#HLMBB Results (Feb. 22)
Milwaukee 66, Cleveland State 60
Oakland 81, UIC 56
Milwaukee 66, Cleveland State 60
J.J. Panoske scored a career-high 19 points, and hit 5 of 8 shots from three-point range, to lead the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (12-16, 7-7 Horizon) to a 66-60 victory over Cleveland State (17-12, 11-4 Horizon) this afternoon at UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena. The Panthers wrapped up the home portion of the 2014-15 season with a 10-4 record on their home floor.
"This group has battled and persevered this season and right now we feel great," Milwaukee Head Coach Rob Jeter said. "It's only fitting that today we do this for Steve McWhorter and Evan Richard and this is evidence of our character. Tonight was a huge win for the program and I am very proud of this team."
The 6-foot-10 Panoske started the game by knocking down a pair of three-pointers as Milwaukee jumped out to a quick 6-0 lead, but Cleveland State ripped off 10 unanswered points to take a four-point edge.
The Panthers charged right back with a 16-3 spurt on their own, capped by another three from Panoske, to stake claim to a 22-13 lead, their largest of the game, and Milwaukee headed to the locker room with a 33-29 lead.
Back-to-back threes from Charlie Lee and Trey Lewis to open the second half helped Cleveland State erase the four-point halftime deficit and take a two-point lead. The next nine minutes featured seven ties or lead changes and when Lee hit a three with 6:12 remaining, it put the Vikings on top, 55-51.
That's when Panoske stepped up again, scoring the game's next eight points as part of an 11-0 Milwaukee run that gave the Panthers a 62-55 lead with 1:37 remaining. From there, Cleveland State would get no closer than four points as Milwaukee won for the sixth time in the last seven outings at Panther Arena and sent McWhorter and Richard out as winners in their final home game as Panthers.
Panoske finished with 19 points, surpassing his previous career high of 16 set at Youngstown State on February 15, 2013, and added five rebounds, two blocks and a pair of steals, while Akeem Springs narrowly missed a double-double with 14 points and nine boards.
McWhorter, who has been steady all season, couldn't have capped his career in much better fashion, totaling 13 points, nine assists, four rebounds, two blocks and a pair of steals. The senior point guard is playing perhaps his best basketball of the season and over the last four games has dished out 26 assists against only eight turnovers.
Matt Tiby put up 11 points and seven boards to round out Milwaukee's attack. The 6-foot-8 junior has now reached double-digit points in 19 straight contests.
Anton Grady totaled 24 points and 10 boards for Cleveland State, which also saw Lewis add 19 points and 10 rebounds.
Oakland 81, UIC 56
Kahlil Felder had 20 points and a career-high 14 assists to lead Oakland to an 81-56 win over UIC on Sunday.
Max Hooper hit six 3-pointers and scored 19 points and Corey Petros had 12 points and 12 rebounds for the Golden Grizzlies (15-14, 10-4 Horizon League), who won their 10th straight home game.
Hooper had 16 points, Felder 15 and Oakland shot 60 percent to open a 45-27 lead at the half.
The Flames (7-22, 3-11) opened the second half with an 11-2 run to get within 47-38 but the Golden Grizzlies responded with an 11-2 run of its own to regain control. Dante Williams had a 3 and Nick Daniels, who finished with 10 points, had two of his three treys.
Marc Brown had 21 points for Illinois-Chicago and Jason McClellan had 12 and eight rebounds.
Oakland shot 49 percent but made 15 of 28 3-pointers. The Golden Grizzlies have won 10 of their last 12 games and are currently in a tie for third place in the Horizon League standings.
