Your Milwaukee Panthers can put on a show against lesser foes, but when faced against better teams they have some work to do.
D-Lo has played tremendously so far but like everyone else, can still improve a lot; Conference begins this coming Saturday
Milwaukee (3-5, 0-0) pulverized Dominican 125-70 at the Klotsche Center on Nov 25th behind a 20 point effort by Amar Aguillard and 7 other Panthers who scored in double figures. This game was never close and served more as an exhibition and a "confidence rebuilder" than anything else.
The next game at Akron was a return game from the MKE Tip-Off game we won against the Zips at the Fiserv Forum last season.
Unfortunately, Akron completely outplayed Milwaukee in this contest. From tip to final buzzer the Panthers hardly had a chance. We managed to shoot average from the perimeter (13-38 for 34%), but we were embarrassingly inaccurate everywhere else (29-77 for 38% from the field overall.. 😞).
Faizon Fields was out due to sickness, and the bulk of the frontcourt was on Yovanovich's shoulders. D-Lo had 21 points on 3-4 from 3pt, but we needed more from more players and just didn't have any juice to complete with the Zips. Elam (17pts) and Hubbard (15pts) chipped in to the Panther offense but we gave up a whopping 105 points; offense wasn't what we needed most to win this one.
Milwaukee was within 10 points, 39-29, with 5:46 left in the first half but Akron's lead just opened up from there like a giant chasm. An ominous abyss.
Faizon Fields has been slow to play his best basketball in prior seasons; let's hope he is done warming up
And so, the home team would prevail as Akron so routinely does when playing on their court. Akron 105, Milwaukee 81.
Is this team as good as we thought and hoped going into this season?
I think so. Many Panther fans have pointed out that we haven't even started the Horizon League season yet. That is where we can make our bacon. Or rather that is what can save our bacon and get this team in ship shape for a successful conference run to a meaningful postseason bid.
One of the biggest problems this early season remains frustratingly unresolved: where are our point guards and who runs the offense?
Dorceus has been effective at times but needs to defend, score and facilitate better
Elam isn't much of a ball handler. Hubbard is much more of a shooting guard/wing small forward. Josh Dixon doesn't have the size or experience to effectively be the #1 PG yet. Dorceus has had his good and bad games but hasn't yet shown himself to be a reliable lockdown defender in the backcourt and the "steady hand at the till" kind of point guard that we desperately need- yet.
I do hope we figure that PG problem out because if we do it'll make this Panther team a lot harder to beat and consequently a lot more fun to watch.
The Panthers return home and will host Robert Morris on Saturday, December 6th to kick off the Horizon League season.
go panthers.
tilt the floor. 🏆🏀
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