This season marks the 15th anniversary of the Milwaukee Panthers men’s basketball team’s run to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Tournament. To celebrate, UWM will give back to fans and honor the members of the 2004-2005 Panthers team when the current squad faces UW-Green Bay on Saturday, Feb. 15.
In the 2005 tournament, UWM was sent to the Chicago region as a No. 12 seed. The Panthers upset No. 5 seed Alabama, 83-73, in the first round, then knocked off No. 4 seed Boston College, 83-75 to make the Sweet 16. The run came to an end with a 77-63 loss to Illinois, who went on to make it to the title game before falling to North Carolina.
To honor the team, the first 2,000 fans to the UWM Panther Arena for Saturday’s game will receive a commemorative Sweet 16 team poster. The first 200 students in the door will receive a Milwaukee Panthers hoodie.
At halftime, members of the original Sweet 16 team will be recognized, including Joah Tucker and Ed McCants, who were leading scorers in the 2005 match-up against Alabama with 20 points each.
The game tips off at 6 p.m. Tickets are available online.
