Lucas was a bright spot in disappointing year for UWM
Te’Jon Lucas was exactly the type of impact player the UW-Milwaukee Panthers needed this past season.
The former Milwaukee Washington star became the first UWM player to earn all-Horizon League mention (second team) since Jeremiah Bell in 2018 after averaging 14.6 points, 4.2 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 1.9 steals per game in his first season with the Panthers since transferring in from the University of Illinois.
His assist (153) and steal (56) totals led the Horizon League, making him just the fifth player in conference history to accomplish such a double-double.
Lucas also posted seven 20-point games, scored a career-high 31 twice and most important, helped deliver a pair of victories with final-second shots to beat Illinois-Chicago on Jan. 5 and IUPUI in overtime on the road Feb. 8.
But it wound up not being nearly enough as UWM finished 12-19 overall, tied for seventh in the Horizon League at 7-11 and lost in the first round of the Horizon League Tournament. It was the Panthers’ fourth consecutive losing season.
“I love the fact that Te’Jon made his mark in the league and became a tremendous leader for our guys,” said third-year coach Pat Baldwin of the 6foot-2 junior guard.
“Unfortunately, I have to say this over again, but we had guys that didn’t play with each other (previously). This is the first time they’ve played together. Coming together is always a challenge for new coaches, current coaches.
“It’s always a challenge.” Including Lucas, seven players saw game action for the first time with the Panthers in 2019-’20. Lucas, Harrison Henderson, Courtney Brown Jr. and Shae Mitchell were redshirts and Josh Thomas and Arturro Bingham were junior-college transfers while C.J. Wilbourn was a true freshman.
UWM also relied heavily on senior guards Darius Roy and DeAndre
Abram, who had their moments.
But the mix was good enough to produce only one three-game winning streak in early January and two straight wins three other times. The Panthers closed the season by losing their last six, including consecutive games to Youngstown State (the latter in the first round of the Horizon League Tournament).
UWM lost 11 straight to close out the 2018-19 season.
“We had games early in the Horizon League and even in non-conference that we finished at the end,” Baldwin said. “In the second half of the Horizon League slate, our last six games, we lost those by a total of 29 points.
“Just like our game-winners against UIC and even some plays that we made against IUPUI that could have gone either way that unfortunately didn’t go our way down the stretch (in an 80-79 overtime loss on Feb. 8), that was the difference.
“A lot of learning moments this year.” Roy was the Panthers’ most reliable scorer, leading the team with 15.6 points per game and 62 three-pointers. He and Lucas both excelled at getting to the free-throw line as well, thanks to their ability to penetrate the lane.
The 6-8 Abram appeared to be poised for a breakout season, but instead was maddeningly inconsistent. He accounted for four of UWM’s seven double-doubles, including a 26-point, 12-rebound effort in a loss to Detroit on Jan. 16 but also tended to settle for perimeter shots rather than attack the basket and lose focus on the defensive end.
Roy, Lucas, Thomas (10.2) and Abram (10.1) all averaged double figures. Wilbourn — who was named to Horizon League’s all-freshman team — and Brown were next on the list at 4.8 points per game, underscoring the Panthers’ lack of offensive punch beyond their starting unit.
Interior play was also a major issue, with the 6-8 Amir Allen and 6-9 Wil Sessoms often being overmatched despite their hustle and the 6-10 Henderson making virtually no impact in the lane while playing inconsistent minutes.
“Those are absolutely things that we’re addressing,” Baldwin said. “One of the things that we talk about as a staff is improving our inside play and not depending solely on perimeter play and jump shooting and all that.
“You need someone that you can go to and slow down the game or get an easy basket or get fouled and get to the free-throw line. So we want to establish our inside game and that’s what we’re looking at in recruiting.
“The other side of it is I think we have one of the best closers in the game in Te’Jon. But he can’t do it alone. So we’re trying to recruit guys that have the ability to finish and make plays and play under pressure and have been in games like that.”
Baldwin confirmed that Henderson along with forward Bobby Arthur-Williams and guard Jamar Madge — both of whom redshirted this past season — have entered the transfer portal and will move on.
“Jamar, it was just a financial situation for him. Great kid, love him to death. He sat out because he wanted to get stronger and better but he just couldn’t afford it as a walk-on, and I can understand having to pay your own way,” Baldwin said.
“Bobby was graduating this year and he redshirted, so he’s going to graduate and look for an opportunity elsewhere and I wish him nothing but the best. Harrison is graduating as well, so he wants to do that and is contemplating just trying to play professionally.”
Baldwin said at this point he doesn’t anticipate any more defections.
“I don’t want to put my foot in my mouth and someone comes to you and says, ‘Coach, I’m ready to go,’ but unfortunately that’s the landscape,” he said. “We have to be prepared. If you’re not prepared for guys in this day and age wanting opportunity or playing time or whatever other reason then you’re fooling yourself. You’re naïve to what’s going on in college basketball right now, college athletics.
“You always have to be one step ahead and make sure you cover your bases.”
Baldwin now has two open scholarships, with 6-3 Kaleim Taylor, 6-7 Grant Coleman and 6-1 Donovan Newby all signed to join UWM next season.