You could see it in their puzzled faces. UIC fans, players, and coaches alike stood in jaw-dropped awe as UWM's #55, "Big James" Eayres drilled 3 point basket after 3 point basket from nearly every spot on the perimeter. This occurred mostly in the second half, and helped to solidify the Panthers lead, which was cushioned at around 5 points for most of last night's contest. Big James outburst was a microcosm of the contest between Lake Michigan rivals UWM and UIC. There would be no stopping the Panthers offensive arsenal on this night.
UIC got off to a quick start, but the Panthers of Milwaukee kept the Flames in check until they could make their own set of runs. Eventually, Ricky Franklin (13pts, 7rbs, 5ast, 2stl) ignited UWM's kindling of potential, which then burst into a blaze that engulfed the bewildered opposition (Ricky was the real, "lighting of the flame" -or rather the start of Milwaukee's "dousing of the Flames").
The Panthers knew that the key to this game would be containing (not "shutting down"- that ain't going to happen) UIC's Josh Mayo (18pts) and Scott VanderMeer (16pts). They did a great job of this last night. Mayo fouled out in the closing minutes, and VanderMeer, while very solid on the blocks, was not as automatic with his post-ups and hook shots as he was going up against Tim Flowers, Marcus Skinner, and Jason Averkamp last year.
Avo sunk an unbelievable buzzer-beating three to close out the first half and give Milwaukee a one point edge 34-33. That three turned out to be critical as UIC scored the first four points of the second. UWM kept pounding the ball through the lane and from beyond the arc to build up a lead that lasted virtually all of the second half. Ricky Franklin was on Josh Mayo like glue, and Mayo could not find the kind of shot selection he is so used to having at his disposal.
Continuing their habit of prolific scoring and spreading the ball around, UWM put 5 scorers in double digits (Meier (12), Boyle (14), Franklin (13), Smith (15), and Eayres (15)). That alone says more about this team's potential than anything else I've noticed this entire year. Every single night out- we've got options. If Avo has an off night, Rick or Big James might pick up the slack. It's a huge relief to have several go-to guys after consecutive seasons where it seemed only one or two Panthers were reliable shooters.
Also worth noting- the Panthers were 12-13 (.923) from the charity stripe, and 13-32 (.406) from beyond the arc. That kind of shooting will win a lot of basketball games. Lets hope the team can keep it up. It may be (Loyola, Valparaiso, and Green Bay will tell a lot more, but..) that after two years of futility, UWM is back on the radar of the top Horizon League teams. The win last night served as notice to the likes of Butler and CSU- the Milwaukee Panthers are no cupcake this year. At least not when they play like they did last night.
Keep in mind, while this is by no means the biggest win the Panthers will have all year- UIC defeated Vanderbilt and Georgia Tech earlier this season- on the road. A 3-0 start to conference play is as good a start as anyone could have hoped for. The entire season is built around the conference schedule, and getting off to a great start will negate some of the (often) inevitable slip-ups that occur later in the season.
Jeter and staff seem to have finally found a consistent rotation that works. While it may seem a bit much to leave Ricky and Tone in for entire games- they are warriors; they are our best options; and they can play at a very high level all 40 minutes. Like Anthony Hill, Tony Meier, Avery Smith, Deonte Roberts, and James Eayres- they give us the best chance to win.
In a way, it is tough to watch Deion, Averkamp, Kaylan, Charlie and others not get significant playing time; but that very fact speaks volumes about the talent level this team has risen to. In '06-'07, literally all of the players just mentioned would have a chance at starting. Now we can afford to have them as reserves- and make no mistake, any one (or likely all) of these players will make huge contributions before its all said and done.
The season is long, matchups change every game, and we need all the Panther talent we can get on the bench and off the bench. Oh and one last thing about last night- Tim Flowers was at the game, he said he wants back on the team. Sorry Tim. Only kidding- a couple UWM fans actually ran into Flowers in the UIC Pavillion and he mentioned that he is all ready to transfer to UIC and play for Jimmy Collins next season. Oh my, how splendid of a homecoming that first game back in Milwaukee will be for not-so-tiny Tim.
It appears that 11 (52%) of those here who voted guessed correctly that the Panthers' record at the close of the 2008 year would be a solid 7-5 (I was hoping for 8-4, but I'll take what we can get!). Any ideas for a new poll? Send them my way via a comment... With this, the third consecutive league victory, the Panthers (7-5, 3-0) sit alone (briefly) atop the Horizon.
With the likes of Butler, Cleveland State, Green Bay, and Valparaiso that are sure to be big-time challenges, and other Horizon teams that could surprise people waiting in the wings, the remainder of the season will be one helluva slug fest. Should the Panthers continue to put together complete 40-minute efforts like this on a consistent basis, a top 3 spot in the Horizon League is definitely attainable. Unless Butler gets an at-large bid and someone else wins the Horizon League tournament, only one Horizon team will be invited to the Big Dance.
You better believe the Panthers are doing everything they can to play like champions in that Tournament (the Horizon- and the NCAA's, whenever they get back..). But for now- it's all conference, baby. UWM faces Loyola at the Gentile Center in Chicago this Saturday, January 3rd at 3:00pm. The game will be broadcast on Time Warner Sports Channel 32, as well as 1130 AM WISN on radio. Tune in to see the Panthers attempt to extend their winning mentality another game. Hopefully, this will be a pair of Chicago road trips to remember.
Player of the Game (POTG): James Eayres (15 points, 6 rebounds, 5-9 from 3pt)
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Sunday, December 21, 2008
First Half Blitz Buries Bradley
The snow was falling when we entered the Arena, and it was falling the same when we walked out. What happened inside was a bit less mundane. Milwaukee fans were able to walk away with a somewhat optimistic feeling about this team last night after the Bradley contest.
Not only did the Panthers win the game 86-74- they held a sizable lead virtually all game and several players had breakout games. If last night was a preview of things to come, there will be no shortage of great Milwaukee Panther Basketball to watch (at least at the Cell) this season. Those pesky road games must get figured out sooner than later....
Bradley seemed like the perfect match-up for the Panthers. Both teams are relatively young and not laden with seniors, and both were a bit undersized (Bradley was missing their center who suffered a broken nose in a previous game).
First off- major props to Bradley's fans. They must have had a contingent of 250 people or more- indeed it looked as if their red army of supporters were an auxiliary visiting student section. They tended to be boisterous (but in good taste), intense, and knowledgeable about the game their team was playing down on the floor. Kinda like Panther fans I guess!
From the very first possession it appeared that UWM was happy to be home and comfortable in the friendly and familiar confines of the U.S. Cellular Arena. The Panthers lit it up in the first half; so much so, that a lackluster shooting performance in the second didn't unhinge the team and spoil the spectacular effort in the opening 20 minutes. Doing something that seldom happens for UWM, and giving the Panthers a key advantage in the paint- UWM won the battle of the boards, 52-46.
Ricky Franklin (13pts, 13rbs, 5ast) started for the first time since he was temporarily suspended in place of Deonte Roberts and like many of the Panthers around him, played a huge game to bolster the winning effort. Franklin was unstoppable. He defended tenaciously, showed great shot selection (knocking down 3 of 5 three point attempts), and rebounded his way to a rock solid double-double.
The Panthers were led in scoring by Tone Boyle (24pts, 4rbs, 3ast in 40 minutes- Tone had no problem playing a complete game). Boyle seemed to attack the rim at will- sometimes even looking like a human crash test dummy as he catapulted himself through the lane and into a menacing perimeter of defenders on his way to the hoop. Defenses beware though- Tone can shoot- from anywhere, contested or not, and free throws are like a breath of fresh air to him (he's no Shaq you wanna hack!). Tone was 10-12 from the charity stripe including a perfect 10-10 in the closing minutes to protect this big win.
Don't think Avery Smith was about to miss out on last night's scoring feast! Avo (21pts, 5rbs, 1stl) was the true fire starter in the first 10 minutes, igniting UWM to a lead that stretched as wide as 21 points in the first half. #0 seemed to always be around the bend when a big shot was needed and he masterfully hit them head-on from close and long range (Avo was 5-8 from 3pt) to keep padding that Panther lead.
Big James Eayres (11pts, 4rbs, 1blk, 1stl) showed more of his improbable versatility (remember James is 6'7" 310lbs). James seems to be finally figuring out his post moves- and they are quite effective when he breaks them out. Bradley forwards looked as if they were waving a Mack truck off the road every time they tried to get in his way. In fact, I can't resist posting this hilarious quote found on a Bradley fan discussion board:
Tony Meier, Anthony Hill, and Deonte Roberts all added to the win as well. While they didn't have as big of games as the aforementioned heroes of the night, their work was essential, and more of their big games are right around the corner (and some things on the offensive and defensive ends of the court that help a team win can't be conveyed in the stat line).
This game was another great effort by this inconsistent Panther squad, and a very nice Christmas present to boot!! May everyone enjoy this holiday season and the family, food, cookies, gifts, and reflections that come with it. A nice break from school and basketball will be good for this team (and a nice break from the 9-to-5 will be good for myself and the rest of the work force!).
The Panthers will travel down I-94 for their next contest, to face off against the UIC Flames in Chicago on Tuesday, December 30th, at 7:00pm. Tune in to Time Warner Sports Channel 32 on cable, or to WISN 1130 on radio. If this team can get consistent and start playing a lot better on the road, things.... could get interesting.
Not only did the Panthers win the game 86-74- they held a sizable lead virtually all game and several players had breakout games. If last night was a preview of things to come, there will be no shortage of great Milwaukee Panther Basketball to watch (at least at the Cell) this season. Those pesky road games must get figured out sooner than later....
Bradley seemed like the perfect match-up for the Panthers. Both teams are relatively young and not laden with seniors, and both were a bit undersized (Bradley was missing their center who suffered a broken nose in a previous game).
First off- major props to Bradley's fans. They must have had a contingent of 250 people or more- indeed it looked as if their red army of supporters were an auxiliary visiting student section. They tended to be boisterous (but in good taste), intense, and knowledgeable about the game their team was playing down on the floor. Kinda like Panther fans I guess!
From the very first possession it appeared that UWM was happy to be home and comfortable in the friendly and familiar confines of the U.S. Cellular Arena. The Panthers lit it up in the first half; so much so, that a lackluster shooting performance in the second didn't unhinge the team and spoil the spectacular effort in the opening 20 minutes. Doing something that seldom happens for UWM, and giving the Panthers a key advantage in the paint- UWM won the battle of the boards, 52-46.
Ricky Franklin (13pts, 13rbs, 5ast) started for the first time since he was temporarily suspended in place of Deonte Roberts and like many of the Panthers around him, played a huge game to bolster the winning effort. Franklin was unstoppable. He defended tenaciously, showed great shot selection (knocking down 3 of 5 three point attempts), and rebounded his way to a rock solid double-double.
The Panthers were led in scoring by Tone Boyle (24pts, 4rbs, 3ast in 40 minutes- Tone had no problem playing a complete game). Boyle seemed to attack the rim at will- sometimes even looking like a human crash test dummy as he catapulted himself through the lane and into a menacing perimeter of defenders on his way to the hoop. Defenses beware though- Tone can shoot- from anywhere, contested or not, and free throws are like a breath of fresh air to him (he's no Shaq you wanna hack!). Tone was 10-12 from the charity stripe including a perfect 10-10 in the closing minutes to protect this big win.
Don't think Avery Smith was about to miss out on last night's scoring feast! Avo (21pts, 5rbs, 1stl) was the true fire starter in the first 10 minutes, igniting UWM to a lead that stretched as wide as 21 points in the first half. #0 seemed to always be around the bend when a big shot was needed and he masterfully hit them head-on from close and long range (Avo was 5-8 from 3pt) to keep padding that Panther lead.
Big James Eayres (11pts, 4rbs, 1blk, 1stl) showed more of his improbable versatility (remember James is 6'7" 310lbs). James seems to be finally figuring out his post moves- and they are quite effective when he breaks them out. Bradley forwards looked as if they were waving a Mack truck off the road every time they tried to get in his way. In fact, I can't resist posting this hilarious quote found on a Bradley fan discussion board:
Originally Posted by SaintLouBrave22Nuff said? James is a beast. We even got to see 10 solid minutes from the human disappearing act, Burleigh Porte (4pts, 2blks). It was only fitting that Porte, taking a pass during the final fast break, charged his way straight through the empty lane and slammed home UWM's final two points like so many frustrations, doubts, and other obstacles that the Panthers have battled this season.
Especially considering we actually watched in horror as a 350 lb guy drove the ball around our players through the lane like they were stuck in quicksand, or in our center's case, cement boots.
Why don't you hop in there and take a charge from a freight train? I could feel the floor shake in my house just watching on TV.
Human nature would tell you to stay the hell away...especially when he does his little razzle-dazzle spin move - HOLY COW!
Tony Meier, Anthony Hill, and Deonte Roberts all added to the win as well. While they didn't have as big of games as the aforementioned heroes of the night, their work was essential, and more of their big games are right around the corner (and some things on the offensive and defensive ends of the court that help a team win can't be conveyed in the stat line).
This game was another great effort by this inconsistent Panther squad, and a very nice Christmas present to boot!! May everyone enjoy this holiday season and the family, food, cookies, gifts, and reflections that come with it. A nice break from school and basketball will be good for this team (and a nice break from the 9-to-5 will be good for myself and the rest of the work force!).
The Panthers will travel down I-94 for their next contest, to face off against the UIC Flames in Chicago on Tuesday, December 30th, at 7:00pm. Tune in to Time Warner Sports Channel 32 on cable, or to WISN 1130 on radio. If this team can get consistent and start playing a lot better on the road, things.... could get interesting.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Ouch!!!!! Panthers Embarrassed, 69-45 by Miami (OH)
It wasn't a hurricane that swept Milwaukee out of Oxford, Ohio, but it may as well have been. Before they could ask, (in the words of Stuart Scott), "Whuh, Whuh, whut had happened?"), your UWM roundball warriors were reduced to mini-ball pretenders by the Miami (Ohio) Redhawks for 40 minutes, and then ushered back to Milwaukee's East Side to regroup, and to try and find an answer to just that question- what did happen against Miami (OH)? I'm not so sure if the answers are found in a DVR recording or a bunch of grumpy fan board posts. But, in this belated (but necessary) post (I've been a bit busy at my day job), I'll attempt to briefly recap the Panthers' shellacking at the hands of the Miami (Ohio) Redhawks.
One name sticks out above everything else in this game- Michael Bramos. The 6'5" senior guard from Harper Woods, Michigan was flat-out dominate. The Panthers had no answer to his barrage of 3's (he was 6-8 from beyond the arc). By contrast, the entire (normally perimeter savvy) UWM team shot a head-scratching 4 of 19!! As if that wasn't disheartening enough, the team was 7-14 on free shots, and 17-53 (.321) overall from the field. We lost the turnover battle 9-14. Other stats were somewhat closer, but the Panthers showed little life from the outset.
It would be great if I could praise the team effort and individual statistics of the team in this post, but, taking a cue from Milwaukee's hometown newspaper, I will omit any congratulatory stat lines or depictions of great plays. To be completely honest- there were none... Well ok, Avery, because it's your final year... you get a quick nod for best Panther performance on this ugly night (Avo had 8pts, 5rbs, 4ast, 1stl). But truthfully- we clicked on zero cylinders against Miami, and played a pitiful game. There is no other way to put it. We may as well have been the Washington Generals playing against the Globetrotters.
The sad things is- we could have lost by a lot more. Miami was missing one of their leading scorers due to a wrist injury, and on the entire night, they shot just .394 from the field (but got in 13 more shots than us and (the deal sealer) were a very impressive 10-18 from 3 overall)).
So it wasn't Milwaukee's night, and besides, this Miami team lost by only 5 points to UCLA earlier this season- yes, that UCLA. Big deal, right? Well if the standards will be set low, and we can ignore the quietly clamoring sleeping giant of a fan base, the team, the students, and all of the supporters who have been itching to get back to (not just "respectability" but) the winning ways that Bruce Pearl made the norm for UWM, then yes, I guess, it's is no big deal.
But this team is better than that. Some, like myself have seen it live- and not just against exhibition competition. They've yet to put it all together for 40 minutes; what they've shown when they put together their best 5 minute stretches is downright dangerous- to a Wisconsin, to a Marquette, and given the matchup, even to a UCLA (certainly to a revamped but still rebuilding Ball State (we won't even go there again this season- it's over)). But the problem is- that threat lasts for a few minutes, a couple fouls, turnovers, or missed shots disrupts the game flow... and then we tank.
Myself and others aren't disappointed that this game was a loss- the dejection comes from how bad the loss was. Like Iowa State (18pts), Marquette (20pts- could have been 30 if Buzz Williams was Tom Crean) and Wisconsin (21pts), Miami (OH) steamrolled over the Panthers and made this team look like a D-II cupcake. At least in the Wisconsin and MU games there were times in the first half when you got a sense that the Panthers could make it a close one. No such luck in this contest. The Redhawks were in cruise control from tip to final buzzer, and they deserved victory.
Much like I think this years' Panthers could deserve victory, each and every game they play.... if they only gave a little more effort. You can't do anything about another team's hot 3-point shooting or some questionable officiating (which wasn't a factor in this game- but just to take as an example). But you can play better defense. You can play with heart. And you can resolve to play your best basketball (even better than your best ever game), every time you get on that floor.
UWM's 5-5 record is nothing to be ashamed of (nor proud of), and there is a long ways to go. But please, somebody tell me this team can be as good as their flashes of greatness have suggested. Consistency comes with time. There is a core of guys who have been together for a while here; the additions have had more than sufficient time to blend into the mix. Don't kid yourself with "well, they're a young team; they're rebuilding; they'll be fine sometime in 2012 or 2015....". We'll have none of that. It's time.
One name sticks out above everything else in this game- Michael Bramos. The 6'5" senior guard from Harper Woods, Michigan was flat-out dominate. The Panthers had no answer to his barrage of 3's (he was 6-8 from beyond the arc). By contrast, the entire (normally perimeter savvy) UWM team shot a head-scratching 4 of 19!! As if that wasn't disheartening enough, the team was 7-14 on free shots, and 17-53 (.321) overall from the field. We lost the turnover battle 9-14. Other stats were somewhat closer, but the Panthers showed little life from the outset.
It would be great if I could praise the team effort and individual statistics of the team in this post, but, taking a cue from Milwaukee's hometown newspaper, I will omit any congratulatory stat lines or depictions of great plays. To be completely honest- there were none... Well ok, Avery, because it's your final year... you get a quick nod for best Panther performance on this ugly night (Avo had 8pts, 5rbs, 4ast, 1stl). But truthfully- we clicked on zero cylinders against Miami, and played a pitiful game. There is no other way to put it. We may as well have been the Washington Generals playing against the Globetrotters.
The sad things is- we could have lost by a lot more. Miami was missing one of their leading scorers due to a wrist injury, and on the entire night, they shot just .394 from the field (but got in 13 more shots than us and (the deal sealer) were a very impressive 10-18 from 3 overall)).
So it wasn't Milwaukee's night, and besides, this Miami team lost by only 5 points to UCLA earlier this season- yes, that UCLA. Big deal, right? Well if the standards will be set low, and we can ignore the quietly clamoring sleeping giant of a fan base, the team, the students, and all of the supporters who have been itching to get back to (not just "respectability" but) the winning ways that Bruce Pearl made the norm for UWM, then yes, I guess, it's is no big deal.
But this team is better than that. Some, like myself have seen it live- and not just against exhibition competition. They've yet to put it all together for 40 minutes; what they've shown when they put together their best 5 minute stretches is downright dangerous- to a Wisconsin, to a Marquette, and given the matchup, even to a UCLA (certainly to a revamped but still rebuilding Ball State (we won't even go there again this season- it's over)). But the problem is- that threat lasts for a few minutes, a couple fouls, turnovers, or missed shots disrupts the game flow... and then we tank.
Myself and others aren't disappointed that this game was a loss- the dejection comes from how bad the loss was. Like Iowa State (18pts), Marquette (20pts- could have been 30 if Buzz Williams was Tom Crean) and Wisconsin (21pts), Miami (OH) steamrolled over the Panthers and made this team look like a D-II cupcake. At least in the Wisconsin and MU games there were times in the first half when you got a sense that the Panthers could make it a close one. No such luck in this contest. The Redhawks were in cruise control from tip to final buzzer, and they deserved victory.
Much like I think this years' Panthers could deserve victory, each and every game they play.... if they only gave a little more effort. You can't do anything about another team's hot 3-point shooting or some questionable officiating (which wasn't a factor in this game- but just to take as an example). But you can play better defense. You can play with heart. And you can resolve to play your best basketball (even better than your best ever game), every time you get on that floor.
UWM's 5-5 record is nothing to be ashamed of (nor proud of), and there is a long ways to go. But please, somebody tell me this team can be as good as their flashes of greatness have suggested. Consistency comes with time. There is a core of guys who have been together for a while here; the additions have had more than sufficient time to blend into the mix. Don't kid yourself with "well, they're a young team; they're rebuilding; they'll be fine sometime in 2012 or 2015....". We'll have none of that. It's time.
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Big James Has Big Game
The Panthers beat Wright State 66-59 at the Cell this afternoon giving UWM a winning record and handing the winless Raiders their 6th straight loss. It was a refreshing sight to see the Milwaukee Panthers finally come out strong, build an early lead, and hold on to that lead all game (save for a brief few seconds in the second half- the team is still struggling after halftime...). UWM is now 5-4 on the season and 2-0 in conference. Not a bad start for a team that was 3-6 and 0-2 at this time last year...
This Wright State team was depleted, and so the next matchup in Dayton may turn out to be a completely different (and much more difficult) challenge (esp. by the absence of junior guard and conference wave-maker Vaughn Duggins who is out with a broken finger suffered in practice last month).
The Panthers led throughout the entire first half, opening up a double digit lead that almost stretched to 20 points before a few dry spells and the awakening of a slouchy Wright State offense (their defense wasn't spectacular either- they seemed to have no problem letting our guys take open shots beyond the arc (and we an impressive 10-18 (.556) from three) were.
Wright State began to mount a comeback in the second half, and it actually materialized, before Eayres, Avo, and company wrested back control of this second conference game and never looked back. The Raiders were led by four players who reached double figures (Cory Copperwood, N'Gai Evans, John Gardner, and Todd Brown), but among them, John Garder seemed the most visible- he was everywhere (on offense and D), and if there were two of him (or a healthy Vaughn Duggins) UWM may have needed a lot better performance to down the Raiders today.
The story of the afternoon was "Big James" Earyes. When Eayres was struggling a bit earlier in the season, many (including myself) began to question the legitimacy of his much-ballyhooed long range shooting skills. Well this was only one game, but James (13pts, 8rbs, 1stl (4-4 from 3pt) proved that he can knock down the big shots and Wright State was (unfortunately for them) the first team to really take notice.
Deonte Roberts (9pts) and Avery Smith (9pts, 4ast) had solid games today, while surprisingly Anthony Hill (7pts, 1rbs) and Ricky Franklin (2pts, 2rbs, 2ast) did see the floor enough to make that big of an impact (like they usually do!). I expect both will have big games against Miami (OH).
Tony Meier (10pts, 5rbs, 3ast) was crippled by foul trouble from the early goings, but managed to contribute in a big way. Tone Boyle had 11 points but was only 1-7 from long distance. That will not happen again this year- and I repeat, even with Tone shooting cold from the arc, the team was 10-18 from 3.
While the secret weapon "player" of this game was Big James, I think the teams' secret weapon for the entire season is going to be their drastically improved shooting. When you've got forwards who are excellent perimeter shooters (Meier, Eayres) and other forwards who can shoot it from three with success when they need to (Hill, Averkamp), you've got a helluva mismatch opportunity with teams who don't want their big guys to run around the court trying to defend the 3.
I've said it once and I'll say it a thousand more times- the three point shot is the ultimate neutralizer for a Mid-Major team. While it won't be any kind of "genie in a bottle type" savior against Horizon teams (most everyone in the Horizon runs 3 guard sets and shoots a lot of threes- like most Mid-Majors!), but if we had shot 10-18 from beyond the arc against Wisconsin or Marquette... the results may have been a bit less embarrassing. But I digress. This was a great win, and will hopefully be a stepping stone for a lengthy winning streak.
Without Vaughn Duggins playing and with Todd Brown playing way under his potential, the Raiders have been lost in the shuffle very early on. It's a shame for a team that was projected to be in the top three teams of the Horizon League before the season started. The Raiders are certainly not done- and they will probably win a lot of games when Duggins gets back. But I'd much rather be where we're at than where they're at- still, the League is stacked this year; nothing will be easy. We've got a lot of work to do.
The Panthers travel to Miami, Ohio to play the Redhawks next Thursday. This will not be an easy game- Miami (OH) is 4-3, yet beware the numbers. Their losses came against none other than: UCLA (64-59), Pitt (82-52), and Xavier (60-53). Then again they haven't really beat anyone that special either (neither have we). They did however beat a team in Dayton that call themselves the Raiders- at least on that level, we are now on par.
This is a big one. We have proven that we can win the games that we are expected to win or make close. We have yet to mount a game-long challenge against teams that we are not supposed to beat. Miami (OH) will likely be a high single digit favorite for this game, and so it falls into that latter category of games that we've yet to win. Great teams can win every time they step on the court. It's way too early too speculate on how good this team really is, but if they want to become great, it starts with a victory over Miami (OH). GO PANTHERS!!!!
This Wright State team was depleted, and so the next matchup in Dayton may turn out to be a completely different (and much more difficult) challenge (esp. by the absence of junior guard and conference wave-maker Vaughn Duggins who is out with a broken finger suffered in practice last month).
The Panthers led throughout the entire first half, opening up a double digit lead that almost stretched to 20 points before a few dry spells and the awakening of a slouchy Wright State offense (their defense wasn't spectacular either- they seemed to have no problem letting our guys take open shots beyond the arc (and we an impressive 10-18 (.556) from three) were.
Wright State began to mount a comeback in the second half, and it actually materialized, before Eayres, Avo, and company wrested back control of this second conference game and never looked back. The Raiders were led by four players who reached double figures (Cory Copperwood, N'Gai Evans, John Gardner, and Todd Brown), but among them, John Garder seemed the most visible- he was everywhere (on offense and D), and if there were two of him (or a healthy Vaughn Duggins) UWM may have needed a lot better performance to down the Raiders today.
The story of the afternoon was "Big James" Earyes. When Eayres was struggling a bit earlier in the season, many (including myself) began to question the legitimacy of his much-ballyhooed long range shooting skills. Well this was only one game, but James (13pts, 8rbs, 1stl (4-4 from 3pt) proved that he can knock down the big shots and Wright State was (unfortunately for them) the first team to really take notice.
Deonte Roberts (9pts) and Avery Smith (9pts, 4ast) had solid games today, while surprisingly Anthony Hill (7pts, 1rbs) and Ricky Franklin (2pts, 2rbs, 2ast) did see the floor enough to make that big of an impact (like they usually do!). I expect both will have big games against Miami (OH).
Tony Meier (10pts, 5rbs, 3ast) was crippled by foul trouble from the early goings, but managed to contribute in a big way. Tone Boyle had 11 points but was only 1-7 from long distance. That will not happen again this year- and I repeat, even with Tone shooting cold from the arc, the team was 10-18 from 3.
While the secret weapon "player" of this game was Big James, I think the teams' secret weapon for the entire season is going to be their drastically improved shooting. When you've got forwards who are excellent perimeter shooters (Meier, Eayres) and other forwards who can shoot it from three with success when they need to (Hill, Averkamp), you've got a helluva mismatch opportunity with teams who don't want their big guys to run around the court trying to defend the 3.
I've said it once and I'll say it a thousand more times- the three point shot is the ultimate neutralizer for a Mid-Major team. While it won't be any kind of "genie in a bottle type" savior against Horizon teams (most everyone in the Horizon runs 3 guard sets and shoots a lot of threes- like most Mid-Majors!), but if we had shot 10-18 from beyond the arc against Wisconsin or Marquette... the results may have been a bit less embarrassing. But I digress. This was a great win, and will hopefully be a stepping stone for a lengthy winning streak.
Without Vaughn Duggins playing and with Todd Brown playing way under his potential, the Raiders have been lost in the shuffle very early on. It's a shame for a team that was projected to be in the top three teams of the Horizon League before the season started. The Raiders are certainly not done- and they will probably win a lot of games when Duggins gets back. But I'd much rather be where we're at than where they're at- still, the League is stacked this year; nothing will be easy. We've got a lot of work to do.
The Panthers travel to Miami, Ohio to play the Redhawks next Thursday. This will not be an easy game- Miami (OH) is 4-3, yet beware the numbers. Their losses came against none other than: UCLA (64-59), Pitt (82-52), and Xavier (60-53). Then again they haven't really beat anyone that special either (neither have we). They did however beat a team in Dayton that call themselves the Raiders- at least on that level, we are now on par.
This is a big one. We have proven that we can win the games that we are expected to win or make close. We have yet to mount a game-long challenge against teams that we are not supposed to beat. Miami (OH) will likely be a high single digit favorite for this game, and so it falls into that latter category of games that we've yet to win. Great teams can win every time they step on the court. It's way too early too speculate on how good this team really is, but if they want to become great, it starts with a victory over Miami (OH). GO PANTHERS!!!!
Friday, December 5, 2008
Primal Scream
The Panthers played a much better brand of basketball last night at the Cell. First-year Detroit head coach Ray McCallum and his players may not have seen it coming until the second half, but UWM was poised for a big night and desperate to break a three game losing streak that started with the Marquette loss. Break that losing streak they did, and impressively (or maybe anything positive is impressive after watching the past three losses!), with a 71-62 win over Detroit Mercy.
And make no mistake, this was not the Detroit team of last year. Their players were bigger, more athletic, and played the game a lot better than the laughable Titan team that Paige Paulson put away on a buzzer-beater at home and that the team lost to on the road last season. Post player Xavier Keeling and point guard WoodyPayne carried most of the load for the Titans- and they did it very effectively (one could hardly help from laughing when the student section, in their second-most most effective chant of the night, repeated, "Wooooo-dy, Woooo-dy" every time Payne touched the ball).
At 6'7", 235lbs. and with some very quality basketball skills, Keeling is your prototypical dominant Horizon forward. As such, he was able to get around our front court defense and drop in bunnies for much of the game. "Woooood-dy" Payne, as humorous as the chant sounds, kept Detroit ahead or in the game all night- we've got things to work on to prevent defensive (gaping) holes, but you've gotta credit the 5'11" Payne with the kind of beautiful drives into the lane (behind a defender, and then in off the glass) he made all night. Detroit figures to be a force in the next 2-3 years; once those players mature and reach the top of their potential, it could really brush the cobwebs off the Detroit Mercy Basketball Program.
Kudos all around for some (and some flat-out ridiculous) team and player stat lines. Other than field goal percentage (.400)- the team was on point against the Titans: the team was 6-15 (.400) from three point, 13 assists were dished out, 8 crucial blocks stifled DMU's post offense, and UWM (albeit narrowly) won the turnover battle 11-13.
By completely confounding Detroit’s interior with his deceptively small frame, Tony Meier (9pts, 10rbs, 4blks) proved once again why he starts for the Panthers as a true freshman. Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan hands out praise at a very high premium and spoke well of the young forward after the Badgers-Panthers game, “Meier is going to be a great player for them….. You talk about a confident stroke”.
Anthony Hill (16pts, 6rbs) did more than his primal scream to rally the troops. Ant seemed to play much better defense (as did the entire team- but his D was most noticeably improved), and really disrupt things down low- he could be now realizing just how much power he has to move bodies around with his gigantic and strong physique. Slowly but surely, we are seeing Hill’s transformation into an elite Horizon post player. And remember, he is still a sophomore…
Tone Boyle was, well- Tone Boyle. He led all scorers with 21 points (3-4 3pt) on the night and led all players in minutes played (39). Jeter is starting to find out that it’s hard to get a gym rat off the floor (and with the way Boyle has seamlessly adjusted to D-I, why even consider playing him less?).
Just when you thought the “James Eayres Show” was starting to fade into obscurity, he comes back with a huge game. Earyes (9pts, 5rbs, 2blks in 14 minutes) effortlessly twisted about in some sick looking post-up moves and found his way to the hoop for a lay-in every time (unfortunately a few were missed- but he followed everything up that he could (which wasn't happening in previous games this season)).
One of the biggest positives of the night was seeing Ricky Franklin's familiar face during warmups and then- in the game. Franklin had been suspended indefinitely last week before the Wisconsin game after an OWI arrest early Thanksgiving morning. But now, Rick is back on the team, and the team has responded enthusaistically thus far. Ricky, "The General" has returned and while he had only 2 points in his 20 minutes of floor time, he did manage to create for his teammates via 4 assists.
Avo had a forgettable night from the field (1-10), but dished out a game high 7 assists to make up for it, big time. Some of his passes were phenomenal and it truly is reassuring to see him bring the ball up the court- this guy is in control 100%. Had Avo been on is game, we might have been able to win by more, but a win (and the start of a different kind of streak) is all that matters.
And about that defense! It was incredible to see all the blocks shots last night (and Porte didn’t even play!). Tony Meier was a force against Detroit’s bigs- though they out-sized him considerably, Tony stayed his ground, and challenged everything as if it were the closing seconds of a close game (shots and rebounds).
All of the Panther big men were effective on D- it looked like 6 of the 8 blocks happened without the Panther defender even leaving his feet! For the first time this season, Milwaukee employed the zone defense. It didn’t seem to be significantly more effective than man-to-man, but then again defense all around was superb last night. I think when we play zone against a team that is notoriously susceptible to it, we will see the full effect.
Horizon League play continues tomorrow afternoon against a winless Wright State (2:00pm tip time at the U.S. Cellular Arena in downtown Milwaukee). The Raiders of Wright State are going to be chomping at the bit to get off the snide…. But your hometown Milwaukee Panthers have other plans, and for the first time since the Ball State loss, we could get back above .500 and begin conference play 2-0 (as opposed to last year’s sputtering 0-2 start to league play). One thing is sure after tonight- if UWM can hit shots and play defense (bring out that ZONE!!!!), they can win any of the games left on the schedule. A win tomorrow afternoon over Wright State would be a good start.
And make no mistake, this was not the Detroit team of last year. Their players were bigger, more athletic, and played the game a lot better than the laughable Titan team that Paige Paulson put away on a buzzer-beater at home and that the team lost to on the road last season. Post player Xavier Keeling and point guard WoodyPayne carried most of the load for the Titans- and they did it very effectively (one could hardly help from laughing when the student section, in their second-most most effective chant of the night, repeated, "Wooooo-dy, Woooo-dy" every time Payne touched the ball).
At 6'7", 235lbs. and with some very quality basketball skills, Keeling is your prototypical dominant Horizon forward. As such, he was able to get around our front court defense and drop in bunnies for much of the game. "Woooood-dy" Payne, as humorous as the chant sounds, kept Detroit ahead or in the game all night- we've got things to work on to prevent defensive (gaping) holes, but you've gotta credit the 5'11" Payne with the kind of beautiful drives into the lane (behind a defender, and then in off the glass) he made all night. Detroit figures to be a force in the next 2-3 years; once those players mature and reach the top of their potential, it could really brush the cobwebs off the Detroit Mercy Basketball Program.
Kudos all around for some (and some flat-out ridiculous) team and player stat lines. Other than field goal percentage (.400)- the team was on point against the Titans: the team was 6-15 (.400) from three point, 13 assists were dished out, 8 crucial blocks stifled DMU's post offense, and UWM (albeit narrowly) won the turnover battle 11-13.
By completely confounding Detroit’s interior with his deceptively small frame, Tony Meier (9pts, 10rbs, 4blks) proved once again why he starts for the Panthers as a true freshman. Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan hands out praise at a very high premium and spoke well of the young forward after the Badgers-Panthers game, “Meier is going to be a great player for them….. You talk about a confident stroke”.
Anthony Hill (16pts, 6rbs) did more than his primal scream to rally the troops. Ant seemed to play much better defense (as did the entire team- but his D was most noticeably improved), and really disrupt things down low- he could be now realizing just how much power he has to move bodies around with his gigantic and strong physique. Slowly but surely, we are seeing Hill’s transformation into an elite Horizon post player. And remember, he is still a sophomore…
Tone Boyle was, well- Tone Boyle. He led all scorers with 21 points (3-4 3pt) on the night and led all players in minutes played (39). Jeter is starting to find out that it’s hard to get a gym rat off the floor (and with the way Boyle has seamlessly adjusted to D-I, why even consider playing him less?).
Just when you thought the “James Eayres Show” was starting to fade into obscurity, he comes back with a huge game. Earyes (9pts, 5rbs, 2blks in 14 minutes) effortlessly twisted about in some sick looking post-up moves and found his way to the hoop for a lay-in every time (unfortunately a few were missed- but he followed everything up that he could (which wasn't happening in previous games this season)).
One of the biggest positives of the night was seeing Ricky Franklin's familiar face during warmups and then- in the game. Franklin had been suspended indefinitely last week before the Wisconsin game after an OWI arrest early Thanksgiving morning. But now, Rick is back on the team, and the team has responded enthusaistically thus far. Ricky, "The General" has returned and while he had only 2 points in his 20 minutes of floor time, he did manage to create for his teammates via 4 assists.
Avo had a forgettable night from the field (1-10), but dished out a game high 7 assists to make up for it, big time. Some of his passes were phenomenal and it truly is reassuring to see him bring the ball up the court- this guy is in control 100%. Had Avo been on is game, we might have been able to win by more, but a win (and the start of a different kind of streak) is all that matters.
And about that defense! It was incredible to see all the blocks shots last night (and Porte didn’t even play!). Tony Meier was a force against Detroit’s bigs- though they out-sized him considerably, Tony stayed his ground, and challenged everything as if it were the closing seconds of a close game (shots and rebounds).
All of the Panther big men were effective on D- it looked like 6 of the 8 blocks happened without the Panther defender even leaving his feet! For the first time this season, Milwaukee employed the zone defense. It didn’t seem to be significantly more effective than man-to-man, but then again defense all around was superb last night. I think when we play zone against a team that is notoriously susceptible to it, we will see the full effect.
Horizon League play continues tomorrow afternoon against a winless Wright State (2:00pm tip time at the U.S. Cellular Arena in downtown Milwaukee). The Raiders of Wright State are going to be chomping at the bit to get off the snide…. But your hometown Milwaukee Panthers have other plans, and for the first time since the Ball State loss, we could get back above .500 and begin conference play 2-0 (as opposed to last year’s sputtering 0-2 start to league play). One thing is sure after tonight- if UWM can hit shots and play defense (bring out that ZONE!!!!), they can win any of the games left on the schedule. A win tomorrow afternoon over Wright State would be a good start.
Monday, December 1, 2008
Badgers Greet, Then Beat UWM
"....the Panthers .... shot less than 36 percent for the game. That included 4-of-19 from 3-point range." - Associated Press on UWM vs. UW this past Saturday nightOne wold think our atrocious shooting performance against Ball State was not to be outdone this season. Sadly, we had to kick it down another peg this past Saturday at the Kohl Center in Madison (UWM shot just 37.5% vs. BSU, 36% against the Badgers).
With or without Ricky Franklin*, this game was going to be a huge challenge. Deonte Roberts and Tone Boyle both scored 11, but the bricks would not be overcome. Wisconsin turned the ball over only 6 times to the Panthers 11 (Deonte Roberts had 5 turnovers, a couple of which were big momentum-killers in the surprisingly close first half).
A Tone Boyle three ball just a few minutes into the game made it seem like we'd keep this close (a la the "Marquette Great 1st Half Hope"). There is nothing great to say about this game. Avo was MIA (-er effectively neutralized by a smothering Wisconsin D). Anthony Hill was limited. Tony Meier dropped in three long balls, but had only 3 boards to back it up.
Kaylan Anderson (7pts, 5rbs, 2stl) had the best game of all on the Panthers side, but it wasn't near enough to keep it close. The defense was, well, read the post from the Ball State loss- nothing has changed much. After the first half, there were very few things to cheer about. I guess the good news is- this was the 22nd-ranked Badgers.
The team is obviously in the midst of some kind of shooting funk. For all of the pure shooting talent throughout the roster, it should be only a matter of time before they snap out of it one by one or all together. I hope it's the latter- and next game, both halves, and into the rest of the season...
*Franklin has been suspended from team indefinitely
Ricky Franklin Suspended
This just in (I'm joking- I've been in Madison and Green Bay the past couple of days watching my teams get mauled): http://www.jsonline.com/sports/panthers/35238974.html
This bad news is coming at just the time when veteran leadership could give Milwaukee the spark needed to turn things around from the recent string of losses (3 in a row now after Wisconsin this past Saturday) and begin a good showing in the conference schedule.
Things have seemed to be "less than cohesive" lately. And while it doesn't appear their are any team chemistry issues or severely clashing personalities, it does seem like the team could use some leaders to step up and coordinate the troops out there.
The Panthers will be short-handed for an indeterminate period. Once word of Ricky's punishment from the team comes in, I'll post it here. Hopefully Ricky can learn from this experience of finding out what happens when you get caught using very, very bad judgment.
As a Panther for the past 4 years (Franklin redshirted as a freshman in order to meet certain academic criteria), and having a year of eligibility left if he meets degree requirements, Ricky has certainly become a mainstay of UWM Basketball.
Let's hope that all is well that ends well, and somehow some good will come of this for Ricky and the team.
This bad news is coming at just the time when veteran leadership could give Milwaukee the spark needed to turn things around from the recent string of losses (3 in a row now after Wisconsin this past Saturday) and begin a good showing in the conference schedule.
Things have seemed to be "less than cohesive" lately. And while it doesn't appear their are any team chemistry issues or severely clashing personalities, it does seem like the team could use some leaders to step up and coordinate the troops out there.
The Panthers will be short-handed for an indeterminate period. Once word of Ricky's punishment from the team comes in, I'll post it here. Hopefully Ricky can learn from this experience of finding out what happens when you get caught using very, very bad judgment.
As a Panther for the past 4 years (Franklin redshirted as a freshman in order to meet certain academic criteria), and having a year of eligibility left if he meets degree requirements, Ricky has certainly become a mainstay of UWM Basketball.
Let's hope that all is well that ends well, and somehow some good will come of this for Ricky and the team.
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