The Milwaukee Panthers battled their way to a hard-fought 76-74 victory over the Wofford Terriers on Saturday afternoon in the Cream City Challenge at Panther Arena in Milwaukee. The game was a physical and intense contest, with both teams going toe-to-toe in a nail-biting finish.
Milwaukee didn’t play its cleanest game, going 19 of 33 from the free-throw line and 5 of 17 from beyond the arc. Milwaukee coach Bart Lundy stated how his team did an excellent job limiting Wofford’s 3-point opportunities and making them earn their points in the paint. Wofford made just 6 of 24 3-point attempts.
“Our game plan was to really take away their 3s. We stuck to shooters and their action was two-on-two. They did hurt us a little bit with us over helping on their bigs, but that’s how we thought we had to guard them. Also, three (points) is worth more than two,” Lundy said.
Even through adversity, the Panthers showed they earned the preseason destinction as the favorites to win the Horizon League title this season. They demonstrated discipline, determination and perseverance to come out on top of a hard-fought game. The contest consisted of 10 lead changes, with the Panthers taking the go-ahead lead on a Themus Fulks layup with 1 minute, 18 seconds left.
The Panthers senior backcourt, featuring Fulks and AJ McKee, led the way in scoring. Fulks scored a game-high 24 points, showing an ability to attack the basket and knock down free throws. McKee displayed an efficient style of play. Whether it was finishing around the rim or nailing consecutive 3-pointers, McKee’s scoring ability kept the game really close. He finished with 21 points.
