College basketball: UWM holds off Northern Kentucky.
Panthers strong in many areas
UW-Milwaukee’s seven-game losing streak — its longest since the 2012’13 season — is history.
Led by balanced scoring, a game effort on the glass and some strong interior defense, the Panthers knocked off Northern Kentucky, 68-58, on Thursday night at UWMilwaukee Panther Arena.
It was the first victory in exactly five weeks for UWM (5-12, 1-3 Horizon League), which had played 12 of its 16 games coming in on either hostile or neutral courts.
“We went and fought for it, and we deserved to win it,” coach LaVall Jordan said. “They’re a good team. Our guys took them on.”
Brock Stull scored a game-high 18 points to lead three double-figure scorers for the Panthers. Brett Prahl fell a point shy of being the fourth, but his contributions on the glass and on the defensive end were just as big.
Prahl tied Stull for the team lead with seven rebounds as UWM beat Northern Kentucky (12-7, 3-3) on the glass, 33-29. Four of Prahl’s seven boards came on the offensive end, as the Panthers scored 19 second-chance points to the Norse’s nine.
The East Troy native also provided some strong interior defense on Northern Kentucky big man Drew McDonald, who came in ranked third in the conference in scoring but was held to a quiet 14 points and three rebounds.
“I thought Brett Prahl was phenomenal,” Jordan said. “Brett did a heck of a job just playing. We thought about doubling but he was doing fine one on one just defending him.”
McDonald scored nine of his points in the first half as the teams went into intermission tied at 30-all.
Stull, who was the league’s second-leading scorer entering the night at 20.3 points per game with McDonald right behind at 20, scored six quick points as UWM opened a 37-33 lead out of halftime.
Cody Wichmann’s three-pointer from deep on the left wing with 12 minutes, 34 seconds remaining gave the Panthers a 44-41 lead they wouldn’t relinquish. Then Stull’s third three of the game with the shot clock winding down proved to be the dagger, putting UWM ahead, 6454, with 3:05 left.
After averaging 2.6 points and 1.7 rebounds in just over nine minutes a game last season, the redshirt sophomore from Rockford, Ill., is averaging team-highs of 12.4 and 6.6 in just shy of 31 minutes per game.
Considering all the turnover since last season, the Panthers have needed every bit of his production.
“I don’t really look at the numbers,” said Stull, who hit 7 of 10 shots, 3 of 5 three-pointers and also added three assists. “I’m just kind of playing the game that the team needs, and that’s about it.”
Stull also is shooting a respectable 45.8% from the floor and 39.7% from beyond the arc.
“He has to be the only player in the country that runs from shooting,” Jordan joked. “It’s a role that he’s had to grow into for us, to hunt and be aggressive and know that it’s not selfish.
“Brock’s a very unselfish person. He takes good shots.”
Wichmann added 15 points and Jeremiah Bell 11. UWM hosts Wright State at 2 p.m. Saturday.