A fresh season brings newfound expectations for the UW-Milwaukee men’s basketball team and their second-year head coach Bart Lundy.
The Panthers are entering the season positioned for their second consecutive second-place finish in the highly competitive Horizon League. The Panthers have not consecutively finished in one of the top spots in nearly 20 years.
But this year’s squad is looking to embrace those expectations in hopes of appearing in the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2014.
“This is a new team with new challenges and greater expectations,” said coach Lundy at last week’s media day. “We have to try to find a way to meet those expectations… and hopefully exceed those. In my experience you do those day by day. It’s not something that happens overnight. It’s what you do every single day.”
The Panthers followed that script last year under the first-year head coach, winning 20 games for the first time in seven years. Their first-round victory in the College Basketball Invitational, led by a 44-point performance from sophomore BJ Freeman, marked the program’s first postseason win in nearly two decades.
Freeman enters the year as Milwaukee’s lone preseason all-league selection, selected to the Horizon League’s first team. The junior earned second team all-league honors last season after leading the Panthers in points per game, rebounds per game, free throw percentage, three pointers made and minutes played.
Coach Lundy offered praise for Freeman’s abilities both on and off the court.
“He is a terrific, not only scorer, but also playmaker,” said Lundy. “Off the court his leadership role has increased. He carries a lot of responsibility – to whom much is given much is required.”
One player expected to step up in his second year in the program is senior guard Angelo Stuart.
“I expect a big year for Angelo,” said Lundy about the 6-foot-1 guard. “Angelo understands what we’re doing better than anyone in our program. His leadership, his experience…last year Angelo came off ankle surgery. I feel like this year he has come in, not only healthy, but with a carefree attitude.”
Three other starters return from last season including junior guards Kentrell Pullian and Markeith Browning II, as well as sophomore guard Elijah Jamison.
Pullian emerged as a big contributor in his first year at Milwaukee. He appeared in all 34 games and started in 27. The transfer from Eastern New Mexico averaged 10.6 points per game, second among all Panthers.
Markeith Browning II brings solid scoring ability along with incredible athleticism.
“I think he probably has the most vertical on the team,” said teammate BJ Freeman. “His athleticism is sort of freaky, he could be the best cornerback in the country if you ask me.”
Elijah Jamison returns after a terrific freshman campaign that landed him on the Horizon League’s all-freshman team. Jamison shot 43.1 percent from three-point range, best among the team’s regular rotation players.
The Panthers hope to improve their three-point shooting beyond Jamison, an area that lagged behind the rest of their offense last year. Transfers Langston Wilson and Faizon Fields, along with freshman Simeon Murchison could help solidify the offense from outside range.
“Langston, really, every time he shoots it, I think it’s going in,” said Lundy on the graduate transfer from the University of Washington. “He can really shoot it from three. Langston sees himself as having those perimeter skills, but also being able to push it on the break.”
Fields comes to Milwaukee after averaging 4.8 points per game for Old Dominion last year. He helped lead Chipola College to the NJCAA semifinals in 2022.
Wilson and Fields are joined by five other transfers including Pierce Spencer from Nicholls State, Erik Pratt from Texas A&M, Learic Davis from Tennessee State, and junior college products Aaron Franklin and Darius Duffy.
While the three-point shooting from the Panthers could be significantly improved this year, the calling card remains off-the-charts athleticism– just ask their teammates.
“Learic, if you see him on a fastbreak he seems like he can dunk from the free throw line,” said Stuart, speaking about the Milwaukee native. “Langston is someone, who, it feels like can do a 360° dunk in the paint with guys around.”
“The stuff that I’ve seen out of Langston is pretty amazing,” said Freeman. “Learic is pretty athletic too – one of the most athletic players I’ve seen. But Keith (Markeith Browning II) and Langston do some crazy stuff in practice sometimes. It’s pretty amazing, Langston picks up Ahmad’s spot, crazy dunks, posterizing stuff. That’s what Langston does.”
Milwaukee opens their season on Monday, Nov. 6, when they host UW-Stout. Seven non-conference games precede their conference opener on Dec. 2 in Green Bay.
Lundy expects Horizon League opponents to place a target on the back of Milwaukee.
“Not only did we achieve things that people didn’t expect, but we were unliked a little bit,” said Lundy. “People want to get Milwaukee.”
Photos from Media Day provided by: Christopher A Zills