Tone Boyle
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Panthers Head To Madison For Battle With Badgers
UWM looks to snap two-game slide
Nov. 27, 2008
Game #7 - Milwaukee (3-3) @ #25 Wisconsin (4-1)
Sat. Nov. 29 • 11 am
Kohl Center • Madison, Wis.
Printable Game Notes
The Short List
• UWM heads to Madison Saturday for a contest with #25 Wisconsin.
• The Panthers dropped their second-straight game Tuesday night, falling 82-69 to Ball State.
• The Cardinals shot 57.7 percent from the field in the game, scoring 42 points in the paint and another 18 points from the foul line.
• Milwaukee made 10 of its first 18 shots in the game but made just 11 of 38 after that.
• UWM continues to lead the Horizon League in scoring, averaging 75.5 points per game.
• Avery Smith (16.0 ppg) and Tone Boyle (14.7 ppg) lead the Panthers on offense.
• Wisconsin is 4-1 after finishing second at the Paradise Jam in the Virgin Islands. The Badgers beat Iona and San Diego before falling to #2 UCONN in the title game.
On The Air Today
Saturday's game will air live on WISN (AM 1130), with Bill Johnson on the call. Pregame coverage starts at 10:45 a.m. The game is also available on the Big Ten Network's website - BTN.com - as well as on WTMJ (AM 620).
Ticket Time
Saturday's game is sold out. 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.
• Game #7
The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee men's basketball team makes the short trip west to Madison to take on the University of Wisconsin Saturday morning.
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• Some Matchup History
Wisconsin has dominated the all-time series between the two teams, holding a 24-1 edge. UWM's only win against the Badgers came in the 1992-93 season at the UW Fieldhouse. The two teams have met every season since that win, with the Badgers having won 15-straight. Plus, in the last five meetings between the two schools at the Kohl Center, the Badgers have won by an average of 16.6 points. The two teams played in Milwaukee last season, with Wisconsin capturing 61-39 win.
• Pulling Rank
UWM will be playing against a ranked team for the second time this season when it takes on Wisconsin, which is 25th in the latest Associated Press poll. After losing its first 25 games against teams ranked in the AP poll, the Panthers have gone 3-10 in their last 13 games against ranked foes. Over the last four-plus 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; AP #15 - `08-'09) 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.
• No Weekends Off
For the third-straight weekend, UWM will be facing a team from a BCS conference. Milwaukee opened the season in a tournament at Iowa State and dropped a game to the host Cyclones on Nov. 16. Then last weekend, the Panthers led for a span of the first half before falling to nationally-ranked Marquette at the Bradley Center. The non-league schedule gets no easier for the Panthers after this contest, with games against `07-'08 postseason qualifiers Miami (Ohio) and Bradley coming after a pair of league games.
• League Play Looms
While the non-league schedule is far from complete, it is hard to ignore the fact that Horizon League play will open for the Panthers less than a week after they wrap up with the Badgers. UWM will play host to Detroit Thursday and Wright State Saturday. With the addition of Valparaiso to the league prior to last season, the league schedule now includes a full weekend of conference action on the first weekend of December.
• Last Time Out
Jarrod Jones scored 18 points to lead four players in double figures and Ball State shot 57.7 percent from the field as the Cardinals captured an 82-69 win over UWM Tuesday night at the U.S. Cellular Arena. Anthony Hill had 17 points to lead three players in double figures for the Panthers, who shot just 37.5 percent from the field. Brandon Lampley added 15 points, Anthony Newell 14 and Laron Frazier 12 for the Cardinals (3-1), who made 15 of their 23 shot attempts in the second half. Ricky Franklin (15) and Avery Smith (12) were the other Panthers who reached double digits.
• 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 75.5 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.
• Defense Holds The Key
The improved offense by the Panthers has been nice, but thus far the key to victory for UWM has come on the defensive end.In Milwaukee's three victories, opponents have shot just 37 percent from the field and averaged just 61 points per game. But, in UWM's three losses, opponents are shooting 50 percent from the field and averaging 87 points per game.
• A Charity Case
Another positive development on offense for the Panthers during the early season has come at the foul line. Not only is UWM getting there on a regular basis, but the Panthers are taking advantage of their opportunities. Milwaukee is averaging nearly 23 free-throw attempts per game while converting 73.5 percent of its opportunities.
• A Hill To Climb
Sophomore Anthony Hill is already showing marked improvement from a season ago and is carrying the load as UWM's primary post threat. He scored a team-high 17 points Tuesday night despite being limited to 24 minutes by foul trouble. It marked his third double-figure outing in six games this season. Typically, the best way for opponents to slow Hill has been to get him in foul trouble, as in his three non-double-figure outings, he averaging less than 15 minutes per game.
• 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 14.7 points per game and shooting a solid 41 percent from the field in spite of a 2-of-11 outing Tuesday. Boyle has also made a team-high 13 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, the second time in a row he scored 22 points. He then added 12 points Tuesday and is leading the Panthers at 16.0 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 continues to make its mark. The reserves contributed 21 points Tuesday after adding 38 points to the mix Saturday. The best bench effort of the year came Nov. 19 against Upper Iowa, when the reserves scored 45 points. UWM has already had a pair of bench players reach double figures in the same game twice this season. Avery Smith and James Eayrs did it against Upper Iowa while 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, Smith, Ricky Franklin and Anthony Hill have each reached double figures three times overall while Tony Meier, 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 three-straight halves of less than 40 percent shooting from the field, the Panthers are still off to an improved start shooting the basketball. UWM is shooting 43.6 percent from the field overall, an improvement from last year's 39.5 percent clip. UWM shot a stellar 60 percent from the field in the Nov. 19 win over Upper Iowa, 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 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 Nov. 14. 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, considering Franklin can 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, though a pair are slated for redshirt seasons this year. Tony Meier of suburban St. Louis is becoming a regular in the starting lineup so far this year. Ryan Haggerty played well during preseason practice but is now scheduled to redshirt this season, leaving four years of eligibility. Meanwhile, Riley Walker will also 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. 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.
• 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.
• Up Next
UWM will open league play with a pair of home contests. Detroit visits the U.S. Cellular Arena for a Thursday contest while Wright State and Milwaukee will play Saturday at 2 p.m.
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