Chandler Jackson scored 25 points for the Milwaukee Panthers men’s basketball team, but it was not enough as they lost to Oakland 81-70 on Sunday afternoon at the O’Rena in Rochester, Michigan. The Panthers, who compete in NCAA Division I and are part of the Horizon League according to their official website, saw their record fall to 11-19 overall and 7-12 in conference play.
Head coach Bart Lundy commented on the game plan and effort from his team. “I thought we battled all day and, if a couple plays go differently, it’s a different game,” Lundy said. “We had a game plan where we did some things we’ve never done before. And we had one day to do it between games. I thought they grasped it and made some mistakes early, but they got better at it and gave us a chance.”
The contest featured seven ties and 16 lead changes. Milwaukee led 61-58 after a three-point play by Jackson with just over eight minutes left in regulation, but Oakland responded with a decisive 14-2 run that put them ahead for good.
Lundy noted fatigue among his starters and praised an opposing player: “I thought our starters got a little tired and that’s when they went on a run,” he said. “Between them being tired and us not having much rhythm coming off the bench – give Oakland credit. Brody Robinson really hurt us – not only his speed but his shooting as well.”
Jackson matched his season-high with 25 points on 10-of-16 shooting, adding four rebounds and two assists. Freshman Sekou Konneh recorded his second double-double of the season with 13 points, 11 rebounds, and three blocks.
Esyah Pippa-White contributed significantly with 13 assists—just two shy of the program record—and also added six points and four rebounds.
“I thought we had some really good individual performances,” Lundy said. “Obviously Pip (Pippa-White) with 13 assists was phenomenal – understanding where we were trying to get the ball against the zone. Chandler was awesome. And Sekou – who’s in the middle of Ramadan, no food or water since 5:30 a.m. this morning – played 27 minutes and had a double-double. That’s pretty good for a freshman.”
Amar Augillard and Stevie Elam each finished with 11 points for Milwaukee.
For Oakland, Tuburu Naivalurua scored 23 points along with nine rebounds while Brody Robinson added 20 points and nine assists.
Milwaukee held a rebounding advantage (42-30) but struggled with turnovers compared to Oakland’s more careful ball handling.
The Panthers represent University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee athletics according to their official site and operate out of Milwaukee, Wisconsin as stated online.
Milwaukee will conclude its regular season at home against Youngstown State on Wednesday at UWM Panther Arena during Senior Day festivities.
