded the Knights, 41-31, and held a 40-28 advantage in points in the paint. The team connected on 46.2 percent (30-of-65) from the floor overall, making a season-high eight 3's.
 
Up next, Milwaukee remains on the road over the Thanksgiving holiday, next hitting the court Saturday at Southern Miss in a game set to tip off at 1 p.m. CT.