Horizon League Championship
One of the first things Bruce Pearl told his players when he took over the reins of the UW-Milwaukee basketball program two years ago was that he was going to take them to the NCAA tournament. Considering that UWM never had been invited to the National Invitation Tournament, let alone the NCAA field, in 105 years of basketball, nobody would have blamed the players for rolling their eyes and giving a collective, "Right, Coach. Whatever you say, Coach."
But they didn't.
"A lot of coaches say stuff like that but all of us, even the older guys, bought it into when he said it," fifth-year senior Clay Tucker said. "I don't know why, but we did.
"He's backed it up by giving us guidance and leadership, on and off the court. And now we are one game away from getting to the NCAAs. That tells me what this man can do when he's behind the wheel."
The game has all the looks of one that's going to be close but I notice the panthers can rebound the ball better than Butler (34-29) and it is important that they get a big jump tonight: Panthers -1 first half
They also get plenty of support whih will help them tonight as they look for revenge for a two point loss. Pearl has gotten the program to the point where it is 40 minutes of solid play away from basketball's Promised Land speaks volumes about the job he has done. Pearl accepted the foundation handed to him by Bo Ryan, who left UWM after two seasons to take the University of Wisconsin job, and has taken it to the next level.
"I saw thousands of people here Saturday night," UWM athletic director Bud Haidet, the man who hired Pearl, said of the Panthers' victory over Illinois-Chicago at the U.S. Cellular Arena.
"I saw alumni at that game that I haven't seen in years. I would say this is the biggest thing that has happened to this university in the 15 years I have been here.
Panthers -1.5 in the game
Look for the Panthers to have about a 3-5point lead at the half and a favorable line in the second for a possible sweep...
s c OO p
One of the first things Bruce Pearl told his players when he took over the reins of the UW-Milwaukee basketball program two years ago was that he was going to take them to the NCAA tournament. Considering that UWM never had been invited to the National Invitation Tournament, let alone the NCAA field, in 105 years of basketball, nobody would have blamed the players for rolling their eyes and giving a collective, "Right, Coach. Whatever you say, Coach."
But they didn't.
"A lot of coaches say stuff like that but all of us, even the older guys, bought it into when he said it," fifth-year senior Clay Tucker said. "I don't know why, but we did.
"He's backed it up by giving us guidance and leadership, on and off the court. And now we are one game away from getting to the NCAAs. That tells me what this man can do when he's behind the wheel."
The game has all the looks of one that's going to be close but I notice the panthers can rebound the ball better than Butler (34-29) and it is important that they get a big jump tonight: Panthers -1 first half
They also get plenty of support whih will help them tonight as they look for revenge for a two point loss. Pearl has gotten the program to the point where it is 40 minutes of solid play away from basketball's Promised Land speaks volumes about the job he has done. Pearl accepted the foundation handed to him by Bo Ryan, who left UWM after two seasons to take the University of Wisconsin job, and has taken it to the next level.
"I saw thousands of people here Saturday night," UWM athletic director Bud Haidet, the man who hired Pearl, said of the Panthers' victory over Illinois-Chicago at the U.S. Cellular Arena.
"I saw alumni at that game that I haven't seen in years. I would say this is the biggest thing that has happened to this university in the 15 years I have been here.
Panthers -1.5 in the game
Look for the Panthers to have about a 3-5point lead at the half and a favorable line in the second for a possible sweep...
s c OO p
