LaVall Jordan’s UWM Panthers just don’t want their men’s basketball season to end. In what may be the biggest win of the first-year coach’s UWM tenure, the 10th-seeded Panthers upset second-seeded Valparaiso 43-41 Saturday night in the Horizon League Tournament at Detroit’s Joe Louis Arena.
UWM, the first 10th seed in league history to advance to the tourney semifinals, will face either UW-Green Bay or Illinois-Chicago 8:30 p.m. Monday. The game will be broadcast on ESPNU.
“I’m extremely proud of our guys. The resiliency, the character of our group, others got to see it this weekend,” said Jordan, whose team improved to 10-23. “Every day this group shows up, in spite of the record, and they are hungry. They want to get better and they work like crazy.”
UWM won with stifling defense. The Panthers allowed just 12 first-half points, a UWM school record, and frustrated Valpo into 32 percent shooting for the game.
Cody Wichmann led, one of only two Panthers seniors, led UWM with 11 points and nine rebounds. “I’m just glad about where I’m at right now with this team,” Wichmann said. “We’re going to lace them up Monday night against whoever and go out there and try to win a championship.”
For more coverage, visit www.mkepanthers.com, the official site of UWM athletics.
