YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – The Milwaukee men's basketball team scored 14 of the final 18 points of regulation to force overtime but could not carry that momentum into the extra session in falling to Youngstown State Thursday night at the Beeghly Center.
 
The Panthers (12-12, 7-6 Horizon League) overcame a 10-point deficit in the final 2:25 of regulation to send the game to OT, only to see the Penguins (18-7, 10-4 Horizon League) come out of the gates strong and then seal the victory with an 8-for-8 showing from the line over the final 76 seconds to close out the 97-85 decision.
 
"We played well for long stretches in a very hostile environment," head coach Bart Lundy said. "We're good enough to win the whole thing … just, can we play the right way for 40 minutes – and that's been the challenge right now. But credit to Youngstown. They didn't shoot it great but they found a way."
 
BJ Freeman led the MKE offense with 24 points, including a trio of free throws with 28.1 seconds left that tied the game at 77-77 and forced extra time. He added seven rebounds and five assists.
 
"In my mind, it's the toughest environment in the league," Lundy said. "The crowd is right on top of you. They're loud. It's like an old-school cage match, kind of a throwback gym and throwback crowd where it's no-holds-barred."
 
Faizon Fields came up big again, recording his third double-double in the past four games with 14 points and a game-high 16 rebounds. It also marked his fourth consecutive contest with 10-or-more rebounds, becoming the first player in Milwaukee's NCAA Division I era (1990-91 to present) to accomplish the feat.
 
"Really, really happy to see him continue to play this way," said Lundy of Fields, who is now averaging 14.3 points and 14.0 rebounds over his past four games. "He's settled into who he is, and I think we've got a good player here. He's going to continue to help us to win."
 
Elijah Jamison added 15 points, while Erik Pratt gave the team four players in double-figures with 14.
 
Ziggy Reid led three players that went for 20-plus for YSU, finishing with a game-high 28 points while adding eight rebounds. DJ Burns had a double-double of 12 points and 12 boards.
 
Milwaukee turned the game on its head twice – once at the end of regulation and one other time at the start of the night. Milwaukee fell behind 12-0 out of the gates but it was no worry, as the Panthers responded with 17 of the next 19 points to lead 17-14 on a Freeman layup. Pratt then buried a three to make it 20-16 and then another to cap a 25-6 run that pushed MKE ahead, 25-18.
 
Up six at the break at 43-37, Milwaukee was still in control to start the second, leading 50-42 on a corner three from Jamison.
 
That was when YSU pushed, scoring nine of 10 points to make it a new game at 51-51. Freeman hit a three a bit later to deadlock it again at 58-all but then the offense would go into a lull. The Penguins used that to go on an 11-2 run that would take the game to 73-63 before the amazing comeback got underway.
 
Freeman came up with a steal and a layup and then forced another steal for a layup for Jamison. After YSU split four free throws, Learic Davis came up with a huge three for MKE and then, following a forced 10-second call on defense, Freeman scored another layup to get within one at 75-74. The 'Guins scored next but Freeman was fouled from long distance with 28.1 left and calmly sank all three. Milwaukee had a final opportunity to win it in regulation but was unable to convert.
 
Youngstown State then seized momentum with 10 of the first 12 points in OT and iced it from the line.
 
Both teams finished around 40 percent from the floor (MKE .405/YSU .397) overall, with the defense holding a fifth-straight opponent to 40 or below – its best such streak in nearly 20 years.
 
The Panthers were out-rebounded, 51-46, with a huge disparity coming at the line – YSU went 31-of-39, while Milwaukee finished at 11-of-15.
 
Up next, the road trip continues as the team heads on to Robert Morris Saturday, set for a 1 p.m. CT tipoff against the Colonials.