UWM 73, Loyola 56: Panthers turn in their best effort yet

Back to full strength once again, the UW-Milwaukee Panthers put together arguably their most complete 40 minutes of the season on Saturday afternoon.

Led by Brock Stull's season-high 23 points, UWM grabbed an early lead, extended it to double digits and held it the rest of the way in downing Loyola, 73-56, at UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena.

The Panthers (7-5) came in on the heels of two of their worst performances to this point, consecutive blowout losses at Western Illinois and at Belmont, only to throttle a Ramblers team that entered 10-1 and had an impressive win at then-No. 5 Florida to its credit.

"For 40 minutes I thought our intensity level, our togetherness and how we competed was at an all-time high," coach Pat Baldwin said. "I can't speak enough about our guys and the way they played. This was a big win for us, considering how we'd played the last few games."

Stull, who'd been sidelined the previous two games by a bone bruise in his right knee, hit all 4 of his three-pointers in the first half in helping the Panthers to a 17-point lead by intermission.

BOX SCORE: UWM 73, Loyola 56

Two of those came in the final 1 minute, 20 seconds of the first half and were daggers - one on which he was fouled and led to a four-point play for the Panthers, and the other a buzzer beater heading into the locker room.

"Knee felt great. No complaints," said Stull, UWM's leading scorer and three-point shooter on the season.

"Yesterday was the first time I actually kind of used it. I think it was more of a confidence thing, getting back out there. The last couple games just watching, you kind of get humbled and know what you really miss.

"I missed playing with these guys, and it was great (to return)."

Loyola, which was off to its best start since the 1965-'66 season, came in ranked fourth in the country in field-goal percentage at 53.4% and fifth in three-point accuracy at 44.6%.

UWM, however, limited the Ramblers to 34.5% shooting and 18.2% from beyond the arc in the second half. The Panthers led by as many as 20 midway through the second half and held Loyola to just 38.5% shooting for the game. 

"It was important in a game like this because they have some firepower, and they shoot the ball extremely well," Baldwin said. "To be able to get out to a lead like that certainly gave us some cushion to be able to do some different things, then at the end we were able to take care of the basketball."

Brett Prahl and Bryce Nze chipped in 10 points apiece and August Haas had six assists and no turnovers in 22 minutes while not attempting a shot from the floor as UWM continues to utilize an all-hands-on-deck approach before Horizon League play kicks off on Dec. 28.

"You could put (this win) up there with Iowa State," said Baldwin, referring to the Panthers' stunning 74-56 road victory over the Cyclones on Nov. 13.

"But with what's at stake, with a team like Loyola coming in here 10-1 with a chance to win the (Missouri) Valley, from beginning to end I think we really, really played well. We played hard, we competed."

Baldwin, who served as an assistant and later associate head coach at Loyola from 2004-'11, said he didn't derive any extra satisfaction from downing his former employer.

"My time at Loyola was tremendous," he said. "I loved my time there and was there for a great seven years; two of my kids were born when I was coaching there, and the people there are tremendous.

"But this was not a personal deal. This was more about our team and the way we played against Western Illinois and Belmont."