Questions, Questions & More Questions for Panthers

It’s been 14 years since the Milwaukee Panthers won the regular-season conference championship. Coming into this weekend, the Panthers were one game back with four games to go. This would also serve as Milwaukee’s last road trip of the season. Would MKE be able to sweep the Penguins and Colonials, which in turn would set themselves up for a historic week at Panther Arena? 

Not quite.

The Panthers finished the final road trip of the season with another split. The result is enough to still be in the race for a top-4 seed but not enough to remain in contention for a regular-season conference crown. Coach Bart Lundy has repeatedly said throughout the season that 15 wins should get you the conference crown. The 2024-25 edition will, at best, come one win short of that goal and again, the coveted title.

Milwaukee started the weekend with an 84-74 win at Youngstown State. This completed the season sweep of the Penguins and provided MKE with a valuable tiebreaker in the fight for the top 4 seed. The lethal Fulks and McKee guard tandem led the Panthers. Themus scored 21 points and added 10 assists. McKee broke out of a minor scoring slump by chipping in 20 points, including 4-4 from deep, 5 rebounds, and 2 steals. Unfortunately, the game was marred by key reserve Danilo Jovanovich exiting with an injury. 

On Sunday, the Panthers visited Robert Morris in their biggest contest since last season’s conference championship game. MKE looked to avenge an earlier 81-79 loss at Panther Arena in January. Unfortunately, Milwaukee came out flat and stayed that way throughout the afternoon, limping to a 72-59 loss. Bart Lundy’s squad shot a frightful 27% from the field in the first half, including 2-14, from deep. To add to the frustration level, many attempts came close, from point-blank range. The Colonials, who also played Friday, looked to be the fresher squad despite using only a 7-man rotation. Erik Pratt “led” the Panthers with 13 points and 5 boards, while the walking “double-double” contributor, Jamichael Stillwell, added 12 points and 10 boards.

So why the Jekyll and Hyde performance from a veteran squad with so much at stake? That question only elicits more after another confusing weekend. Was Milwaukee satisfied after the first win on Friday night? Why settle for 3-point heaves instead of attacking the basket to get the RMU’s short rotation into foul trouble? Does Milwaukee have an offensive option that can consistently serve as a closer or run-stopper?

Even in the win at YSU, why the amount of turnovers in the final 2 minutes? Milwaukee’s most dominant player (Stillwell) even experienced a frustrating afternoon from the field. His 5-12 shooting performance included 0-5 from deep. Stillwell is a great all-around player, but I imagine most Panther fans would prefer that he’s in the paint rebounding a 3 instead of taking one. Obviously, the Horizon League opponents are all in favor of the former. 

Milwaukee 19-10 (12-6 in conference) has 2 home games left in conference play and currently sits 5th in the conference. Milwaukee could play 6 games in 13 days. Are they prepared for the stretch run? Before Oakland’s Jack Gohlke became famous last March, Milwaukee was 2 minutes and 53 seconds away from beating his squad and winning the conference championship. The Panthers could have made their run in the big dance if they could have squeezed out a dub in those crucial final few minutes. Speaking of the Grizzlies, the Panthers will face Oakland at the Panther Arena this Thursday. Both remaining games this weekend are left “must-wins,” but the tussle with the Grizzlies will be the toughest. Oakland knocked off 1st place Cleveland State Sunday and is fighting to keep their slim 4th seed hopes alive. 

In the home finale, Milwaukee will be favored against Detroit. But dispatching the Titans won’t be easy, as they have come close in several games against the top teams in the conference. 

So what’s the prognosis for Bart Lundy’s third squad? Will they rise and knock out higher-seeded conference opponents, as they accomplished last March, or will this season end frustratingly and confusingly? Milwaukee, like the community they represent, is in the corner, on the stoll, mouthpiece in, with 5 rounds (games) to go. It will be interesting to see what they have left in the tank.

Ding, Ding