UWM 76, UW-Green Bay 58: Nze powers Panthers

Nearly two seasons into his career at UW-Milwaukee, Bryce Nze is beginning to fulfill his immense promise.

The sophomore forward posted his third straight double-double Friday night -- becoming the first Panthers player to accomplish that feat in over 10 years -- to lead UWM past UW-Green Bay, 76-58, at UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena.

Nze finished with a career-high 25 points, hitting 11 of 14 shots in falling just shy of tying the school record for field-goal percentage, and also grabbed 10 rebounds in his most impactful game to date for UWM (12-13, 5-7 Horizon League).

The Arrowhead product was recruited by Rob Jeter, played his freshman year for LaVall Jordan and is now thriving under Pat Baldwin's tutelage after a rough patch that saw Nze lose his starting role for six games after he was ejected from the Panthers' conference-opening loss to Oakland on Dec. 28.

BOX SCORE:UWM 76, UWGB 58

"I think it's just work," Baldwin said when asked about Nze's development since then.

"Before Christmas we talked about some things that he needed to do, and he took ownership and accountability for where he wanted to go and where this team wanted to go. All I attribute that to is just the work that he's put in.

"We're going to him more, he's stepping out shooting threes, he's getting more comfortable in the post and our guys are believing even more in him.

"That trust factor is there with Bryce."

The 6-foot-7, 230-pounder came off the bench in 33 of UWM's 35 games a season ago and averaged 6.7 points and 5.1 rebounds per game. This year he's scoring 10.4 points on 59.4% shooting and pulling down a team-best 7.8 boards, becoming a major factor for the Panthers. 

"First year and even the beginning of this year, everything was sped up," Nze said. "It's just kind of slowing the game down and letting it come to you and not really forcing things is what I've learned. Just being confident and having teammates back you up in what you do has been key."

Coming off 18-11 and 12-12 games in UWM's past two outings, Nze wasted no time getting going against UWGB (10-15, 5-7) by scoring 10 of the Panthers' first 12 points.

The Phoenix pulled ahead briefly after that, only to have the Panthers respond with an 8-0 run that put them ahead to stay. They opened their lead up to 32-23, with the 23 points representing a first-half season low for Green Bay.

Nze opened the second half with a dunk, then a few minutes later showed off his increasingly diverse offensive game by knocking down a three-pointer from the left wing to make it 41-25.

He pulled down his 10th and final rebound with 6 minutes 40 seconds remaining, making him the first UWM player since Marcus Skinner from Jan. 19-26, 2008 to notch three straight double-doubles.

If Nze can improve on his free-throw shooting -- he's hitting just 45.6% on the season -- and knock down his perimeter jumpers a little more consistently, he could easily find a place among the Horizon League's best all-around players his final two years with the Panthers.

"My whole game just needs to improve," said Nze, summarizing his development to date. "I'm not a very good free-throw shooter from the numbers; I know I can knock them down. It's just getting to the line and having confidence and knocking them down.

"Three-point shooting, being confident and being sure i can hit them. Even post-ups, cutting down on my turnovers."

UWM also forced a season-high 20 turnovers in dropping Green Bay to 0-11 on the road. The game was much different from the teams' first matchup, a 99-92 Phoenix overtime victory at the Resch Center on Jan. 15.