The recent numbers on the scoreboard haven’t been exactly what the Panthers have hoped for. Milwaukee is currently coming off of a four game losing streak after a tough close loss to Northern Kentucky 62-67.
Despite the recent setbacks, the Panthers are far from throwing in the towel and continue to prove they are fighting to keep their season alive.
Milwaukee is currently 9-17 and 5-10 in the Horizon League, the Panthers hit the road and are on their way to battle IU Indy who are currently 7-18 and 3-11 in the Horizon League.
Milwaukee Falls Short to Detroit Mercy
The night started with Detroit Mercy securing the first points on the board to set the tone, while Milwaukee had a slower start with a few missed shots. A positive for the team was the return of Faizon Fields who missed a few games due to an ankle injury.
In the first half the Panthers were able to maintain a steady pace to trail the Titans to a small deficit. Throughout the entire first half, the Panthers fought to keep this a close scoring game. When big shots were needed the boys managed to pull it off.
Faizon Fields was able to gain momentum and was able to quickly tie up the score. The game turned to a back-and-forth battle for a big chunk of the game.
Prior to half, the Titans were able to take control and began making a bit of a distance between the scores. Detroit Mercy secured the final 12 points to take the lead once again 40-27.
Milwaukee refusing to let the Titans pull out of reach, they were able to keep their composure against a highly talented offense. They were able to narrow the gap to only six points at 48-42 in the second half.
As the clock started to wind down, Detroit Mercy was kept on their toes, with nine minutes remaining the Panthers were still within a single digit possession trailing 57-50.
Aaron Franklin was one of the lead scorers for Milwaukee finishing out the night with 10 points and five rebounds. Sekou Konneh also led the Panthers with 10 points on the board.
Ultimately, the Panthers once again fell short and allowed the Titans to hold a double digit lead the rest of the night. The night ended 76-63, with Detroit Mercy securing the win.
“We’ve lost but we fought in those other games,” said Head Coach Bart Lundy. “I don’t think we were cohesive, we didn’t fight. Of the losses we’ve had, this was the most disappointing.”
Injury Report for the Panthers
The Panthers have had an unpredictable amount of injuries this season that ultimately shifted the dynamic of the team. Coach Bart Lundy has had to make some tweaks to the starting five every game.
The injuries started with returning key player John Lovelace Jr. who appeared in all 32 games last season, was reported to have had an incident prior to the first opening game. It was announced by coach Lundy that Lovelace would be out for the entire season. That alone was a major hit to the team as Lovelace was a huge asset to the team.
Shortly after, the team announced that Seth Hubbard would be out for the remainder of the season due a shoulder injury. Hubbard was the team’s lead scorer and was the key factor to the win against Robert Morris with a last second tip-in.
Danilo Jovanovich was working through an ongoing injury situation but ultimately was ruled out for the remainder of the season as well following the second match up against Wright State.
The Panthers have had a number of players miss out on games throughout the season thus far. Stevie Elam missed a month of action after suffering a foot injury after the Wichita State matchup but quickly made his return.
Milwaukee Welcomes Cleveland State
The Vikings were entering this game determined to secure a win as they were coming off a four game win streak. Cleveland State, 8-14 overall and 4-7 in Horizon League.
In the first few minutes of the game, both teams missed a good amount of continuous shots. Cleveland State secured the first points on the board to set the tone of what would be a lead from the majority of the game.
Stevie Elam and Amar Auguillard secured the first points for the Panthers from a foul call, both went 2 for 2 in free throws.
Elam was the lead scorer of the night finishing with a career high of 21 points, securing five threes to help out the Panthers.
Coming off the bench, Josh Dixon secured 19 points, Chandler Jackson had an impressive night gaining his first double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds.
Wrapping up the night, Milwaukee was somehow able to tie up the score with ten seconds remaining after trailing by five.
“I do want to praise Aaron Franklin,” said Lundy. “We are struggling with consistency, with a lot of things and that’s a guy who missed all of summer with a serious foot problem. He is not every day, he is every play, every play in practice, he’s given everything he’s got.”
Aaron Franklin was close to securing a triple-double finishing the night with 17 points, nine rebounds and nine assists.
Cleveland State had the advantage after securing a couple of free throws to take home the win 90-88.
Next Man Up, Every Night
The starting five for the Panthers so far this season has seen quite the variety as a result of the injury situation, as the team has now used 16 different lineups this season, including new combinations in each of the past several games. The match up against Robert Morris a few games ago included three freshmen, Sekou Konneh, Stevie Elam, and Josh Dixon were all featured together.
The schedule for Milwaukee may be winding down, but with a mix of home games and road trips left. These final games are the ultimate chance to show they haven’t given up the fight. After taking on IU Indy on the road, the Panthers will return home to take on Green Bay on Sunday at the Panther Arena at 2 p.m.