Milwaukee City Wire

UWM’s men’s basketball team fell just short of securing a coveted spot in the NCAA Tournament after a hard-fought battle against Oakland in the championship game of the Horizon League Tournament. Despite their efforts, Oakland emerged victorious with a score of 83-76, claiming the league’s automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament.

Reflecting on the season, UWM's head coach Bart Lundy acknowledged the team's achievements, stating, “For us, we won 20 games again for the second year in a row. It’s the first time our program has done that since 2006. We are making progress, but it’s not where we want to be. We really wanted the city of Milwaukee to experience the NCAA Tournament. The city really is desperate for it."

Lundy expressed determination for future success, affirming, “We are the city’s school and we take a lot of pride in that. But we will get there. You have a lot of breakthroughs as you’re building. We broke through to the final four last year and got to the championship game this year. Everything changes when you get a breakthrough, and we will keep fighting for that.”

Leading the charge for UWM were players Erik Pratt, Kentrell Pullian, and BJ Freeman, who showcased impressive performances throughout the tournament. Freeman notably set a Horizon League record for most points in the league tournament with 103. He, along with UWM’s Faizon Fields, earned a spot on the all-tournament team alongside players from Oakland and Northern Kentucky.

While the disappointment of missing out on the NCAA Tournament lingers, the Panthers can take pride in their accomplishments this season and look ahead to future opportunities for success in collegiate basketball.