UWM guards Themus Fulks and AJ McKee stepped up with two key Panthers absent in their 76-74 matinee win over Wofford at the Panther Arena.
Fulks’ 24 and McKee’s 21 combined for over 60% of Milwaukee’s 76 points. Fulks, who led the Sun Belt Conference in assists per game two seasons ago, dished out a game-high four on Saturday.
The Panthers lacked a true point guard last year after Pierce Spencer suffered a career-ending injury in the preseason. Fulks, the presumptive point guard, transferred in from Louisiana for his senior season.
“Oftentimes Themus will come off the court and he’s already seen what I’m about to tell the team,” said Fulks. “I can feel us progressing as a team… the knowledge is being spread.”
In the final minutes, Kentrell Pullian was called for a shooting foul with 1:35 left – Dillon Bailey sank 1 of 2 free throws to knot the game at 69. Fulks reclaimed the lead with a layup just 17 seconds later.
“I’m just trying to make plays,” said Fulks. “Toward the end of the game I had it going, so we went my way and I made a play.”
After missed baskets on each end, McKee provided the dagger with a pair of foul shots to nab a four-point lead. The senior guard picked up his fourth foul with 16:42 to go in the game.
“He’s smart,” said Lundy. “He helped us chip away, tie it back up… I trust him that he’s going to stay in there.”
Stillwell, Duffy to See Increased Time in Fields’ Absence
Lundy announced forward Faizon Fields will miss time with a broken ring finger on his non-shooting hand that may require surgery. He said yesterday that 6-foot-8 forward Danilo Jovanovich would rehab at least 3-4 more weeks before reaching a decision on how to proceed with his arm injury.
“I think we have nine good, healthy players,” said Lundy. “And that’s enough. It’s harder in a three-day, three-game scenario but sometimes you get nine and your chemistry [benefits], people understand their roles. They’re a little happier and you get a little more production.”
Junior college transfer Jamichael Stillwell nearly recorded his third consecutive double-double, missing a baseline hook shot in the final seconds as he sat with 8 points.
“I’ve just got to step up,” said Stillwell, who posted a game-high 12 rebounds. “I do my job already, but I’ve got to rebound more.”
Fellow big man Darius Duffy grabbed five boards in route to a 40-31 advantage on the glass.
Panthers Still a Second-Half Team
A year ago, the Panthers struggled to find their groove in the first half, often trailing at the half. They’ve led at the break in just one of their five Division I games this year, including a 30-29 deficit on Saturday.
Guards McKee, Fulks and Pullian combined for 22 of the team’s 29 first-half points, including the first 12 in spite of fellow guard Erik Pratt’s fourth consecutive absence due to personal reasons.
Pullian finished with 9 points and 9 rebounds.
The preseason Horizon League favorite-Panthers began the game 1-for-8 from deep, keeping pace by out-rebounding the Terriers. An AJ McKee three-pointer mid-way through the initial half gave Milwaukee a four-point lead, their biggest of the half. The Terriers led 30-29 at intermission after a late scoring surge.
That lead grew to nine points due in part to the home squad’s 8 fouls in the first 8 minutes of the period, until Milwaukee used a 13-3 run to erase a 46-37 deficit in the final 10 minutes. Eight of the 13 points came from the Fulks-McKee duo.
Milwaukee made 6 of 7 free throw attempts in the final two minutes, but sank just 58% for the game.
Dillon Bailey and preseason all-Big South guard Corey Tripp led the visitors with 18 points each. Brillion High School graduate Jeremy Lorenz scored 8 points in his return to his home state, one of three native Wisconsinites to appear in the game.
The Spartanburg, S.C.-based Wofford is the fourth-smallest Division I school in the country with an enrollment of just 1,770 students. The 2-4 Terriers were picked to finish fourth in the Big South Conference preseason poll; they lost 86-35 against Duke in their last game before heading north.
Milwaukee and St. Thomas wrap up the Cream City Challenge tomorrow with a 1:30 p.m. contest at the Panther Arena. Portland State and Wofford tip off at 11 a.m.