Panthers Appease the Krazies with Win at Klotsche

MILWAUKEE – Though it was only an exhibition game, a 68-67 win over UW-Parkside on Monday night signaled a new era for Panthers basketball as Milwaukee played the first of what will be a full-slate of men’s basketball home games at the Klotsche Center during the 2012-13 season.

It is the first time Milwaukee will play all of its home games at the on-campus Klotsche Center since the 2003-04 season. In the nine years since, the U.S. Cellular Arena in downtown Milwaukee had hosted the Panthers.

“We’re coming home,” Director of Athletics Andy Geiger said at a June 26 press conference when Milwaukee announced the move. “College games belong on college campuses. We'll be closer to our student body and be adding to the college experience and the life and culture of our campus. We can engage our students while at the same time creating a great atmosphere for all of our fans.”

Moving back on campus figures to create a more intimate atmosphere for Milwaukee thanks to the Klotsche Center’s up-close-and-personal arena that will seat approximately 3,400 fans.

Milwaukee’s move downtown had originally been keyed by a Horizon League mandate that men’s basketball games be played in an arena with a 5,000 seating capacity minimum, but the Panthers have been granted a waiver of that bylaw, allowing them to move back to campus.

The Panthers had continued to play select games at the Klotsche Center even during their nine seasons at the U.S. Cellular Arena. The highlight of those contests came last season, when Milwaukee posted a 68-55 win over UIC in the Horizon League Tournament.

“From all accounts, we have had a positive experience downtown and playing there helped raise our profile and create a lot of great memories," Geiger said during the June 26 press conference, “but now is the time to move back to campus and begin to create a culture of support and enthusiasm on campus, which can only help us grow and become even better moving forward.”

While the excitement for the move was palpable, head coach Rob Jeter made it clear that his players would be ready to handle their business in the somewhat new environment.

“The court’s still the same, the height of the rim is still the same, so for us it’s just another basketball game, it’s just at a little different place,” Jeter said at the Oct. 9 Horizon League media day, channeling his inner Norman Dale and evoking the famous Hinkle Fieldhouse scene from Hoosiers. “We’ll show up, we’ll be ready to play, and I’m sure our fans will be ready to cheer us on at the Klotsche.”

Jeter’s prediction proved accurate for at least one night on Monday as the Panthers eked out a one-point win over the D-II Rangers in front of 1,501 Klotsche Krazies.

Milwaukee trailed late in the game, unable to catch UW-Parkside until junior guard Jordan Aaron buried a pair of free throws to put the Panthers up 68-67 with just under five seconds remaining. Aaron finished with 12 points in a team-high 38 minutes.

The Panthers also were led by senior forward Demetrius Harris, who scored a game-high 18 points and pulled down six rebounds, and junior guard Thierno Niang, who poured in 12 while racking up seven steals.

Aaron, Harris and Niang are all transfer players. Including guard Steve McWhorter, who will sit out this season after transferring from Indiana State, the Panthers roster boasts seven transfers. The possibilities have Jeter chomping at the bit.

“What’s exciting about this season is that we have a lot of new faces, but we also have the core of returning guys. It’s going to be fun to bring that whole group together and see how we develop, see how we all come together and mesh,” Jeter said. “I’m excited about the leadership that we have. We have senior leadership, we have a lot of new faces and I think we have talent to go out and compete. I’m excited to see how it all comes together.”

That senior leadership took a hit before the season even started as two-guard Paris Gulley was sidelined by a broken left hand. The Peoria, Ill., native – himself a transfer last season after two years at Southeastern CC – is expected to miss up to four weeks.

Jeter won’t allow his team to be discouraged by setbacks, however.

“Each game is a challenge. Each day of practice is going to be a challenge,” Jeter said. “I think there’s going to be opportunities for guys to earn minutes, so that’s going to be our first challenge: getting everyone together and understanding their roles, understanding their responsibilities and getting everyone to buy into those. Our core values do not change from year to year, so it’s the same message each year; it’s just different personnel at times.”