Another attempt at an extended winning streak, and another loss for your Milwaukee Panthers.
After a stunning upset against Oakland on Thursday night (maybe less stunning in light of Green Bay only losing by 7 on Saturday), Milwaukee began the game trading baskets with Detroit. This would bode well as the entire game featured each team capturing and ceding the lead like a hot potato. Neither team was up more than 3-5 points for longer than a posession or two.
For every 3 by Davis and Isiana there seemed to be a response from Gholston (12pts) or Devon Hancock (9pts, 3-3 from 3pt). Bol began the game with a strong prescense and then, like Joey St. Pierre as of late- disappeared. Moreover, Gholston did not shoot well (3-17), and none of the Panthers were playing particularily well on offense. Fortunately, the threes outside of Detroit's 3-2 zone defense kept the Panthers ahead or "in it" most of the game. Hancock poured in his 3rd triple just before the break to push Milwaukee to a 34-33 advantage.
The second half charged out of the gates like a derby horse and this quickly became an intensely physical affair. Milwaukee held up tough for a while until Detroit went on a 9-0 run to retake the lead early in the second half.
And then, an eleven minute long drought affected both teams until 7 minutes remaining in the game when a JT strongarm bucket tied the game- briefly. Our defense, who battled all night to limit Detroit to so few points, became totally unglued when it mattered most and succumbed to a 15-0 Titans run in less than 4 minutes. Detroit completely dismantled the Panthers in this stretch and there would be no possibility to recover. Detroit went on to win, 71-58.
The game in a nutshell is that late collapse as well as this stat: Milwaukee had more turnovers than made field goals in the second half. 😳
The Panthers now hit the road for the next four contests, the first of which is at Robert Morris in Moon Township, PA this coming Thursday at 6pm CST. Tune in and follow these Panthers as they fight to flip the script on this difficult season.
As the Oakland upset proved, this team can play at a high level. It's consistency, and execution (less turnovers, little mistakes) that has gotten in the way of what should be a winning '21-'22 campaign. Still time yet to build a winning conference record, although our overall record is probably be a lost cause as far as "winning" > .500.
Them's the breaks.
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