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#35 Wisconsin
Milwaukee Panthers
Horizon
2004-05: 26-6, 14-2, 1st
2004-05 postseason:
NCAA
By
Joel Welser
Wisconsin-Milwaukee won’t
sneak up on anybody on the national level this year. After a
trip to the Sweet Sixteen, the Panthers return four starters and
have their eye on another NCAA berth. They’ll have to do it
without Bruce Pearl, who took the head coaching job at
Tennessee. Rob Jeter, who was the Associate Head Coach at
Wisconsin for the previous four years, is the new leader in
Milwaukee.
Who’s Out:
Ed McCants led the Panthers with 17.4 points per game and his
absence will hurt the Panthers. McCants took nearly nine three
pointers a game and that slack will have to be picked up by
returnees Boo Davis and Chris Hill. James Wright was usually the
first man off the bench. The forward earned five starts and
averaged 4.0 points and 4.1 boards per contest. Rob Sanders only
saw action in ten games during his last season for the Panthers.
Who’s In:
Kevin Massiah will help out UWM
immediately. The 6-5 wing averaged 15.5 points per game last
year at Schoolcraft (MI) Community College. Massiah spent the
2002-2003 season coming off the bench for Western Kentucky and
the following campaign sidelined with a broken foot. Kaylan
Anderson, a 6-3 guard from Toronto, Ontario, is a solid pick up
for Coach Jeter. He’s an athletic, versatile player who will get
a chance this year. Walk-on Guard Myles McKay, who redshirted
last season, averaged 12.4 points at Menomonee Falls High School
in Wisconsin. Steve Hoelzel, a fellow walk-on, was a redshirt at
Michigan Tech University two years ago and was redshirted again
last year due to NCAA transfer rules. The 6-9 center is finally
available to play for the Panthers. Tyrone Young is likely to
make a big splash his first season for the Panthers. The 6-4
guard played at Vincennes University in Indiana last year,
averaging 19.4 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.0 assists. Guard Avery
Smith is a likely redshirt candidate. The 6-3 guard from
Milwaukee can penetrate and score, but will need some time to
build strength. The eligibility status of Ricky Franklin is
still in question, but the 6-1 guard could develop into a solid
contributor in the coming years.
Who to Watch:
Joah Tucker single handedly kept
Milwaukee close in their Sweet Sixteen match-up versus the
Illini. The 6-5 forward scored 32 points against Illinois and
averaged over 25 points per game during the Panthers three game
run in the NCAA Tournament. On the season, Tucker averaged 16.2
points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.2 steals. He won’t light
it up from long range, but Tucker has the ability to hit from
behind the arc.
Projected
Conference Rank:
Detroit, UIC, Loyola, Butler and
interstate rival Wisconsin-Green Bay won’t be pushovers, but the
Panthers are the clear favorites in the Horizon. Anything but a
1st place finish and another trip the NCAAs would be
a letdown. With Chris Hill and Boo Davis in the backcourt and
Joah Tucker and Adrian Tigert returning to the forward spots,
the Panthers can make noise again in the big dance. The final
starting role could be taken by centers Derrick Ford and Jason
McCoy or guard Mark Pancratz, depending on the game situation.
All three of them are seniors and have the experience to start
or provide a spark off the bench.
Projected Post-season Tournament:
NCAA
Projected Starting
Five:
Chris Hill, Senior,
Guard, 7.8 points per game
Boo Davis, Senior,
Guard, 10.2 points per game
Joah Tucker, Senior,
Forward, 16.2 points per game
Adrian Tigert, Senior,
Forward, 9.2 points per game
Derrick Ford, Senior,
Center, 3.2 points per game
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