Mix two teams fighting for first place, with some hard feelings left over from the last game, and the UWM and UW-Green Bay game at the U.S. Cellular Arena this weekend becomes an old-fashioned, barn-burner showdown in the Horizon League.
After Tuesday night's action, the Panthers will take a 9-0 record into the showdown. The Phoenix are 6-2 and host Detroit Thursday night in Green Bay before coming to Milwaukee.
If the closeness in the standings, and the fact it is an intra-state rivalry, aren't good enough, assistant coaches from the two teams had a verbal clash in the last meeting, a UWM win in Green Bay. They have since made up, and UWM head coach Bruce Pearl said it all happened in the heat of battle. But, it only adds to the intensity and fun of Saturday's contest.
UWM has become the Horizon League's top scoring team. Joah Tucker and Ed McCants have joined Dylan Page with some big scoring games.
The Panthers beat Detroit, 85-68, in Calihan Hall, a tough place to play, last weekend. It was the Titans' worst home loss since 1994.
UWM followed up with a 68-53 win Tuesday night at Wright State. The Panthers shot 61.9% in the second half and have moved to ninth place in the nation in shooting.
UWGB has been a surprise team in the Horizon League this season. The Phoenix have lost only to UWM and to UIC last weekend, thanks to a career high 36 points by Cedrick Banks, the player of the year in the conference.
Terry Parker, Brandon Morris and Mike King average in double scoring figures for UWGB, but the Phoenix have been successful more for their disciplined team game and for playing tough defense.
Ticket sales were brisk for the game, but good seats at upper levels were still available. There isn't a bad seat in the Arena, so go for it.
Brew Crew Review
Don't call Lyle Overbay Richie Sexson's replacement. The 27-year-old first baseman knows you don't really replace a player like Sexson, and his 45 homers and 124 RBI. You just become the next player at the same position and do everything you can to produce.
"I can't be Richie Sexson," said Overbay, one of the players who came over to the Brewers from the Arizona Diamondbacks in the big deal involving Sexson. "It's hard to not get caught up in that.
"In some ways, I know I will, but I have to just go out there and play my game. Hopefully, soon, in a year or two or something, they'll forget about whoever that guy is."
The Review caught up with Overbay and several other players on the Brewers' recent winter tour. Look for short comments from them until spring training gets rolling in a few weeks.
By the way, the Brewers' tour enjoyed big crowds around the state, ending with a turnout of 10,000 or more at the Brewers On Deck event Saturday at Brookfield Square. Apparently, the proposed sale of the team has fans enthused that positive changes are coming.
The Name Game
Rickie Weeks, who also was on the winter tour, is saying all the right things. "I am really happy to be with the Brewers and with a group of young players who can really build something here," said Weeks, the No. 2 overall pick in last year's draft and one of the top-rated prospects in the minors. "Last summer, I played with Prince (Fielder) and Tony (Gwynn) at Beloit. I know we are going to move through the system and end up here in Milwaukee. There are other top players elsewhere in the system. I like being part of that." ... Fox Point's Skip Kendall has never come closer to a PGA Tour win than he did over last weekend, losing to Phil Mickelson in a playoff at the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic ... The Wave's Lovelace Ackah was named the MISL Defensive Player of the Week.
Beyond Milwaukee Sports
Jolene Anderson of Port Wing South Shore High School set a state record with 58 points in a 106-23 win over Bayfield. Anderson eclipsed the old record of Eau Claire Memorial's Katrina Hannaford, who scored 55 in 1992 ... You could see some WIAC schools play the UW Badgers in exhibition games if everything works out with the NCAA. UW coach Bo Ryan is open to the possibility, especially since he had great success at UW-Platteville ... Speaking of Platteville, it beat La Crosse, 70-55, despite 23 rebounds by the Eagles' Kay Searing.
Hot Tix
LeBron James makes his first Milwaukee appearance Friday when the Cleveland Cavaliers face the Bucks at 8:30 p.m. at the Bradley Center. The game is starting an hour later than usual because it is on ESPN2.
The Wave hosts St. Louis at 1 p.m. Saturday in soccer at the U.S. Cellular Arena. The Admirals are on the road over the weekend.
UWM and UWGB are the only Division 1 men's college teams playing in the state over the weekend. Marquette is at Louisville on Saturday. The big question there will be whether Louisville coach Rick Pitino, who had some health problems this week, is able to coach. The Badgers are off.
Of course, the Carolina Panthers and New England Patriots face off in the Super Bowl on Sunday. Join the throngs around the country who will be tied to their TVs and dream about what might have been had coach Mike Sherman decided differently on a couple fourth and one situations and had Brett Favre not thrown a dumb interception.
Gregg Hoffmann writes The State Sports Buzz on Thursdays for OMC.
