MILWAUKEE – Themus Fulks recorded a double-double of 21 points and 12 assists and the Milwaukee men's basketball team scored the first eight points of overtime on its way to a critical 88-80 victory over Wright State Friday night at UWM Panther Arena.
 
The Panthers (17-9, 10-5 Horizon League) overcame a big early hole and trailed the Raiders (13-14, 7-9 Horizon League) by as many as 14 points in the first half before staging a big rally. The result sees the team just a half-game out of second place and two games behind the league leader with five contests left in the regular season. It also gives MKE its first season sweep of WSU in seven years.
 
"Proud of the guys," head coach Bart Lundy said. "To me, that is the best offensive team in our league and they present some real challenges. We just got contribution after contribution from different guys. It's February; that's a really good team; a really experienced team – and we gutted it out."
 
The Panthers came out slow and fell behind 20-9 after the visitors reeled off 16 points in a row and again trailed by as many as 14 at 31-17 before righting the ship – going on a 22-7 run to close out the first half and edge ahead, 39-38, at the break on a three from Jamichael Stillwell just ahead of the horn.
 
Fulks was huge, leading the team with those 21 points while handing out 12 assists with no turnovers – the second-most assists in a game in school history without a turnover. He also went 7-for-7 from the line with his assist total tying for the seventh-most in a game in program history.
 
Stillwell came up with 15 points and eight rebounds, with five boards coming in the extra session when Milwaukee took over from the jump.
 
AJ McKee finished with 12 points, Aaron Franklin was huge off the bench with 11 points and four rebounds, and Kentrell Pullian joined them in double-figures with 10 points, adding six rebounds. John Lovelace Jr. contributed six points, two rebounds, and a pair of blocks in his 17 minutes of action.
 
"Aaron Franklin … 27 minutes and he was +17 on the stat sheet," Lundy said. "Johnny Lovelace … 17 minutes and was +16, I wasn't even sure that was possible. So proud of those guys."
 
Brandon Noel led Wright State with a game-high 25 points, one of four WSU players in double-figures.
 
After WSU found a way to draw even with a three-pointer on its last possession and a final MKE attempt rimmed out at the buzzer, the home side came out in overtime on a mission after an entertaining second half that featured eight lead changes. They ripped off the first eight points and got stop after stop on their way to an 81-73 lead. The closest the visitors would get the rest of the way was within five.
 
"In overtime, I thought we were a little fresher," Lundy commented. "They executed and got stops and we were able to hold on to that lead."
 
For the game, both teams shot well. The Panthers finished at an even 50 percent (33-of-66) overall, making 38.5 percent (5-of-13) from deep and 77.3 percent (17-of-22) from the line.
 
After making nine of their first 11 (.818) of the day to take the big lead, the Raiders finished at 48.3     percent (29-of-60) overall, connecting on 52.6 percent (10-of-19) from deep and 75.0 percent (12-of-16) from the line.
 
MKE won the rebound battle, 35-32, points in the paint at 52-34, and turned the ball over just 10 times.
 
Up next, the Panthers wrap up the weekend at home Sunday, welcoming Northern Kentucky to UWM Panther Arena. The department will also be celebrating the 20-year anniversary of the "Sweet 16" team from the 2004-05 campaign with a special halftime ceremony.