No. 5 Milwaukee captured the 2014 Horizon League Men's Basketball Championship over No. 3 Wright State, 69-63. The last Horizon League Tournament title for the Panthers came in 2006, marking the fourth title in school history. Senior forward Kyle Kelm (6'9''-F) led the Panthers with 20 points and a game-high nine rebounds. "Kyle was phenomenal down low, just a beast,' Milwaukee center Matt Tiby (6'8''-F) said. Jordan Aaron (5'10''-PG), who was named Horizon League Tournament MVP, had 18 points and was 4-of-9 from three-point range. Aaron also hit four three-pointers in the Panthers semifinal win over Green Bay. He finished the tournament with 11 three-pointers made, tying the tournament record. The Panthers went 9-of-18 from long range and held a 35-28 advantage on the boards. Wright State (20-14) had a season-high six game win streak snapped. The Raiders was the first team since Butler (2010-2011) to reach back-to-back Horizon League Championship Games and the first team to lose in back-to-back championship games since Butler in 2006-07. Despite playing only 29 minutes, A.J. Pacher (6'10''-F-92) led the Raiders with 16 points. A.J. A.J. Pacher (6'10''-F-92) shot 6-of-9 from the field. 'It's going to be painful for a very long time. We're going to use this as fuel moving forward,' Wright State head coach Billy Donlon stated. Milwaukee (21-13) entered the tournament losers of four of five and is the first team to finish the conference season under .500 (7-9) and win the conference tournament. After posting a first round victory over Detroit, 83-73, the Panthers went on the road to Green Bay and beat Valparaiso 74-57 and the Phoenix, 73-66. 'That's the key to life, what are going to do about it? This group figured it out,' Jeter said. Milwaukee last appeared in the NCAA Tournament in 2006 when they knocked off Oklahoma in the first round before falling to Florida. The Panthers own a 3-3 all-time record in the tournament.
Courtesy of Horizon League
Horizon League Tournament Final: Milwaukee - Wright State 69-63
Horizon League Tournament Semifinals: Milwaukee - Green Bay 73-66, OT Wright State - Cleveland State 68-63
All-Horizon League 1st Team 2014
Sykes
Perry
Brown
Bader
Dority
All-Tournament MVP:
Jordan Aaron (5'10''-PG) of Wisc.-Milwaukee Player of the Year:
Keifer Sykes (5'11''-PG) of Green Bay Defensive Player of the Year:
Alec Brown (7'1''-F) of Green Bay Freshman of the Year:
Kahlil Felder (5'9''-PG) of Oakland Sixth Man of the Year:
Jon Harris (6'7''-F-92) of Cleveland St. Coach of the Year:
Brian Wardle of Green Bay
All-Tournament Team
PG:
Jordan Aaron (5'10''-PG) of Wisc.-Milwaukee
F:
Kyle Kelm (6'9''-F) of Wisc.-Milwaukee
G:
Miles Dixon (6'1''-G-91) of Wright St.
F:
A.J. Pacher (6'10''-F-92) of Wright St.
F:
Matt Tiby (6'8''-F) of Wisc.-Milwaukee
Jeter
