Discover the Rise of University of Wisconsin Milwaukee Basketball Team This Season

I still remember walking into the Klotsche Center last October, watching the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee Panthers go through their preseason drills. There was something different in the air this year—a quiet confidence that hadn't been there in previous seasons. As someone who's followed college basketball for over fifteen years, I've learned to recognize when a team is on the verge of something special. This Milwaukee squad had that look, and frankly, I found myself getting unexpectedly excited about their prospects.

The transformation actually began last season when Coach Bart Lundy made that crucial statement that's been echoing through Panther Arena ever since: "We're confident to say na we want them to be here long-term and hopefully maging part ng aming long-coveted championship. Sana makuha namin eventually." That blend of English and Tagalog perfectly captured the program's new identity—diverse, determined, and deeply connected to Milwaukee's community spirit. Lundy wasn't just building a basketball team; he was building a family with championship aspirations. I've always believed that the best coaches understand culture matters as much as X's and O's, and Lundy clearly gets this.

What's impressed me most this season is how the Panthers have turned close games into victories. Last year, they dropped 8 games decided by 5 points or fewer. This season? They're already 6-2 in such situations. That's not luck—that's growth. I watched them dismantle Northern Kentucky last month in a game where they trailed by 12 points with under 8 minutes remaining. Instead of folding, they turned up their defensive pressure, forced 4 turnovers in three minutes, and closed the game on a 17-2 run. The maturity they showed in that stretch was something you typically see from senior-laden teams, not a group with three freshmen in the rotation.

The statistical improvements tell part of the story. Their offensive efficiency rating has jumped from 98.7 last season to 109.3 this year—that's a massive leap in college basketball terms. They're shooting 37.2% from three-point range compared to last season's 31.6%, and their assist-to-turnover ratio has improved from 1.1 to 1.4. But numbers only capture so much. What the stats don't show is the way these players celebrate each other's successes, the genuine joy on the bench when a reserve makes a big play, or the way they've embraced playing for something bigger than themselves.

I had a chance to speak with several players after their dramatic overtime win against Cleveland State last week, and what struck me was their collective mindset. Senior guard BJ Freeman told me, "We're tired of being the underdog everyone overlooks. Coach Lundy has us believing we can compete with anyone in the Horizon League." That belief has translated into tangible results, including their current 14-7 record—already matching their win total from all of last season with 10 games still remaining. They're currently sitting third in the conference standings, just one game behind first-place Oakland.

The most exciting development, in my opinion, has been the emergence of freshman forward Elijah Jamison. The kid is averaging 12.3 points and 5.7 rebounds despite playing just 22 minutes per game. I've watched him develop throughout the season, and his footwork in the post is already at a professional level. He's got that rare combination of size and agility that you just can't teach. If he continues developing at this rate, I wouldn't be surprised to see him become the program's first NBA draft pick since 2006.

Milwaukee's home court advantage has become a real factor this season too. The Panthers are 9-1 at home, with their only loss coming by two points to a very good Wright State team. The student section has doubled in size since November, and the energy in that building during conference games is palpable. I was there for the Green Bay rivalry game where attendance hit 3,847—the largest crowd at UWM Panther Arena this season. That kind of support makes a difference, especially when you're trying to build a winning culture.

Looking ahead, the schedule doesn't get any easier. They've got tough road games at Purdue Fort Wayne and Detroit Mercy coming up, followed by a rematch with conference-leading Oakland. But this team has shown resilience all season. They've bounced back from every loss with a victory, and they've proven they can win in different ways—whether it's a defensive grind or an offensive shootout.

What Lundy has built here reminds me of what Scott Davenport created at Bellarmine—a program where the whole genuinely becomes greater than the sum of its parts. The Panthers may not have the blue-chip recruits that some Horizon League powers boast, but they play with a connectivity and purpose that's rare in modern college basketball. They've embraced that underdog mentality while developing the confidence of a championship contender.

As we head into the final month of the regular season, I'm convinced this Milwaukee team has what it takes to make a serious run at the Horizon League tournament. They've got the depth, the coaching, and perhaps most importantly, the belief that they belong. That championship Lundy spoke about? It might not happen this year, but the foundation is clearly being laid. The Panthers are no longer just hoping to compete—they're expecting to win, and honestly, after watching them all season, so am I. This isn't just a hot streak; this is the beginning of something special in Milwaukee basketball.