The Milwaukee men's basketball team plays its third game of the week next, continuing the current road trip with a contest against a nationally-ranked opponent for the first time in two years when it takes on No. 11/11 Texas Tech Friday evening. The Panthers and Red Raiders meet for the first time in program history that night, set for a tip-off at 7 p.m. The contest can be seen on ESPN+ and will also have live statistics available. The audio broadcast will be available on 101.7 FM The Truth and its streaming services, as well as the Varsity Network. Scott Warras is on the call for his 10th season as the voice of the Panthers and all links are posted on the MKE website.

LOOKING AT THE OPPONENT
Last season, Texas Tech enjoyed a highly-successful campaign in which it went 28-9 overall and 15-5 in Big 12 play. The Red Raiders advanced to the program's third "Elite 8" during the 2025 NCAA Tournament, set a program record with 15 wins in conference contests, and finished with the third-most victories in program history. Third-year head coach Grant McCasland has gone 53-21 at the helm, with his 51 victories over the first two campaigns the most through two years in program history. His career record checks in at 264-110. The team matched its highest-ever NCAA Tournament seed as a No. 3 and spent five consecutive weeks in the Associated Press Top 10 poll, sitting at No. 9 when the NCAA Tournament started after being picked seventh in the Big 12 Preseason Poll (they finished second). His record in home games stands at an imposing 32-5 as the Panthers head to town. The team is ranked No. 11 in both polls this week and is off to a 2-1 start, falling Tuesday, 81-77, in a road battle at No. 14 Illinois. They are led by JT Toppin, who last season was an All-American and the Big 12 Player of the Year, as well as Christian Anderson (named to the Preseason All-Big 12 Team) while also adding LeJuan Watts. Watts was named the Preseason Big 12 Newcomer of the Year after averaging 13.7 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.4 rebounds last season at Washington State. The team was picked third in the preseason poll this season. Toppin (33.0 ppg) and Anderson (20.0 ppg) lead an offense that averages 91.0 points a game so far. Toppin adds a team-best 12.5 rpg.

SERIES HISTORY
Friday's contest will mark the first-ever between the two programs on the hardwood.

LAST TIME OUT
Danilo Jovanovich scored a career-high 18 points and Milwaukee was right with Indiana until early in the second half in falling in non-conference action Wednesday in front of a crowd of 17,222 at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.
 
The Panthers (2-2) played the Hoosiers (3-0) point-for-point for the majority of the first half, seeing the home side gain some separation just before intermission and then use a big second half to claim the victory.
 
Jovanovich was outstanding, scoring 18 points on 8-of-11 shooting, blowing past his former NCAA-best of 12. He added a team-high six rebounds to his night.
 
Seth Hubbard finished with 17 points, grabbing five rebounds of his own. Amar Augillard was also in double-figures with 14, contributing five boards and three assists.

PANTHERS AND THE POLLS
Milwaukee is attempting to earn its first victory over a nationally ranked opponent since a 63-60 decision against No. 21 Butler on February 18, 2009. Recent ranked matchups include #25 Colorado (106-79 L on 11/14/23), #24 Florida (81-45 L on 11/18/21), #2/#3 Kansas (95-68 L on 12/10/19), #18 Notre Dame (86-78 L on 11/17/15), #5/#6 Wisconsin (93-54 L on 12/10/14) and #6/#7 Villanova (73-53 L on 3/20/14), with the Panthers 0-12 against ranked opponents since that victory over Butler.

Going back, after losing their first 25 games against teams ranked in the Associated Press poll in program history, the Panthers added three wins over the course of two memorable postseasons, all coming in the NCAA Tournament. Milwaukee beat 21st-ranked Alabama and 14th-ranked Boston College in 2005 and 24th-ranked Oklahoma in 2006. The Panthers do also own a win at Butler in 2001-02 when the Bulldogs were ranked 25th in the ESPN/USA Today poll but were not ranked by the AP. Their record all-time checks in at 4-47, with the victory over BC at #14 the biggest upset. Milwaukee has played the No. 1 team in the country just once - when it took on Illinois in the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Tournament in 2005. The next-highest was Kansas at No. 2 back in 2004-05 and again in 2019-20.

JOHN LOVELACE JR. UPDATE
Head coach Bart Lundy opened his press conference following the season opener against Hampton Nov. 3 announcing that senior John Lovelace Jr. will be missing the entirety of the 2025-26 season due to an injury suffered in practice just days before the season was set to begin. The team will share updates on Lovelace when available.

BIG TEN BATTLES
The Panthers are set to play Indiana and Wisconsin in the non-conference slate, having now gone 12-52 all-time against Big Ten opponents (they have not played any of the most recent additions in Oregon/UCLA/USC/Washington before they joined the conference). The team has its most wins and best record against Northwestern (7-6 all-time in a series that dates back to 1923) and has played Wisconsin the most (35 times in the series, amazingly dating back to a 37-18 UW victory in November of 1901). The most recent victories over a member of the conference came during the 2015-16 campaign, when Milwaukee posted road wins over Wisconsin (68-67 on 12/9/15) and Minnesota (74-65 on 12/23/15) in a span of two weeks.

D-LO WAS DYNAMITE
Danilo Jovanovich came up with the best outing of his NCAA career at Indiana Nov. 12, racing past his former high-water mark for points scored in a game when he finished with a team-high 18 against the Hoosiers, adding a team-high six rebounds. He went 8-of-11 from the floor, setting new career-bests in field goals made as well as with his 33 minutes played. His former highs were 12 for points (vs. NKU, 2/16/25), six for FGM (same game vs. NKU), and 29 for minutes (against Hampton in the season opener this year). 

PIPPIN' IS EASY
Esyah Pippa-White came through with his best game as a Panther in the win against Little Rock Nov. 10, scoring 13 points to top his prior MKE best of eight. He also set new standards in the Black & Gold with his five made field goals, three made 3's, and 22 minutes of playing time.

OH MY AMAR!
Amar Augillard showed his true potential against Little Rock Nov. 10, finishing the night with a game-high 25 points - fueled by a red-hot start. He swished four shots from three-point range on MKE's first five possessions to start the game and had 21 points by the break. He finished 6-of-13 from downtown and added three assists and three rebounds.

ANOTHER MEMBER IN THE CLUB
Last season, the Panthers saw both Themus Fulks and Kentrell Pullian score the 1,000th point of their NCAA Division I careers with the Panthers, becoming the 31st and 32nd players to reach the plateau in the Black & Gold. There was a new addition waiting in the wings as the season tipped off, as newcomer Seth Hubbard has already established himself at the DI level. A transfer to the Panthers following one season at Toledo and two at Western Michigan, he hit the court this winter having scored 945 points in his NCAA Division I career, averaging 9.9 points in 95 career games. He sank No. 1,000 with a three-pointer in the middle of the second half against Little Rock Nov. 10 to become the 33rd member of the 1,000-point club - and the fifth to do so as a combined total with other programs as part of his overall career total.

ON THE RADAR
Bart Lundy is approaching a milestone moment, as he continues to pile up victories during his illustrious coaching career. Lundy enters year No. 24 sitting at 492 wins. He has averaged over 21 wins per season since he started roaming the sidelines for Queens in the 1998-99 campaign.

DANDY DEBUT
Seth Hubbard came through with a recent trend - impressive debuts by a Panther newcomer - when he netted 23 points to lead the MKE offense against Hampton Nov. 3. In addition to Jamichael Stillwell's 18-point/14-rebound debut last year, Angelo Stuart went for 24 points against MSOE in his first appearance in the Black & Gold in 2022, with BJ Freeman making his initial appearance of the campaign the next game at Purdue and finishing with 19 points of his own.

"ELAM ENDING"? JUST THE BEGINNING
Freshman Stevie Elam made quite a splash in his collegiate debut, coming off the bench to score 16 points against Hampton Nov. 3, adding six rebounds, two assists, and three blocks. He made 4-of-7 from deep in 21 minutes on the court, scoring the most points in an opener for a Panther freshman since Patrick Baldwin Jr. finished with 21 points and 10 boards in game one of his career in November of 2021 at North Dakota. Looking through the archives, Elam's 16 points are the second-highest total for a freshman (outside of PBJ's 21) since Clay Tucker lit up Central Michigan for 24 in his MKE debut in the 1999 opener. Recent success by freshmen includes Grant Coleman with 14 in the 2020-21 opener at Kansas State and, further back, Tony Meier recorded a double-double of 14 points and 12 rebounds against Loyola Marymount on November 14, 2008. He added his first collegiate start in game No. 2 against Wofford Nov. 8, scoring 12 points while grabbing four rebounds and adding three steals.

FIELDS FLEX
Faizon Fields opened his season with a 16-point/9-rebound effort against Hampton Nov. 3, adding a pair of steals and two blocks in just 22 minutes on the court. Fields has six career double-doubles with the Panthers and nearly made it seven against the Pirates. In fact, Fields now has six outings in his time in Milwaukee where he finished with a double-digit point total ... and nine boards.

NOW THAT'S SOME TILT
The team adopted the slogan "Tilt The Floor" heading into last season and then went and did everything in its power to back that up. In addition to scoring at a total per-game clip that finished among the highest in program history at 78.4 points a night, the Panthers finished in first place in the nation in fastbreak points - and it wasn't even really close. They had been battling along with a handful of other teams all winter but when the season was completed, no other team at the NCAA DI level scored more fastbreak points than MKE's 18.38 a game. For perspective, the MKE offense put up 15.3 a game two years ago and 12.3 per contest in Bart Lundy's first season at the helm. The number was just 7.5 a game the year before Lundy's arrival.
FASTBREAK POINTS LEADERS NCAA DI
1. Milwaukee was the best at 18.38 ppg
2. New Mexico State 15.83
3. N.C. Central 15.79
4. Michigan State 15.59
5. Florida 15.58

The Panthers wasted no time in setting the bar in 2025-26, scoring 33 fastbreak points against Hampton in the opener Nov. 3 and then 39 more in the win over Little Rock Nov. 10.

AND WE'RE OFF
A couple of different looks to the season opener, which saw Milwaukee playing its opening game of the season at home for the seventh time in the past 13 years. The team is now 23-13 in season openers since returning to the NCAA Division I ranks full-time in 1990-91, which includes a big 102-46 win over MSOE in Coach Lundy's MKE debut three years ago and a dominant 118-62 win over Lakeland last season (in addition to the 90-86 win over Hampton this season). In all, the team is now 30-6 in that same span in home openers, claiming wins in 23 of the past 26 (13 in a row at one point). Also, the Panthers have not lost the season opener when it was played at home since dropping an 80-79 decision to Platteville in 1994 (have won the previous 17 in that scenario).

D-LO DELIVERS
Danilo Jovanovich reset a pair of career-highs in his season debut against Hampton Nov. 3, wasting little time in getting his campaign off to a strong start. He grabbed 10 rebounds (5 offensive/5 defensive) to blow past his former high of seven, recorded against Youngstown State in January of last season. He also played 29 minutes, topping the 24 he was on the court at Virginia in January of 2024. His 10 points in game two at Wofford Nov. 8 was just two off his career-best of 12.

KONNEH'S KICKSTART
Redshirt freshman Sekou Konneh hit the hardwood in impressive fashion as well, coming through with a very productive 15 minutes on the court in his collegiate debut. He finished with a statline of 8 points/8 rebounds, the highest rebound total for a freshman since Patrick Baldwin Jr. collected 10 back in the 2021-22 lid-lifter. Konneh went 3-6 from the floor and added an assist and a steal.

HITTING THE MARK
With a 21-11 overall ledger a year ago, the Panthers recorded the 13th 20-win season in program history. It also marked back-to-back-to-back for Bart Lundy after posting a 20-15 mark two years ago and a 22-12 ledger in his first season on the bench. That gave Milwaukee three straight 20-win seasons for the first time since 2003-04 (20-11), 2005-06 (22-9), and 2004-05 (26-6) - which was the tail end of four consecutive years hitting the mark. Lundy is the first MKE coach to claim 20+ victories in three consecutive campaigns since Bruce Pearl in 2002-03 (24-8), 2003-04 (20-11) and 2004-05 (26-6).

FOR THE MKE
In today's world of college basketball, change is still inevitable. This season, Milwaukee welcomes eight new faces, broken down into three freshmen (2 true freshmen in Stevie Elam and Josh Dixon & redshirt freshman Sekou Konneh) and five transfers (including NCAA Division I transfers in Seth Hubbard/Toledo and Amar Augillard/Fresno State). Other transfers include Isaiah Dorceus (Daytona State), Chandler Jackson (Parkland), and Tate Mackenzie (Howard). That brings the total number of student-athletes on the roster to fifteen. The background stretches far and wide ... and actually across the country with the list including an impressive array of 11 states: Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, Oregon, Tennessee, and Wisconsin.

POLL POSITION
The Panthers were listed in the "receiving votes" section of the CollegeInsider.com Preseason Mid-Major Top 25 poll this season, essentially ending up at No. 29. Last winter they checked in at #18, marking the first time that Milwaukee had been in the preseason edition list by CollegeInsider.com since prior to the start of the 2014-15 campaign – a season in which the team was coming off its most recent trip to the NCAA Tournament.
 
The last few months prior to the start of the season witnessed the MKE program atop many of the early rankings, including taking the top spot in the Under Armour Horizon League preseason poll for the second straight year (after earning the top spot for the first time in 18 years last winter). National organizations are taking notice as well, with respected polls such as Lindy's (No. 1 for the second year in a row), Blue Ribbon Yearbook (No. 1 for a second season), Mid-Major Madness (No. 1 back-to-back), HoriZone (picked No. 1 after No. 2 last year), among others, to all be considering the Panthers the team to beat in the league this season.

POLL TRENDS
Milwaukee was picked to finish first in the Under Armour preseason poll conducted by the League's head coaches, SIDs, and media members. That marks a recent trend for the Panthers under Bart Lundy. Two years ago, the program was picked second, marking its highest choice in over a decade. Last year, the Panthers were picked No. 1 for the first time since prior to the 2006-07 campaign. In addition, Milwaukee saw three of its players earn Preseason All-League honors – no other league program had more than one of its players selected. Newcomer Amar Augillard was picked as a First-Team honoree, while both Faizon Fields and Seth Hubbard earned Second-Team status.

2025-26 Under Armour Preseason Poll
#   Team (First-place votes) Points
1. Milwaukee (24) – 428
2. Oakland (7) – 384
3. Youngstown State (2) – 364
4. Robert Morris (8) – 345
5. Purdue Fort Wayne (1) – 287
6. Northern Kentucky – 274
7. Wright State – 221
8. Cleveland State (2) – 217
9. Detroit Mercy – 176
10. IU Indianapolis – 115
11. Green Bay – 93

REBOUND REPORT
After breaking the 30-year-old program record for rebounds per game (was 38.4 rpg) in Bart Lundy's first season at 39.1, the team just missed resetting the mark in year two when it finished at 39.0. Last season, the squad was at it again, resetting the program mark at 39.2 rebounds per night - highlighted by a final rebound margin of +9.3. In addition to being first in the Horizon League in every rebound category, the Panthers also ranked high across the nation. The team finished 21st in the NCAA in rebounds per game, fifth in offensive rebounds per outing (14.4), and just out of first place in the nation with that +9.3 margin.
REBOUND MARGIN
1. Saint Mary's at +10.3
2. Milwaukee at +9.3
3. South Dakota State at +9.2
PROGRAM RECORD FOR REBOUNDS
1. 39.2 in 2024-25
2. 39.1 in 2022-23
3. 39.0 in 2023-24
4. 38.4 in 1992-93 (record for 30+ years)

AMAR AWARENESS
One of the key additions to the MKE roster this season is no stranger to filling up the scoresheet and has been heralded as one of the top newcomers in the Horizon League by numerous sources and publications nationally, arriving at Milwaukee following a stop at Fresno State last season where he averaged 13.3 points and 2.5 rebounds per game for the Bulldogs in 2024-25. But more impressively, had four 20+ point outbursts in his 11 appearances, topped by a 30-point effort against Sacramento State. That followed a season at Triton College in River Grove, Ill., where he was selected as the 2024 National Junior College Athletic Association Division I Player of the Year after averaging 22.7 points per game while finishing ranked No. 2 in the nation in total points (841). Heading into the 2025-26 campaign, in addition to being tabbed a member of the Horizon League Preseason First Team, he was also selected to the first team by "Blue Ribbon Yearbook".

RECORD BREAKERS
Milwaukee again added more entries to the record book last season, establishing new Top-5 marks in numerous categories.
Points scored: fourth at 2,510
Scoring Average: sixth at 78.4 ppg
Field Goals Made: third at 907
Field Goals Attempted: fourth at 1,939
Field-Goal Percentage: third at .468
Total Rebounds: third at 1,253
Rebound Average: first at 39.2
Offensive Rebounds: second at 462
Free Throws Made: fifth at 507
Free Throws Attempted: fifth at 741

OUT OF THE GATES
Prior to a two-point defeat against Robert Morris Jan. 19 of last season, the Panthers had opened a perfect 9-0 at home to mark the best start to a season at home since opening the 2005-06 campaign at 10-0 before dropping a decision to UIC in mid-February as part of a 13-2 home ledger. Dating back to the prior season, Milwaukee saw its overall win streak end at 12 consecutive home contests, the longest such streak since an impressive (and school record) run of 25 straight back in 2004-05 (a 15-0 mark for the year) and the first 10 games of the 2005-06 campaign.

Also, at 5-2 through the first seven games (prior to UCF), the team marked its best seven-game start to a season since opening the 2020-21 campaign at the same 5-2 ledger. The last time the Panthers had been 6-2 (or better) after eight games was back in 2013-14. That season, the team got out of the gates at 9-2. On the league side of things, the Panthers were off to a 3-0 start for the first time since 2011-12.

A "DECEMBER TO REMEMBER"
The impressive feats kept rolling on last year, as the Panthers went a perfect 5-0 in the month of December, the first undefeated month of MKE hoops since a 7-0 ledger way back in February of 2005. The numbers were impressive, averaging 89.4 points on offense with the defense checking in allowing just 70.6 points per outing. The team shot 49.5 percent (153-of-309) from the floor and outrebounded opponents by an average of 42.8-26.4. Five players averaged double-figures, led by Kentrell Pullian (18.2 ppg), with Themus Fulks (16.4 ppg), Jamichael Stillwell (15.0 ppg/15.0 rpg), Erik Pratt (14.3 ppg), and AJ McKee (10.6 ppg) rounding out the list.

PERFECT FROM 15 FEET
The Panthers went a perfect 11-for-11 from the free throw line against Purdue Fort Wayne Feb. 2 of last season, marking just the fifth time in program history that the team made 100 percent in a single game that consisted of at least 10 attempts.
1.000 (22-22) at Youngstown State 2/28/15
1.000 (20-20) Green Bay (OT) 1/9/09
1.000 (15-15) at Youngstown State 1/7/08
1.000 (13-13) Oakland 1/20/22

KEEPING IT '100'
The MKE offense pulled off a feat not seen in over 20 years in the program last year. The team recorded 100 points against Akron Dec. 15, reaching the century mark in regulation against an NCAA Division I opponent for the first time since a 117-55 victory over Prairie View A&M on November 20, 2004. Since that day, the Panthers have scored 100+ points in five other games, but all coming against non-DI opponents or needing OT to get there. It also marks the third time under head coach Bart Lundy the team has netted 100+ in a contest. In Lundy's first season, the team put up 112 against Cardinal Stritch (W, 112-38 Nov. 12, 2022) and 102 against MSOE (W, 102-46 Nov. 7, 2022).

THE OPENING 20
On their way to 100 points in that game against Akron Dec. 15, the Panthers started strong with a 58-point performance in the first half. That marked a tie for the fifth-most points in a first half in program history.
1. 66 against Judson on 12/13/15
2. 61 at Cal State Northridge on 2/11/91
3. 60 against UMKC on 12/29/90
4. 59 against Upper Iowa on 11/21/05
T5. 58 against Akron on 12/15/24
T5. 58 against Wright State on 2/28/91

LEAGUE LIFTOFF
Milwaukee broke a recent skid in Horizon League openers three years ago, topping Green Bay (68-65) last season after having dropped the initial game in conference each of the prior six, dating back to an 82-76 victory over YSU in 2013-14. Since joining the MCC/Horizon League, Milwaukee is now 16-15 in league openers following the result against Cleveland State this year, which improved Bart Lundy to 2-1 in his tenure.

C-C-C-ING SUCCESS
The Panthers continued their mastery of the MTE the program has hosted in two of the past three seasons, moving to a perfect 6-0 between the 2022 Cream City Classic and the 2024 Cream City Challenge. In those six games, the offense has averaged 79.0 points and only allowed 68.7 a game. The title marks the sixth in-season MTE, joining the 2022 CCC, the 2017 Black & Gold Shootout, the 2015 Cable Car Classic (hosted by Santa Clara in Calif.), the 2013 NIU Invitational (in DeKalb, Ill.), and the 2002 Pizza Hut Classic (in Springfield, Mo.). Themus Fulks was ring-leader, using his impressive efforts in the three games to help his cause in earning Horizon League Player of the Week honors. In four total games for the week, Fulks averaged a team-high 17.0 points a game, shooting an impressive 59.0 percent (23-of-39) from the floor, 50 percent (3-of-6) from deep, and 73.1 percent (19-of-26) from the line. He also added 22 assists (5.5 apg) and 8 steals (2.0 spg).
 

LUNDY'S LINE
Head coach Bart Lundy brought an extensive background of success to the Panthers, which included an impressive run through the postseason that extended many years and a pair of trips to the NCAA DII Final Four in his career. A look back at his final seven seasons at Queens reveals the gaudy numbers posted.
2021-22: 30-4 overall, 2-1 in NCAA Tournament
2020-21: 16-6 overall, 0-1 in NCAA Tournament
2019-20: 24-7 overall, NCAA's cancelled
2018-19: 31-5 overall, 3-1 in NCAA Tournament
2017-18: 32-4 overall, 1-1 in NCAA Tournament
2016-17: 30-4 overall, 2-1 in NCAA Tournament
2015-16: 25-7 overall, 1-1 in NCAA Tournament

TURN THE RADIO UP
This marks the fourth full hoops season that 101.7 FM The Truth will serve as the radio home of the Milwaukee Panthers men's basketball radio broadcasts. Fans can listen to veteran broadcaster Scott Warras, now in his 10th season, call all the play-by-play action on air at 101.7 FM and via live online streaming services. In addition to the traditional radio broadcasts available on 101.7 The Truth and its mobile app, all Panther men's basketball broadcasts will be streamed live on the Black & Gold Network at mkepanthers.com, the Wisconsin on Demand, and Varsity Network mobile apps (available in the App Store & Google Play). This season, fans of Milwaukee basketball will have more ways than ever to listen to the action.

IT'S OUR HOUSE
Although the building is not new and has been the site to many historic basketball moments in Milwaukee history, this is Milwaukee's ninth season in an arena that bears its name - UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena. In July of 2014, the University and Wisconsin Center District entered into a 10-year partnership that included naming rights to the facility formerly known as The MECCA and U.S. Cellular Arena.

UP NEXT
The Panthers get some time off, returning home before heading back out on the road to play Wichita State next Saturday. Tip-off time is set for 6 p.m.