Pullian and Pratt.
These Panther guards combined for 55 points last night in an important conference win over Robert Morris.
In addition to his 27 points Erik Pratt collected 5 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 blocks and Kentrell Pullian added 3 rebounds and 2 steals to his (new career-high) 28 point tally. Darius Duffy grabbed 9 rebounds as well.
Milwaukee (6-7, 1-1) maintained a double digit cushion most of the game but things got close as the second half came to a close with the Colonials tying it up 71-71 with 1:20 remaining.
But our free throws down the stretch allowed us to hold on and get this victory that never seemed in doubt until late. We lost the rebound battle but shot almost 10 percentage points better from the field. Our three point shooting (27.8% on 5-18 last night) continues to be dangerously subpar which will need to change if we are going to compete for a conference championship.
39.4% 32.0% 88.2%
The rotation is tightening as well. After the dismissal of upperclassman and regular starting SG Markeith Browning and the announcement that Zach Howell will be taking a medical redshirt and is done for the season with injury, we are only left with about 9 serviceable Panther veteran players. But that does not seem to be a problem for Coach Lundy- he is playing the players who are earning the minutes.
All of the rotation combination experiments have been completed and it is pretty clear that Duffy, Pullian, Jamison, Pratt (and Freeman when he gets back) get the lion's share of minutes. Aaron Franklin, Faizon Fields, and Langston Wilson all support the second forward spot; with Franklin out for 5-6 weeks with a wrist fracture, look for Fields and Wilson to get a lot more run in the paint.
Milwaukee is now in the middle of the Horizon pack, just a game away from .500 overall and face Wright State at Panther Arena tomorrow afternoon (NYE) at 2pm.
go panthers.
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