BUFFALO, N.Y. - Brodhead alumnus J.J. Panoske and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee men's basketball team couldn't be more happy to be in the NCAA tournament.
To commemorate the school's first tournament appearance since 2006, Panoske and the Panthers taped a video of them dancing to Pharrell Williams' "Happy."
"It's something I always dreamed about when I was little watching the NCAA tournament and filling out brackets," Panoske said of the opportunity to play in the tournament.
Milwaukee (21-13) and the University of Wisconsin (26-7) are the two schools from the Badger state to make the tournament. Milwaukee received a No. 15 seed and will play second-seeded Villanova, the Big East Conference champion, at 8:25 p.m. Thursday in Buffalo, N.Y.
The Panthers have a big Wisconsin presence with Panoske, Kyle Kelm (Randolph) and Austin Arians (Madison Edgewood) playing roles on the team. Kelm is the team's second-leading scorer at 12.6 points per game, and he averages 5.2 rebounds per game. Arians (10.9 ppg) and Jordan Aaron (15 ppg) also give the Panthers some offensive punch. Panoske, a sophomore, is averaging 3.2 ppg and 2.4 rebounds per game. He started six games earlier in the season but now plays a role off the bench. He has 26 blocked shots this season and is shooting 82 percent from the free throw line.
"It's been a blessing playing with and behind Kyle Kelm, Matt Tibby and Malcolm Moore," Panoske said. "They all have seniority on me. I have learned a lot."
The Panthers were picked to finish last in the preseason poll in the Horizon League. Milwaukee finished fifth in the regular season and pulled off an improbable run in the Horizon League tournament. The Panthers upset of No. 1 seed UW-Green Bay in overtime in the semifinals and then upset Wright State to win the league and punch their ticket to the tournament.
"This year we were picked to finish last, and I think we funneled that into energy and had something to prove," he said.
Rob Jeter, the UW-Milwaukee coach, who served as an assistant coach for the Badgers under Bo Ryan, has been adamant about Panoske improving as a rebounder.
"Coach tells me all the time if I'm rebounding hard I won't come out," Panoske said. "My biggest thing I need to work on is rebounding. I take that personally. I have to hustle to every ball."
One of the biggest adjustments for Panoske making the jump from high school to Division I basketball was improving his strength.
"I have done a complete 180," he said of his weight room work with a strength coach. "Coming into college, I didn't know how hard you had to work in the weight room. It's something you don't realize until someone is working you to your breaking point."
Panoske said another adjustment was getting used to how fast the game goes at the Division I level.
"Our coach always tells us to slow our mind down," he said. "Everything is just so fast and everyone is so talented."
Villanova (28-4) is a team that thrives on playing pressure defense. The Wildcats have three players averaging a little more than 14 points per game led by James Bell (14.9 ppg) in addition to Darrun Hillard II (14.4) and JayVaughn Pinkston (14.3 ppg).
"Coach has been comparing them to Green Bay," Panoske said. "Villanova is a team that likes to put pressure on you so we have been working on that."
Can Milwaukee keep their string of upsets going and stun Villanova?
"Upsets happen all the time," Panoske said. "It would be really crazy. We just have to play our best and see what happens."
To commemorate the school's first tournament appearance since 2006, Panoske and the Panthers taped a video of them dancing to Pharrell Williams' "Happy."
"It's something I always dreamed about when I was little watching the NCAA tournament and filling out brackets," Panoske said of the opportunity to play in the tournament.
Milwaukee (21-13) and the University of Wisconsin (26-7) are the two schools from the Badger state to make the tournament. Milwaukee received a No. 15 seed and will play second-seeded Villanova, the Big East Conference champion, at 8:25 p.m. Thursday in Buffalo, N.Y.
The Panthers have a big Wisconsin presence with Panoske, Kyle Kelm (Randolph) and Austin Arians (Madison Edgewood) playing roles on the team. Kelm is the team's second-leading scorer at 12.6 points per game, and he averages 5.2 rebounds per game. Arians (10.9 ppg) and Jordan Aaron (15 ppg) also give the Panthers some offensive punch. Panoske, a sophomore, is averaging 3.2 ppg and 2.4 rebounds per game. He started six games earlier in the season but now plays a role off the bench. He has 26 blocked shots this season and is shooting 82 percent from the free throw line.
"It's been a blessing playing with and behind Kyle Kelm, Matt Tibby and Malcolm Moore," Panoske said. "They all have seniority on me. I have learned a lot."
The Panthers were picked to finish last in the preseason poll in the Horizon League. Milwaukee finished fifth in the regular season and pulled off an improbable run in the Horizon League tournament. The Panthers upset of No. 1 seed UW-Green Bay in overtime in the semifinals and then upset Wright State to win the league and punch their ticket to the tournament.
"This year we were picked to finish last, and I think we funneled that into energy and had something to prove," he said.
Rob Jeter, the UW-Milwaukee coach, who served as an assistant coach for the Badgers under Bo Ryan, has been adamant about Panoske improving as a rebounder.
"Coach tells me all the time if I'm rebounding hard I won't come out," Panoske said. "My biggest thing I need to work on is rebounding. I take that personally. I have to hustle to every ball."
One of the biggest adjustments for Panoske making the jump from high school to Division I basketball was improving his strength.
"I have done a complete 180," he said of his weight room work with a strength coach. "Coming into college, I didn't know how hard you had to work in the weight room. It's something you don't realize until someone is working you to your breaking point."
Panoske said another adjustment was getting used to how fast the game goes at the Division I level.
"Our coach always tells us to slow our mind down," he said. "Everything is just so fast and everyone is so talented."
Villanova (28-4) is a team that thrives on playing pressure defense. The Wildcats have three players averaging a little more than 14 points per game led by James Bell (14.9 ppg) in addition to Darrun Hillard II (14.4) and JayVaughn Pinkston (14.3 ppg).
"Coach has been comparing them to Green Bay," Panoske said. "Villanova is a team that likes to put pressure on you so we have been working on that."
Can Milwaukee keep their string of upsets going and stun Villanova?
"Upsets happen all the time," Panoske said. "It would be really crazy. We just have to play our best and see what happens."
