Milwaukee recognized members of the 2005 NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 team on Sunday. Photo by Stella Nastulski, Mid-Major Basketball.
Milwaukee overcame an early 11-point deficit to dominate Northern Kentucky, cruising to a 92-70 victory on Sunday afternoon at UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena.
With the win, which was the second-largest against a Division-I opponent under coach Bart Lundy, the Panthers (18-9, 11-5 Horizon League) secured a third straight season with a winning conference record for the first time since they did it in four straight seasons from 2009-12. Two more wins would give them three straight 20-win campaigns for the first time since 2003-06.
Sunday also marked the 20th anniversary of Milwaukee’s historic Sweet 16 run in the 2005 NCAA Tournament. The program honored the milestone with a halftime ceremony, featuring a video message from former head coach Bruce Pearl and recognition of several team members. Among those in attendance was Ed McCants, the Horizon League Player of the Year in 2005, who averaged 17.4 points per game that season. Over the weekend, McCants was also inducted into Milwaukee’s Bud K. Haidet Athletics Hall of Fame.
Milwaukee senior guard Erik Pratt scored a team-high 15 points off the bench on Sunday. Photo by Stella Nastulski, Mid-Major Basketball.Milwaukee senior point guard Themus Fulks finished with nine points and seven assists. Photo by Stella Nastulski, Mid-Major Basketball.Ed McCants walks out during the Sweet 16 ceremony. As a senior, McCants led the Panthers on a memorable trip to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament during a 26-6 season, earning Horizon League Player of the Year honors after averaging 17.4 points per game. Photo by Stella Nastulski, Mid-Major Basketball.Joah Tucker, a Milwaukee native, was one of the most accomplished players in Milwaukee men’s basketball history despite playing only three seasons (2003-06) for the Panthers after transferring from Bradley University. The 6-foot-5 guard/forward led Milwaukee to three postseason appearances in his three years and during the 2005 NCAA Tournament, he averaged 25.3 points per game in helping the Panthers reach the Sweet 16. Photo by Stella Nastulski, Mid-Major Basketball.Adrian Tigert, an Oshkosh native and current Milwaukee television color commentator, was a key starter for the Panthers during the Sweet 16 run. He sank the game-winning free throw with 4.2 seconds left in the Horizon League Conference Tournament championship game against Detroit in Milwaukee to give the Panthers the automatic bid for the NCAA Tournament in 2005. Photo by Stella Nastulski, Mid-Major Basketball.James Wright, a standout at Milwaukee Vincent, earned McDonald’s High School All-American honors after his senior year. Initially committed to Oklahoma, he chose to stay home and play for Milwaukee, becoming a key frontcourt contributor during the Panthers’ Sweet 16 run. Photo by Stella Nastulski, Mid-Major Basketball.Boo Davis was a key guard for Milwaukee during the 2004-05 season, serving as a consistent scorer and 3-point shooter to finish the season as Milwaukee’s third-leading scorer. Photo by Stella Nastulski, Mid-Major Basketball.Milwaukee guard AJ McKee plays tight defense against Northern Kentucky guard Sam Vinson. Photo by Stella Nastulski, Mid-Major Basketball.Players on the Milwaukee bench celebrate during the Panthers’ blowout victory over NKU. Photo by Stella Nastulski, Mid-Major Basketball.
Stella Nastulski is a junior attending the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, studying Journalism, Advertising and Media studies. Nastulski has enjoyed creating content for local teams, including Milwaukee Area Technical College’s men’s basketball team and other University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee athletics teams. She specializes in photography and social media management. Follow Nastulski on X (Twitter) @stellanastulski.
