Panthers Leap Over Roos, 61-52

Milwaukee Men’s Basketball improved to 3-1 on the season after defeating the Roos of Kansas City Friday night. In what was a defensive battle throughout, the Panthers were able to ignite an impressive 22-4 scoring run in the early goings of the second half, which helped propel them to a 61-52 victory.

Both Milwaukee and Kansas City struggled on the offensive end in the beginning of the contest. They traded missed baskets for nearly the first four minutes of the game. The scoring drought eventually subsided, as Wil Sessoms knocked down the first few buckets for the Panthers. Milwaukee found most of its success around the perimeter in the first half, as the Roos did a remarkable job of protecting the paint, forcing the Panthers to take outside looks.

As the first half pressed on, a very undisciplined brand of basketball was on display for both sides. Countless turnovers caused by poor execution and out of bounds violations made for a very low-scoring first 20 minutes. An incredible catch-and-shoot triple from the corner by Josh Thomas allowed Milwaukee to reach a slight 26-22 lead at the break.

The Panthers completely controlled the momentum early in the second half, as they came out of the locker room firing on all cylinders. Te’Jon Lucas led the scoring surge for Milwaukee, converting on a beautiful coast-to-coast effort for two points at the rim. Lucas’ playmaking abilities were out in full force in the second half, helping fellow guards Josh Thomas and Darius Roy reach double-figures in scoring. Lucas went on to end the night with 15 points, 10 assists, and seven boards.

Milwaukee continued to spread the wealth offensively down the stretch, finding a great deal of points around the rim, unlike the first half. The Panthers would eventually extend their lead to as many as 20 points with 11:50 to go in regulation. Kansas City would not go down without a fight late in the second half. The Roos were able to muster up a remarkable 12-0 scoring run of their own as a result of some lifeless defense from Milwaukee. Despite the concerted effort from Kansas City to pull within six points of the Panthers, it was not enough to complete the comeback. Milwaukee was not going to let this one slip away, as it would’ve been a brutal loss considering the 20-point second half lead.

The Panthers are set to take on a familiar non-conference foe in the North Dakota Fighting Hawks on Nov. 19 at Panther Arena. This contest will be the last of five-game home stand for Milwaukee, as the Panthers will head down to the Bahamas later in the week for the Islands of the Bahamas Showcase.