Similar beginning leads to another defeat
Another slow start led to a familiar finish for UW-Milwaukee on Sunday afternoon.
The Panthers scored just two points in the first 9 minutes 40 seconds and never recovered in dropping their third straight game, this one by a score of 6556 to Northern Kentucky at UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena.
Darius Roy was the lone UWM player to finish in double figures, and he reached his 11 points with a runner in the lane that rimmed in with 1:06 remaining.
Te'Jon Lucas managed only nine points on six shots before fouling out, a total matched by walk-on Tyler Behrendt, who hit 3 three-pointers in a season-high 22 minutes of action.
As a team, UWM (10-13, 5-6 Horizon League) has seen its first-half scoring output drop from 21 to 19 to 17 points respectively in the first half during its three-game skid – a trend that coach Pat Baldwin obviously hopes doesn't continue with a two-game road swing next week at Illinois-Chicago and IUPUI.
“To be honest with you, I think it's just confidence,” said Baldwin. “When we go back and look at the film and break down shots, I think our guys are executing. Now, it's just, if you have an open look, whether it's from the perimeter or the inside, you just have to make the shot.
“We have capable guys that can shoot the basketball. We have to get Darius out of his slump. Te'Jon, we have to find opportunities for him. He has to shoot more than six shots. A lot of it is confidence early.
“Unfortunately, for a lot of people in college basketball, the offense dictates what you do on the other end. A lot of times that just comes with toughness and maturity and fighting through that. I believe our guys will get better and will
UW-Milwaukee guard Te'Jon Lucas falls as he fouls Northern Kentucky guard Tyler Sharpe. Sharpe led the Norse with 18 points. Browse a gallery of photos at jsonline.com/sports/panthers.
bounce back and start to hit the shots that are available to them.”
Roy, a senior guard, has lost his status as UWM's leading scorer after coming off the bench in four straight games – a role that had clearly affected his shot. He'd missed 18 consecutive threes coming into Sunday, when he returned to the starting lineup with DeAndre Abram coming off the bench a game after suffering a neck strain.
Unfortunately for Roy and the Panthers, the switch in roles didn't jar him out of his slump. And were it not for a Wil Sessoms layup, UWM would have gone scoreless for the first 9:40 before Behrendt knocked one down from beyond the arc.
UWM pulled to within 16-15 on an Abram three only to see Northern Kentucky (16-7, 8-3) rattle off nine of the final 11 points of the first half to take a 2517 lead into intermission.
The Panthers got to within 28-25 on a Josh Thomas layup with 15:53 left. The Vikings then used a 17-5 run to stretch their lead out to 45-30 and weren't threatened again.
Roy's zero-for streak from three ran to 22 before he finally knocked one down to make it a 62-52 game with 2:02 remaining. But UWM had no late-game comeback magic in it after that, and ultimately suffered its eighth consecutive setback to Northern Kentucky.
The Panthers held the Vikings to 38.2% shooting but connected on just 35.8% themselves, and managed only four offensive rebounds in losing that overall battle, 40-31.
"Defensively, I thought we were pretty good," said Baldwin. "But certainly on the offensive end, we need to knock down the shots we have. That was the story of the game.
"We only had four offensive rebounds and had 14 turnovers, which doesn't do you any favors trying to win a game. You've got to take care of the basketball and be accountable in that area.
"Just got to get better and continue to fight."