Freeman Drops 32, Leads Milwaukee Past Green Bay in Horizon Clash

Basketball

BJ Freeman put on a scoring clinic, pouring in 32 points to lead the No. 6 seed Milwaukee Panthers to a hard-fought 95-84 victory over the third-seeded Green Bay Phoenix in the Horizon League Tournament on Thursday night.

Freeman was simply unstoppable, knocking down shots from all over the court and willing his team to the win. The senior guard shot an efficient 11-of-18 from the field, including 6-of-10 from beyond the arc, and also chipped in with five rebounds and four assists in a complete performance.

“BJ was incredible tonight,” said Milwaukee head coach Pat Baldwin. “He really put the team on his back and carried us offensively. When he’s locked in like that, he’s one of the most dangerous scorers in the country.”

Milwaukee got off to a slow start, trailing 22-18 after the first quarter, but Freeman caught fire in the second period, scoring 14 points to help the Panthers take a 43-40 lead into halftime. Green Bay hung around in the third quarter, but Milwaukee finally created some separation early in the fourth, going on a 12-2 run to open up a double-digit lead that they would never relinquish.

“I was just in the zone tonight,” said Freeman. “My teammates did a great job of finding me in rhythm and I was able to knock down some big shots. This was a huge win for us, but we know the job’s not finished yet.”

While Freeman stole the show, he did receive solid support from his teammates. Sophomore forward DeAndre Gholston chipped in with 18 points and eight rebounds, while senior guard Donovan May added 12 points and six assists.

For Green Bay, Kamari McGee led the way with 21 points, but the Phoenix simply had no answer for Freeman’s scoring outburst. They now find themselves on the brink of elimination from the Horizon League Tournament.

With the win, Milwaukee advances to the semifinals, where they will face off against second-seeded Northern Kentucky on Saturday. If Freeman can replicate his performance from Thursday night, the Panthers will certainly fancy their chances of pulling off another upset.