Avery Smith
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Panthers Back At Arena To Host Ball State
UWM looks for fourth wins in six tries
Nov. 24, 2008
Ball State (2-1) @ Milwaukee (3-2)
Tues. Nov. 25 • 7 pm
U.S. Cellular Arena • Milwaukee, Wis.
Printable Game Notes
Quick Hits
• UWM returns to the U.S. Cellular Arena for a Tuesday night contest with Ball State.
• The Panthers dropped a 100-80 decision at #15 Marquette Saturday night. UWM led by three points with under five minutes to play in the first half, but MU used an 18-2 to take control of the game.
• Avery Smith has scored 22 points off the bench in each of his last two games and is UWM's leading scorer.
• UWM has now had eight different players record at least one double-figure point effort so far this season.
• The Panthers are averaging 76.8 points per game, easily the top mark in the Horizon League.
• Ball State is 2-1 this season with wins over Eastern Illinois and SIU-Edwardsville and a loss at Butler.
On The Air
Tuesday's game will air live on WISN (AM 1130), with Bill Johnson on the call. Pregame coverage starts at 6:45 p.m. The game is followed by Panthers' Postgame on WISN, live from Major Goolsby's across from the U.S. Cellular Arena. Bob Brainerd and Jason Clark host that show, which includes player and coach interviews.
Ticket Time
Tickets for all UWM home games are available through Milwaukee-area Ticketmaster outlets, online at ticketmaster.com and by phone at 414-276-4545. Tickets are also available at the U.S. Cellular Arena box office on the day of the game. Prices are $20, $15 and $10. UWM students are admitted free with a valid student ID.
• Game #6
The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee men's basketball team returns to the U.S. Cellular Arena for a Tuesday night meeting with Ball State.
• Some Matchup History
UWM claimed a thrilling overtime victory in last season's meeting between the two teams in Muncie. In fact, the Panthers were down 17 points in the second half before rallying. Overall, the Panthers and Cardinals have met eight times, with the series knotted at four wins apiece. Ball State's last visit to Milwaukee to play the Panthers came in January of 1974 and the two teams have never met at the Arena.
• UWM and the MAC
Ball State is one of two Mid-American Conference foes on Milwaukee's schedule this season, pending the matchup for the Panthers in this season's ESPNU BracketBusters contest. The Panthers will also play at Miami (Ohio) next month. Despite the geographical proximity between Milwaukee and many schools in the Mid-American Conference, Tuesday's game is just the fourth meeting between UWM and a MAC school since the start of the 2002-03 season. The Panthers did beat a pair of MAC schools last season, claiming a win over Central Michigan in addition to the win at Ball State.
• On The Homefront
UWM will be playing its second regular season home game of the season when Ball State visits the U.S. Cellular Arena. The Panthers are now 53-20 in regular season and postseason contests at The Cell since their return in 2002-03. If you combine games at both the Klotsche Center and the U.S. Cellular Arena, UWM is 57-14 in regular season Horizon League home contests over the last nine seasons.
• Last Time Out
Wesley Matthews and Lazar Hayward scored 25 points apiece as 15th-ranked Marquette pulled away for a 100-80 win over UWM Saturday night at the Bradley Center. Tone Boyle scored 23 points and Avery Smith added 22 for Milwaukee, which led for a lengthy stretch of the first half but shot just 28.6 percent in the second 20 minutes.
• Scoring Punch
We're only five games into the season, but the Panthers are certainly delivering a much-improved offensive attack. In fact, UWM is averaging 76.8 points per game, easily the top mark in the Horizon League. The Panthers have already scored 80 or more points three times in the first five games of the season after doing it just three times all of last season. In 2006-07, UWM got to the 80 mark just once.
• Setting The Tone
Junior college transfer Tone Boyle was expected to have an immediate impact on the Panthers this season and he certainly has so far. He led the way with 23 points in Saturday's loss at Marquette, his second 20-plus-point outing of the year. He is averaging 16.2 points per game and shooting a solid 45 percent from the field. Boyle has also made a team-high 12 three-point field goals.
• All About Avo
Avery Smith hadn't played in a regular season game in 20 months when he took the floor Nov. 16 against Iowa State. Now it certainly looks like he has shaken off any remaining rust. Saturday at Marquette, Smith scored 22 points off the bench for the second outing in a row. He now leads the Panthers at 17.3 points per game. 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 Saturday, as the Panthers got 38 points from their reserves. Avery Smith's 22 points provided a lift, of course, but Deion James (6 pts., 5 rbs.), James Eayrs (5 pts.) and Jason Averkamp (5 pts., 2 rbs.) also pitched in. Last Wednesday against Upper Iowa, the Panther reserves scored 45 points, with a pair of players (Avery Smith and James Eayrs) reaching double figures. That was already the second time this season UWM has had a pair of players reach double figures off the bench, as Eayrs and Deion James did it in the season-opening win over Loyola Marymount.
• Plenty Of Contributions
The Panthers have now had eight different players record a double-figure point outing already this season while Tone Boyle and Avery Smith each have a pair of 20-point efforts. Boyle has reached double figures three times overall while Avery Smith, Tony Meier, Ricky Franklin, Anthony Hill, Deion James and James Earys have done it twice this season. Three players are averaging double figures on the year.
• Lighting It Up
In spite of a rough second half shooting the ball at Marquette Saturday, the Panthers are still off to a solid start from the field. Overall, UWM is shooting 44.8 percent from the floor, a marked improvement from last year's 39.5 percent clip.UWM shot a stellar 60 percent from the field last 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. Milwaukee also shot 51.8 percent against Cal Davis Nov. 15, which was the best performance by the Panthers since they shot 56.8 percent in a victory over Youngstown State in February of 2006.
• 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 last Wednesday against Upper Iowa, scoring 50 points in the paint while attempting only 10 threes. Overall, the Panthers have established some nice balance, with UWM averaging eight made threes per game while still scoring 28 points per game in the paint. The Panthers are also getting to the free throw line more than 20 times per game. UWM is shooting 37 percent from three-point range, making 40-of-108 from beyond the arc.
• A Look At The World Vision Classic
The Panthers went 2-1 in their three games at the World Vision Classic on the opening weekend of the season in Ames, Iowa. Milwaukee opened its season with an easy 75-51 win over Loyola Marymount, as Tone Boyle scored 20 points to lead the way. Then the next day, UWM dug itself a 24-point halftime hole before rallying for an 81-75 win over Cal Davis. In the final game of the event, 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. Guards Tone Boyle and Ricky Franklin each put together strong performances, with both players earning spots on the all-tournament team. Boyle scored 20 points in his debut 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.
• Comeback Kids
One of the most memorable games in recent Panther history came Nov. 15, 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 Nov. 14 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 Nov. 15. He missed the Nov. 16 game with the flu and, though he has returned to the starting lineup, is still working his way back to 100 percent.
• Studying The Starters
The Panthers look like they will be fielding a young starting five this season. That regular 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. The only change in that so far came Nov. 16 at Iowa State, when Jason Averkamp starters as Meier missed the game with the flu. 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 one of UWM's leading scorers 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 also played well during preseason practice after a strong career at Benet Academy in suburban Chicago, though he appears to be on his way to 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). Most of those broadcasts will also be available nationally via ESPN Full Court and ESPN360.
• 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 0-2 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 makes the trip west to Madison for its annual battle with the Badgers. The game Saturday tips off at 11 a.m. CST.
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