Milwaukee destroys IUPUI to end 3 game drought

 

    

(take this W with a heavy grain of salt as IUPUI is nearly the worst team (RPI 355) in DI college basketball 🙈)

A win is a win!

DeAndre Gholston (21pts) and Tafari Simms (19pts) had incredible afternoons. JT got back in the lineup, but only saw 14 minutes. VBJ pulled down an important 6 boards. Moses Bol was productive grabbing 7 rebounds and blocking 2 shots in 18 minutes of action. Newby dished out 6 assists to go with 9 points and Lathon grabbed 7 rebounds, passed out 5 assists and garnered 9 points which included a big 3 in the closing minutes.

This was a fun game to watch in spite of all the other stuff going on (Patrick Baldwin Jr's* lingering injury and status and long-term coaching unknowns).

It wasn't close at any point throughout the game- as it should be not only against teams like IUPUI, but also Alcorn State, Ft. Wayne, Robert Morris and Green Bay. We should expect the group that beat a horrible team by 35 today to be the 7-9 guys in our rotation going forward. No injury update usually means still injured, nothing to report. An ankle, a toe and a hand may be the main culprits that derailed what was once seen as a season with high potential.

But we must go on. The group that has fought through all of this can still redeem things with some momentum... maybe a banner, however hollow a "2022 HLT Champions" banner would seem in this strange season.

It's a glimmer.

Milwaukee plays host to league-leading Oakland (7-0) Thursday night at 7pm CST. It will either be an opoortunity to shock the Grizzlies and reset to the extent that is still possible or it'll be a Panther massacre at the hand of the Grizzlies.

go panthers

press on.

*Fwiw, Scott Warras hinted that Baldwin Jr. is close to getting back on the court and could return to the lineup as soon as this coming Thursday. Samba Kane is still battling turf toe and Markeith Browning may be very close to returning to the court as his hand has healed and he's been given medical clearence to play. (does anyone remember how Browning was the only fearless Panther against the Gators and he prevented us from losing by 50?)

Like today's victory- take these updates with a big grain of salt. That said, if PBJ or Kane or Browning returns, we'll welcome them back with open arms- we need our best players. Someone on the UWMFreak discussion board mentioned that if the Panthers somehow seize the HLT Crown in March and make it to Madness this season it will be the greatest sports comeback story of all time.

It would be up there for sure.., but I think PBJ would need to be playing (even if just posting up for 3s) for it to happen. Who knows...