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Post by motorcitysam on Dec 23, 2015 21:36:55 GMT -5
The Panthers are 4 minutes away from a second road win over a Big 10 team. They lead Minnesota by 12 with 3:45 to play. Go Panthers!
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Post by motorcitysam on Jan 6, 2016 23:54:16 GMT -5
Milwaukee picks up a point guard for 2016.
Scott Burgess @scottybscout 16m16 minutes ago Bogan 2016 PG Bryce Barnes @bryceb_3 has committed to UW-Milwaukee @themacirvinfire
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Post by Commissioner on Feb 21, 2016 2:15:28 GMT -5
Redshirt freshman Jayquan McCloud has quit UWM's team.
McCloud originally signed with Murray State. With offers from schools such as Rhode Island, Indiana State, and Nevada, he was considered the star of Murray State's class. But the Chicago native never played for the Racers, deciding before the start of the 2014-15 season to transfer closer to home. Under transfer rules he had to sit out the fall semester, but became eligible for Milwaukee in December. It was believed that McCloud's arrival was one factor in Justin Jordan's decision to transfer out of Milwaukee, feeling he wouldn't get minutes in the future.
After playing just 9 minutes in the first game in which he was eligible, a 68-67 win over Wisconsin, McCloud played double figure minutes in 11 straight games, averaging 19 minutes a game. In the first 6 games of that string, McCloud scored 64 points, or 10.7 per game, shooting 50% from the floor and 46.6% from three. But over the next 5 games he scored just 22 points (4.4 ppg) while shooting just 31%. Then his minutes dropped sharply, playing just 31 minutes in the team's next 6 games, scoring 9 points total. He quit the team before today's game against Cleveland State.
This shouldn't impact the Panthers much in their last couple regular season games--they blew out Cleveland State today--but the loss of depth could hurt in the Horizon tournament, where the Panthers will be playing every day. Also, my impression was that McCloud was seen as a major piece in Milwaukee's longer term future. Next year, with Jevon Lyle graduating, McCloud would be the first guard off the bench, behind Jordan Johnson and Akeem Springs, and then be set to take a starting role when those two gradate in the spring of 2017. Milwaukee has one guard committed behind McCloud in the Class of '16, Bryce Barnes, but he's not highly rated.
If McCloud stays D-I, he'll have to sit out a year, and as a result he'll lose a year of eligibility, since he's already used up a redshirt season. When a kid moves twice like this, you get the feeling he's got a little growing up to do.
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Post by Commissioner on Mar 24, 2016 13:06:47 GMT -5
Akeem Springs, Austin Arians, and Jordan Johnson have received releases from Milwaukee. Cody Wichmann graduates this spring with a year of eligibility left and may also leave.
Arians and Springs, both redshirt juniors, are on track to graduate this year, Springs after summer school, so they could leave regardless and won't have to sit out. (Seeking a release, however, allows them to talk to other coaches now, before they have graduated). I don't think any of these guys is a big 10 type player, but I would think Springs and Arians would have little trouble finding a new home. Johnson, a junior, was second in the nation in assists, so he'll also have options, but will have to sit a year. None of them have closed the door on staying at Milwaukee, and they have expressed a desire to stay together (Springs and Johnson were high school teammates), which is unlikely if they transfer. So they may stay, though a departure seems more likely.
If they go, coupled with the graduations of JJ Panoske and Matt Tiby, Milwaukee will lose all 5 of its starters. Freshman Jayquan McCloud left the team late in the season. If Wichmann also leaves, that means Milwaukee will lose its top 7 players in points, rebounds, and assists per game. Oh, and their #8 scorer in points per game, Jevon Lyle, also graduates.
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Post by Commissioner on Mar 24, 2016 18:33:40 GMT -5
To put it in further perspective, if Arians, Springs, Johnson and Wichmann transfer, Milwaukee will return 8.5% of its minutes. They will not have a single returning player who has ever started a D-I game. The Panthers will return 6.3% of their scoring and 9.2% of their rebounding. Go Panthers!
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Post by Commissioner on Apr 7, 2016 16:52:15 GMT -5
Milwaukee has hired Michigan assistant LaVall Jordan as head coach.
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Post by motorcitysam on Apr 15, 2016 10:02:56 GMT -5
Springs to Minnesota.
s Jeff Borzello @jeffborzello 3m3 minutes ago Milwaukee grad transfer Akeem Springs tells ESPN he has committed to Minnesota. @springsakeem
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Post by motorcitysam on Apr 15, 2016 11:46:33 GMT -5
Milwaukee has hired Michigan assistant LaVall Jordan as head coach. Jordan filling out his staff at Milwaukee. Jeff Goodman @goodmanespn 38m38 minutes ago New Milwaukee coach LaVall Jordan has hired Will Vergollo (Michigan) and Omar Lowery (Sam Houston State) thus far.
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Post by Commissioner on Apr 15, 2016 14:15:51 GMT -5
Springs to Minnesota. s Jeff Borzello @jeffborzello 3m3 minutes ago Milwaukee grad transfer Akeem Springs tells ESPN he has committed to Minnesota. @springsakeem I didn't think Springs was a Big 10 quality player. OTOH, Minnesota isn't a Big 10 quality team.
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Post by motorcitysam on Apr 16, 2016 19:58:43 GMT -5
Springs to Minnesota. s Jeff Borzello @jeffborzello 3m3 minutes ago Milwaukee grad transfer Akeem Springs tells ESPN he has committed to Minnesota. @springsakeem I didn't think Springs was a Big 10 quality player. OTOH, Minnesota isn't a Big 10 quality team. Agreed. I didn't think he was Big Ten caliber, but the Gopher fans are sure happy to get him. Maybe because Springs scored 15 when the Panthers beat the Gophers at Minnesota last year. Which brings up another thing that must vex mid major coaches. Even horrible programs in Power Five conferences can steal your best players. Some mid major grad transfer went to Boston College, who went winless in the ACC last season and probably won't do much better in 2016-17.
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Post by Commissioner on Apr 17, 2016 16:29:44 GMT -5
Jeff Goodman reports Austin Arians to Wake Forest.
Here's the thing: Arians is a good player. But he was not an all-conference player in the Horizon, not even close. He's a three point shooter who made 35% of his threes, which is good but doesn't get you into the Hall of Fame or anything. His overall FG% was below 40%, showing the limits to his offensive game and inability to finish strong. He averaged 11.4 points and 3.8 rebounds. He's a mediocre ball handler for a wing, and can't really post up well. He's gone from being a below average defender when he entered the league to a slightly above average defender. By the end of the season, a lot of Milwaukee fans were clamoring for him to be pulled from the starting lineup.
Again, I'm not trying to dis Arians. He's a good player. But I wouldn't be excited if somehow he wanted to come to Detroit. In fact, I'd probably urge turning him away. Who needs him for 1 year (besides Wake? - and Minnesota and Utah and Wisconsin, which were apparently interested)? Maybe it's good to see how little difference there apparently is between Horizon and ACC, Big 10 and PAC 12 players. I just don't get the demand, though. Obviously Wake Forest thinks they can use him, but it will be interesting to see how many minutes he gets.
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Post by motorcitysam on Apr 18, 2016 20:48:16 GMT -5
Minnesota fans are really excited to get Springs. Some of them think he'll play a big part of them improving from 2 conference wins to 7-10 conference wins next season. I think they will be disappointed. The Star Tribune had an article about the former Panther joining the Gophers. Interesting comments from his Dad on why he left Milwaukee and why he chose Minnesota. From the article: Shortly after reopening his recruitment this spring, Akeem narrowed his choices to Ole Miss -- where he visited earlier this month -- and Minnesota, whose campus he toured just over a week ago. That visit put the cap on what his father dubbed an impressive recruitment. “Akeem was telling me ‘Man, I feel really good about my team, I feel good about the guys, I feel good about the coaches and playing in the Big Ten and all those things,’” said Dwayne, who also mentioned he has some family in the Minneapolis area. “We were weighing the pros and cons for about 24 hours and it just came down to how do we pass up the opportunity to play in the Big Ten? How do we pass up the chance to play against the teams you thought should have recruited you out of high school? All of those things were huge …to play on a huge stage, that’s what won out.” Dwayne also said he and his son were told Akeem would have the chance to compete for a starting spot, a major factor in his commitment. “He wouldn’t go anywhere just to be a role player, to be a complimentary guy,” Dwayne said. “But to come in and be a big part of it –definitely a team-oriented thing, but for him to be a big part of the team.” www.startribune.com/transfer-...source=dlvr.itGo Gophers!!
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Post by motorcitysam on May 5, 2016 9:20:47 GMT -5
Good to see Rob Jeter land on his feet.
Jon Rothstein @jonrothstein 3m3 minutes ago UNLV's Marvin Menzies will hire former Milwaukee head coach Rob Jeter as an assistant coach, source told @cbssports.
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Post by motorcitysam on May 13, 2016 14:01:57 GMT -5
Milwaukee adds a European for 2016. Verbal Commits @verbalcommits 2m2 minutes ago 2016 SISU Basketball (DNK) G August Haas has committed to Milwaukee. (HT @eurohopes) verbalcommits.com/players/august-haas …
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Post by motorcitysam on May 18, 2016 18:50:28 GMT -5
Milwaukee adds a European for 2016. Verbal Commits @verbalcommits 2m2 minutes ago 2016 SISU Basketball (DNK) G August Haas has committed to Milwaukee. (HT @eurohopes) verbalcommits.com/players/august-haas … Jordan Johnson joining Rob Jeter at UNLV. The Rebels are desperate for bodies, so they're glad to take Jordan, even with him sitting a year. Jeff Goodman @goodmanespn 13m13 minutes ago UNLV has landed Milwaukee transfer Jordan Johnson, source told ESPN. Will sit and have one year left.
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