The Panthers came to play last week. Thanks to two dominating performances, January closes with Milwaukee tied for second place and ready for the stretch run in the Horizon League.
Everything fell into place for the Panthers (15-7, 8-3 Horizon League) with a 95-79 win over Wright State on Wednesday night. Milwaukee followed that with a wire-to-wire 79-59 thumping of Northern Kentucky on Friday.
In Wednesday’s Nutter Center exorcism slash win over Wright State (10-11, 4-6 Horizon League), the guards led the attack, with 18 points coming from both Kentrell Pullian and Themus Fulks. KP’s total (Pullian) also included the 1,000th point in his career. Four other Panthers joined the fun, scoring in double figures led by Erik Pratt (15 points), AJ McKee (11 points), Faizon Fields, and Jamichael Stillwell (10 points each).
But “Payday Friday” may have been the most rewarding as Milwaukee finished off the road trip in a dominating win over Northern Kentucky (9-12, 4-6 Horizon League). Erik Pratt led the Panthers with 20 points (including 4-5 from behind the arc), while Pullian added 15 points.
This sets up a huge home game next Sunday, vs. Purdue Fort Wayne, after a week of vacation.
The Good
Road Warriors: Conference road wins are always tough to come by regardless of the opponent. So sweeping this road trip was crucial and hopefully will lay the foundation for the stretch run in the Horizon.
Pratt, Pratt, Pratt: Erik Pratt was on fire last week from behind the arc. Against Wright State, Pratt went 4-6 from three-point range and followed that up with a 4-5 performance from deep a few nights later. In all, MKE shot an impressive 45.8% and 50% last week.
Pocket Snatcher: AJ McKee defensively harassed players all week. On Wednesday, he collected 4 steals and added another 3 against the Norse. Overall, McKee was a nuisance and went stat-stuffing all week.
The Bad
Turnovers: The Panthers only committed 9 against the Raiders but surrendered 18 against NKU. As the fight for the Conference Crown and Indy intensifies, MKE will need to value every precious possession.
No Techs: The Panthers picked up another technical foul last week, increasing that total to 11 for the season. Championship teams do not commit technical fouls during their stretch run because they understand the impact it will have on probable 4-5, one-possession games, in the final few months. So there shouldn’t be any more technical fouls from Panther players or coaches unless your name rhymes with “Sunday.”
Players of the Week
Offense: Erik Pratt. The three-pointers Pratt hit last week were all backbreakers. In 2 games, he scored 35 points (including 8-11 from 3 pt), 3 assists, 3 steals, and 6 rebounds, all from off the bench.
Defense: AJ McKee. Besides the aforementioned 7 steals last week, AJ disrupted the flow and precision of both Raiders’ and Norse offenses.
Bench: Danilo Jovanovich. In 33 minutes of action over 2 games, DLo scored 14 points, grabbed 12 rebounds, and added 2 blocks.
Up Next
Revenge game vs. Purdue Fort Wayne on Sunday, February 2nd, at Panther Arena. Milwaukee is currently tied for second place in the Horizon League with the Mastodons. There are no football games next Sunday. The Bucks play at night, and the students are back on campus. There is no plausible reason for Milwaukee Panther Arena not to be filled for this huge game.
Jimmy
We would like to give a shout-out to the man, the myth, the legend, Jimmy Lemke. As everyone knows, Jimmy is a devoted Panther fan and alumni who has been supporting the program for many years. He is a great fan but an even better person. Please keep Jimmy and his family in your thoughts and prayers as they navigate a health challenge.
