A seventh-place team, sitting at 7-7 in a wide-open Horizon League, would typically be labeled a disappointment, especially if that team was pegged for a top-2 finish. But more than halfway through the conference season, there’s far more to the story for the injury-riddled Panthers.
“We’ve had to reinvent this team six times now,” said Head Coach Bart Lundy after their most recent injury, a Darius Duffy fractured finger that will likely sideline him for the rest of the season. “Next man up.”
Duffy’s injury, suffered amidst their 87-71 victory over Detroit Mercy, marked the seventh separate UWM injury during the 2023-24 campaign. Prior to last Thursday, Duffy started 17 of Milwaukee’s 20 games.
Duffy’s finger fracture part of a long list of injuries
The junior forward joined Pierce Spencer (knee), Zach Howell (torn labrum) and Aaron Franklin (broken hand), all currently sidelined, the former two for the remainder of the season.
Spencer, a transfer from Nicholls State, was expected to start at point guard for the Panthers but instead was unable to see the floor after an early-season knee injury.
“[Spencer is] a winner and really good player,” said Lundy when the prognosis became clear for Spencer in late December. “It’s a blow.”
Howell suffered a torn labrum in Milwaukee’s matchup with UC-Davis on Dec. 9, requiring surgery. He averaged 4.2 points per game, prior to the injury.
And while Franklin could still return prior to season’s end, he’s now missed 13 consecutive games after starting 6 of their first 12 contests.
The injury woes extend beyond those currently sidelined. As the rotation has constantly changed, the Panthers have struggled to find rhythm and an identity. Preseason all-conference honoree BJ Freeman (back) and graduate transfer Langston Wilson (ankle) missed time earlier in the year, as did Dominic Ham (back), who returned last week after nearly a two-month hiatus.
UWM went 3-3 in Freeman’s absence, representative of the middling nature of the team’s season but a far cry from preseason expectations. The star junior came off the bench his first four games after the injury, slowly regaining his rhythm while recovering from the back injury. His 26-point performance against Purdue-Fort Wayne earlier this month was his highest mark since he dropped 33 on Providence in November.
Wilson and Ham have been relied upon to help fill in for Duffy’s absence in the post, each setting season highs in minutes since the forward went down. Their performance may dictate how prepared the team is for March.
Conference Tournament Around the Corner
Just eight games separate the Panthers from the Horizon League tournament, the week that holds the fate of their season in the balance. Despite their injuries, they’ve remained in the mix in a tight Horizon League. But if they want to separate themselves from the rest of the pack, they must move beyond the adversity that has marked their season thus far.
“We want to win the league obviously, get the best seed we can get,” said Lundy after their win over Detroit Mercy. “But right now, it comes down to three games in March, so that’s our focus.