UWM gets back in the win column with career night from Chandler Jackson
· Yahoo Sports
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The Milwaukee Panthers earned a much-needed win in Indianapolis.
For only the second time since beating IU Indy on Jan. 11, the Panthers were victorious, using a second-half surge and holding on late for a 92-88 win over the Jaguars on Feb. 10.
It was less than two weeks ago that Chandler Jackson’s foul with two seconds left in a tie game cost the Panthers, but the junior forward made up for that with his heroics to move Milwaukee to 6-10 in Horizon League play. Jackson scored a career-high 25 points to go with eight rebounds and had the game-sealing bucket off a missed free throw to go up four with six seconds left.
“We needed to feel a win,” head coach Bart Lundy said. “We’ve had a couple where we’ve competed. We just couldn’t get over the hump. There were times tonight where we teetered but didn’t break. Being able to get over that hump is huge for this group right now.”
Amar Augillard had 17 points and Stevie Elam added 14 to round out the Panthers leaders.
Milwaukee’s first win since Jan. 24 didn’t come easy against the last-place team in the conference on the road. The Panthers trailed by as many as eight in the second half and had to fend off multiple Jaguars pushes in the final minute.
After a three by the Jaguars to cut the score to 80-78 with eight seconds left, Esyah Pippa-White stepped to the line for the double bonus looking to ice the game away but instead missed both shots. It was the 6-foot-7 Jackson who slid between the crowd to secure the rebound and layup to go up four.
“I don’t know if we actually executed, but we have a free throw play called every time,” Lundy said. “One guy goes first and tries to get the box-out guy. I’ll have to watch it back, but Chandler may have just gone out and gotten the ball. What impressed me was going back up with no hesitation.”
Jackson, an Indianapolis native playing in front of 30 to 40 friends and family, had his best game yet – by far. He had never attempted more than five free throws in a game for Milwaukee but shot 14 against the Jaguars, sinking 11.
It was a Jackson jumper that capped a 19-5 run midway through the second half that turned the game on its head after Milwaukee trailed by eight with 16:53 remaining.
“He battled,” Lundy said. “He was fantastic tonight and in front of all his friends and family. I feel good for our team but especially for Chandler.”
Central to the Panthers’ response was their handling of the Jaguars’ relentless full-court press-and-trap. Indy plays at the fastest tempo in Division I, and Milwaukee’s guards handled the tempo with aplomb in the second half, breaking across the half-court line and then making the right decision to either keep pushing the ball or peeling back.
With the win, the Panthers jumped Youngstown State for ninth in the conference. That may not seem like much, but it would be enough to avoid the play-in game to the Horizon tournament next month if it holds.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee Panthers beat IU Indy behind Chandler Jackson's career night