This was the way to open conference play.
Sparked by huge advantages at the free-throw line and on the glass and another balanced offensive output, UW-Milwaukee downed visiting Cleveland State, 79-67, in the teams’ Horizon Conference lid lifter on Thursday night .at UWM Panther Arena
Kentrell Pullian scored a game-high 24 points and grabbed 10 rebounds and Jamichael Stillwell posted his fifth double-double with 12 points and 15 rebounds to help the Panthers (6-4) snap a two-game skid.
Themus Fulks added 16 points and AJ McKee 13 as UWM set new season highs with 28 makes and 37 attempts at the charity stripe (75.7%) while also almost doubling up Cleveland State (4-6) on the boards, 41-24, with 19 of those rebounds coming on the offensive end.
BOX SCORE: UWM 79, Cleveland State 67
A 13-2 run midway through the second half put the Panthers ahead of the Vikings to stay.
“We talked about that before the game,” coach Bart Lundy said, referring to opening Horizon League play with a victory. UWM was picked to win the conference in the preseason poll but has since seen its depth take a big hit due mostly to injuries.
“If you want a chance to win the league, you’ve got to win this one. That is a good and veteran team; those guards are seniors. They’ve played a lot of basketball and they’re physical. It’s a tough one to open up with, but to get this one against Cleveland State is huge.”
Finally cashing in at the line
The Panthers were shooting an icy 62.9% at the free-throw line collectively after going 8 for 14 and 8 for 17 in eight- and one-point road losses their last two times out.
Lundy indicated the team re-dedicated itself to improving at the line coming off the last loss, at Southern Mississippi, and it showed in this one.
UWM drew 26 fouls in all from Cleveland State, fouling out two players and accruing four fouls apiece on two others.
Pullian led the way by going 11 for 12, with the 11 makes tying his career high.
“Just time and reps,” Pullian said. “Getting in the gym. Time and reps.”
Added Lundy: “These guys have been in the gym really trying to be a better free-throw shooting team and that showed up tonight, the work they’ve been putting in.”
Chairman of the boards
Standing just 6 feet tall, Pullian finished second only to the 6-8 rebounding machine Stillwell with his 10 boards.
It was the third double-digit effort on the glass in Pullian’s career against a Division I opponent, and he entered the game averaging 4.7 in his 78 career games with the Panthers.
“I won’t say it’s a secret,” Pullian said when asked how he manages to fare so well in the land of the giants. “Coach Lundy tells me all the time, ‘The ball is a magnet.’ If you’re going hard, it’s going to come to you.”
Speaking of going hard, Stillwell registered his fifth double-double in his first 10 Division I games while upping his season average to 11.2 per.
Entering Thursday, UWM was ranked 24th out 355 Division I teams at 41.8 rebounds per game.
Learic Davis a work in progress
Bradley Tech alum Learic Davis has found playing time hard to come by this season.
But he made a swift positive impact in his 4 minutes he received against Cleveland State, coming off the bench late in the first half to immediately score on a layup and then stealing the ball on the ensuing possession to set up a three-point play by Pullian.
On a team loaded with terrific athletes, Davis might be the best considering his tremendous leaping ability and quickness.
But to get on the floor for Lundy consistently, it takes more than just measurables.
“He’s a great kid,” said Lundy of Davis, who entered the game averaging 2.9 points and 0.8 rebounds. Davis logged four first-half minutes in all but didn’t get off the bench in the second.
“He did have a little stretch where he lost my confidence a little bit and he’s really been more focused in practice and kind of gaining that back. I do regret that I didn’t get him in the game in the second half. But he’s fine. We’re fine. He’ll continue to grow.
“I couldn’t be more pleased with where he’s at. It may not be reflected yet in his stats and his time, but he’s coming along. He knows what he has to do to be on the floor more, and I think he’s trying hard to do that.”
And what is that, specifically?
“Just, plugged into to what we’re doing, our schemes, being on the same page as the rest of the guys, playing low in his stance,” said Lundy. “He’s fine offensively. And, he’s got really good players he’s competing with, too. Those guys are hard to take out of the game sometimes.”
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: UWM takes control at free-throw line, on the glass to win opener
