Anthony Hill
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Panthers Set To Meet Crosstown Foe Marquette
UWM looks for first-ever win over Golden Eagles
Nov. 21, 2008
Game #5 - Milwaukee (3-1) @ #15/17 Marquette (2-0)
Sat. Nov. 22 • 7:30 pm
Bradley Center • Milwaukee, Wis.
Printable Game Notes
Jeter Pregame Audio
Smith Pregame Audio
Franklin Pregame Audio
The Short List
• UWM makes the short trip to the Bradley Center for a meeting with nationally-ranked Marquette.
• The Panthers have won three of their first four games, including an 87-59 win over Upper Iowa Wednesday night.
• Avery Smith was the star of the show Wednesday, scoring 22 points. During one stretch, he scored 14 of UWM's 15 points.
• Deonte Roberts also reached double figures on Wednesday night, meaning the Panthers have now had eight players record at least one double-figure game already this season.
• UWM shot 60 percent from the field Wednesday, its best performance in four seasons.
• Marquette is 2-0 this season with wins over Houston Baptist and Chicago State.
On The Air
Satutrday's game will air live on WISN (AM 1130), with Bill Johnson on the call. Pregame coverage starts at 7:15 p.m. The game is followed by a special edition of Panthers' Postgame live from Major Goolsby's. The game is also televised on the Big East Network, including Sports 32 in Milwaukee. Jim Barbar and David Kaplan have the call.
Ticket Time
Tickets for tonight's game at the Bradley Center, as well as all UWM home games at the U.S. Cellular Arena, are available through Milwaukee-area Ticketmaster outlets, online at ticketmaster.com and by phone at 414-276-4545. As available, tickets for tonight's game will also be sold at the Bradley Center ticket office.
• Game #5
The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee men's basketball team makes the short trip to the Bradley Center to take on Marquette Saturday at 7:30 p.m. The game will be televised live by ESPN Regional and the Big East Network, with the Milwaukee broadcast airing on Sports 32.
• Some Matchup History
Marquette has won all 35 previous matchups with UWM, the second-longest current streak in Division I basketball. (Syracuse has beaten Colgate 41-straight times.). The two teams, though, had not met since early in the 1998-99 season before Marquette claimed a 100-65 win last season. The official series started on Jan. 20, 1917, with the teams meeting twice in that season. Prior to the 1916-17 campaign, UWM records do show matchups with the Marquette Dental School that are not considered part of the official series record.
• On The Other Bench
UWM head coach Rob Jeter and assistant coach Brian Bidlingmyer both have experience with previous UWM-Marquette matchups while on the sidelines for the Golden Eagles. The duo was on the staff with then-Marquette coach Mike Deane in 1998, which was actually the second season on the bench at Marquette for Bidlingmyer. He also played against UWM at the Bradley Center in 1994. He scored 13 points and grabbed 13 rebounds for Siena in a 75-58 win in the consolation game of the Blue and Gold Classic.
• Pulling Rank
UWM will be playing against a ranked team for the first time this season when it takes on Marquette, which is 15th in the latest Associated Press poll. After losing its first 25 games against teams ranked in the AP poll, the Panthers have gone 3-9 in their last 12 games against ranked foes. Over the last four seasons, Milwaukee has beaten Alabama (AP #21 - `04-'05), Boston College (AP #14 - `04-'05) and Oklahoma (AP #24 - `05-'06), while falling to Illinois (AP #1 - `04-'05), Memphis (AP #12 - `05-'06), Florida (AP #11 - `05-'06), Wisconsin (AP #7 - `05-'06), Marquette (AP #13 - `07-'08) and Butler (AP #15; AP #13 - `06-'07; AP #14; AP #9 - `07-'08). The Panthers do also own a win at Butler in 2001-02 when the Bulldogs were ranked 25th in the ESPN/USA Today poll but were not ranked by the AP.
• Last Time Out
Avery Smith scored 22 points to lead four players in double figures as UWM claimed an easy 87-59 over Upper Iowa Wednesday night at the U.S. Cellular Arena. The Panthers built a 15-point halftime lead and then steadily extended the advantage in the second half. Deonte Roberts added 12 points, James Eayrs 11 and Ricky Franklin 10 for Milwaukee, which shot 60 percent from the field. UWM scored 50 points in the paint and needed assists on just six of its 30 field goals.
• Lighting It Up
UWM shot a stellar 60 percent from the field Wednesday night, making 30-of-50 from the field. The shooting mark is the fourth-best in Milwaukee's Division I history. It is also the best since the Panthers shot 60.6 percent from the floor against Prairie View A&M in the 2004-05 season opener. The strong shooting night is continuing an early trend of solid shooting by the Panthers, something that is a marked improvement from a season ago. In fact, before Wednesday night's effort, Milwaukee's 51.8 percent shooting clip against Cal Davis Saturday was the best performance by the Panthers since they shot 56.8 percent in a victory over Youngstown State in February of 2006. UWM also shot 45.6 percent from the field last Friday against Upper Iowa after shooting better than 45 percent just four times all of last season. The Panthers are shooting 46.8 percent from the field this season, a marked improvement from last year's 39.5 percent clip.
• All About Avo
Avery Smith hadn't played in a regular season game in 20 months when he took the floor Sunday against Iowa State, and then Wednesday vs. Upper Iowa it looked like he had shaken off any remaining rust. Smith scored 22 points off the bench, including a stretch where he scored 14 of UWM's 15 points. Smith's story is becoming well-known, as he was dismissed from the squad last November and then slowly worked his way back onto the team. He did appear in a closed-door scrimmage with IUPUI last season, meaning he had to appeal to the NCAA to restore his eligibility for this - technically a fifth - season. The NCAA did oblige, instituting a two-game penalty for Smith, which he served during the first two regular season games. Smith was the Panthers' leading scorer in 2006-07, averaging 15.5 points per game. He then was a preseason all-league selection last year before being dismissed.
• The Bench Is Bringing It
UWM's bench again made its mark Wednesday, as the Panther reserves scored 45 points in the victory. In fact, Milwaukee landed a pair of players in double figures off the bench, with Avery Smith scoring 22 and James Eayrs adding 11. That is already the second time this season UWM has had a pair of players reach double figures off the bench, with Eayrs and Deion James having done it in the season opener with Loyola Marymount.
• Plenty Of Contributions
When Avery Smith and Deonte Roberts each going into double figures Wednesday night, the Panthers have now had eight different players record a double-figure point outing already this season. Tone Boyle has done it three times while Tony Meier, Ricky Franklin, Anthony Hill, Deion James and James Earys have done it twice this season.
• A Diverse Offense
UWM has shown the ability to score both inside and out through the early season. In the season opener with Loyola Marymount, the Panthers made 14 threes, the most since they made 14 at Detroit in January of 2007. Meanwhile, UWM took the ball inside Wednesday, scoring 50 points in the paint while attempting only 10 threes. Overall, the Panthers have established some nice balance, with UWM averaging over eight made threes per game while still scoring more than 28 points per game in the paint.
• A Look At The World Vision Classic
The Panthers went 2-1 in their three games at the World Vision Classic this past weekend in Ames, Iowa. Friday, Milwaukee opened its season with an easy 75-51 win over Loyola Marymount, as Tone Boyle scored 20 points to lead the way. Then Saturday, UWM dug itself a 24-point halftime hole before rallying for an 81-75 win over Cal Davis. Sunday, the Panthers could not overcome a school-record 15 three-pointers by Iowa State as the Cyclones captured a 79-61 win. UWM was within four with under nine minutes to play but a final ISU run decided the outcome.
• Tournament Honors
Guards Tone Boyle and Ricky Franklin each put together strong weekends for the Panthers, with both players earning spots on the all-tournament team. Boyle scored 20 points in his debut Friday and wound up averaging 16.3 points per game in the three contests. Meanwhile, Franklin averaged 12.3 points, 4.3 assists and 3.3 rebounds over the three games. His most notable performance came Saturday in the comeback win over Cal Davis, when he scored 18 points and dished out six assists.
• Comeback Kids
One of the most memorable games in recent Panther history came this past Saturday in Ames, as UWM rallied from a 24-point halftime deficit to beat Cal Davis, 81-75. The Panthers actually outscored the Aggies, 54-24, in the second 20 minutes, after trailing 51-27 at the break. The comeback is the largest in UWM's Division I history, besting the comeback from a 21-point second-half deficit against Virginia Tech in December of 2001. Last season, the Panthers actually made a pretty good habit of recording comeback victories. In fact, UWM rallied from double-digits down to win four times last year, including overcoming a 17-point deficit at Ball State and a 14-point deficit in the final 6:30 to beat Detroit.
• Mega-Meier
You couldn't ask for a much better collegiate debut than Tony Meier put together for the Panthers. The true freshman scored 14 points and grabbed 12 rebounds last Friday in the win over Loyola Marymount. He became the first true freshman to record a double-double in his first appearance as a Panther in UWM's Division I history. Adrian Tigert had a double-double in his fifth game as a true freshman in 2001-02. Then, Meier followed that up with 10 more points Saturday but had to miss Sunday's game with a severe case of the flu. He returned Wednesday but was not at full strength, playing just 18 minutes
• Studying The Starters
While UWM had to make a change in its starting lineup Sunday because of Tony Meier's illness, the Panthers look like they will be fielding a young starting five this season. That group has included true freshman Tony Meier along with sophomores Deonte Roberts and Anthony Hill. They have been joined by junior-college transfer Tone Boyle and senior Ricky Franklin. In fact, when you consider Franklin can still earn back an addition year of eligibility, the Panthers could have their entire opening-day starting lineup back again next season.
• Familiar Faces
The Panthers are taking the floor in the 2008-09 season with two starters and a total of seven letterwinners returning from last season. The returning starters are Ricky Franklin and Deonte Roberts, while the other returnees include Anthony Hill, Kaylan Anderson, Deion James, Charlie Swiggett and Jason Averkamp. Both returning starters have honors under their belts from a season ago, as Franklin was a third-team all-state selection by Inside Wisconsin Sports while Roberts earned a spot on the Horizon League All-Newcomer Team.
• JUCO Junction
The Panthers have three junior college players on the 2008-09 roster that all look like they can make an impact on UWM's success. Guard Tone Boyle earned all-region honors at Highland CC last season and is leading UWM in scoring so far this season. James Eayrs should be a big contributor after scoring over 1,100 points in two seasons at the North Dakota State College of Science. Finally, Burleigh Porte should provide defensive and rebounding support after spending this past season at Olney CC in Illinois.
• Baby-Faced
Three scholarship true freshmen are also on the roster for the 2008-09 campaign. Tony Meier of suburban St. Louis looks like he might be a regular in the starting lineup. Ryan Haggerty has also shown well during preseason practice after a strong career at Benet Academy in suburban Chicago, though he appears to be a likely candidate for a redshirt season. Meanwhile, Riley Walker will also likely redshirt this season after working through shoulder and knee injuries during the early season.
• Laying In The Weeds
UWM is hoping to surprise the field in the Horizon League during the 2008-09 season. The Panthers were picked to finish sixth in the Horizon League, according to a poll of the league's coaches, sports information directors and media members. Cleveland State, last season's regular season and tournament runner-up, was picked to win the league crown. Wright State was picked second with UIC third and Green Bay fourth. Two-time defending champion Butler was selected fifth.
• Other Insights
A number of other publications have also published their preseason picks for the Horizon League. UWM was actually picked eighth in three different publications, with The Sporting News, Lindy's and Athlon Sports all selecting the Panthers in that position. Two of those publications picked Cleveland State to win the league crown, while Lindy's selected Wright State as the eventual league champion.
• About The Schedule
Head coach Rob Jeter has put together another difficult schedule for the Panthers. UWM will play 10 games against postseason qualifiers and meet up with teams from the Big Ten, Big East and Big 12 this season. In fact, UWM has contests against BCS foes on each of the first three weekends of the regular season. The list of postseason qualifiers on Milwaukee's schedule this season includes Marquette, Wisconsin, Miami (Ohio), Bradley, Butler, Cleveland State and Valparaiso. January finds UWM home for seven of its 10 games while the Panthers are on the road for five of its seven contests in February.
• Job Changes
While Rob Jeter's full coaching staff returns in tact for a fourth-straight season, two of the people on the staff have switched positions. Ronnie Jones, who has spent the last three seasons as the director of basketball operations, will take over as the video coordinator. Meanwhile, Chip MacKenzie will become the operations director after three years in the video role.
• Ticket Time
Single-game tickets for UWM men's basketball games are on sale now. Advance tickets can be purchased through all Milwaukee-area Ticket Master outlets, online at ticketmaster.com or by phone at 414-276-4545. Single-game tickets for men's games at the U.S. Cellular Arena are priced from $10-$20. Fans can also still purchase full season-ticket plans as well as five-pack ticket plans. For more information, contact the UWM Ticket Office at 414-229-5886.
• The Bright Lights Of TV
UWM will again spend plenty of time on television during the 2008-09 season. The Jan. 9 game between UWM and Green Bay will kickoff the brand-new Horizon League/ESPNU Game of the Week package. The game tips off at 8 p.m. CST and will be one of 17 games involving league schools on the ESPN networks during the coming season. The appearance by the Panthers in the package will mark the 20th national television appearance by UWM over the past six seasons. In addition to that game on ESPNU, UWM will again have its extensive local television package with Time Warner Cable Sports 32. At least 10 games will be a part of that package, with the debut set for Dec. 11 at Miami (Ohio). The Panthers will also be on Sports 32 Nov. 22 when they take on Marquette, though that is not part of UWM's package of games. And, "The Rob Jeter Show" debuts Nov. 19 on Sports 32.
• Making (Radio) Waves
UWM returns to WISN (AM 1130) for a second-straight season. The coverage is part of a five-year agreement between UWM Athletics and Clear Channel Radio, which also provides coverage of the Panther women. UWM contests on WISN start with a 15-minute pregame show, while home games also include a live postgame show from Major Goolsby's in downtown Milwaukee. WISN also airs "Rob Jeter on Basketball" Mondays from 6-7 p.m. Bill Johnson returns for his 10th season as the voice of the Panthers.
• Summing Up The 2007-08 Season
An amazing series of ups and downs marked the 2007-08 season for the Panthers. After enduring a six-game losing streak from late November to mid-December, Milwaukee put together a six-game winning streak from late December until a loss at Butler Jan. 12. The winning streak marked UWM's first six-game win streak since Milwaukee won eight-straight from Dec. 17, 2005, to Jan. 11, 2006. After that run, the Panthers added a three-game winning streak and a three-game losing streak. Overall, UWM went 11-9 after opening the season 3-7.
• Quick Hits
The Panthers are now 16-3 in home openers since 1990, including 9-2 in home openers at The Cell. Meanwhile, Rob Jeter is a perfect 4-0 in home openers as UWM's head coach ... the Panthers are now 53-20 in regular season and postseason contests at The Cell since their return in 2002-03 ... the Panthers went 5-8 on the road last season and are 0-1 in true road contests so far this season ... UWM did go 2-15 on the road in 2006-07 but averaged nearly nine wins per season in the four years prior to that ... UWM fielded six different starting lineups in 2007-08, though the Panthers used the same starting five over a stretch of 17 games until an injury to Marcus Skinner forced another change. Eight different players earned starts ... after its win Feb. 16, Milwaukee has now beaten its in-state rival from Green Bay 13 times in the last 18 meetings between the two schools. That streak includes wins in nine of the last 10 contests in Milwaukee, with UWM's average margin of victory nearly 17 points per game in those nine wins ... two simple stats pointed out the keys to winning for the Panthers in `07-'08. First, UWM finished 13-7 when it either won or tied the rebounding battle, while the Panthers were 1-9 when being outrebounded. Also, UWM was 12-4 when it scored 70 or more points but just 4-9 when allowing 70 or more.
• Up Next
UWM faces Ball State Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the U.S. Cellular Arena. The Panthers then play at Wisconsin next Saturday.
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