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Panthers searching for new basketball coach again

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After just one season on the job in Milwaukee, head men’s basketball coach LaVall Jordan is leaving, agreeing to become the next head coach at Butler University.

The Butler job opened up last week when Chris Holtmann left to take the head job at Ohio State.

Jordan played guard for the Bulldogs from 1998-2001 and later spent four years on the coaching staff, including three as an assistant from 2004-’07.

Jordan came to Milwaukee after spending six seasons as an assistant at the University of Michigan.  His inexperienced and undermanned squad finished 8-23 overall in the regular-season.  Their 4-14 Horizon League record was the worst in the 10-team conference.

The Panthers did win three games in the Horizon League Tournament, knocking off seventh-seeded Detroit, second-seeded Valparaiso and sixth-seeded Illinois-Chicago to reach the title game.  They lost that title game, 59-53 to Northern Kentucky, missing out on a chance at an improbable NCAA Tournament berth to finish the season 11-24.

Jordan was one year into a five-year deal that paid him $350,000 annually.  His buyout will be $700,000, which is half of the remaining value of his contract.

Milwaukee’s Cinderella run falls short

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The Milwaukee Panthers Horizon League Tournament run ended in Tuesday nights championship game, falling 59-53 to Northern Kentucky.

The Panthers entered the tournament with a 9-game losing streak but got hot at just the right time.  Milwaukee (11-24) was trying to become the first team with more than 20 losses to qualify for the NCAA Tournament.

This is just the fifth season for Northern Kentucky as a Division 1 program.  The Norse advances to the NCAA Tournament for the first time.

The future is bright for first year Panthers coach LaVall Jordan.  Their starting lineup consisted of only one senior (Cody Wichmann).  Milwaukee started two freshmen and a sophomore in their lineup.

Brock Stull had 19 points to lead the Panthers.  Center Brett Prahl added a dozen, but the Panthers managed to shoot just 36% from the field and only 22% from three-point range (4 for 18)

Milwaukee Panthers are thinking Cinderella

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Post-season conference tournaments are a nightmare for regular season champions.  Teams that earn regular season titles over the course of 16 or 18 conference games, get very little reward.  They have to go prove themselves again in conference tournament action.  Sometimes it works out and sometimes it doesn’t.

Valparaiso for example, was leading the Horizon League all season.  Then came an injury to their top player, Alec Peters, and the Crusaders were caught and passed by Oakland.  The Golden Grizzlies entered the Horizon League Tournament as the number-one seed and Valpo was number two.  Both teams ended up losing their first games.  So did third-seeded Green Bay, which means there will [Read more…]

Panthers sign recruit

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Milwaukee Panthers logoThe new men’s basketball coach at UW-Milwaukee has signed his first recruit this fall.

Point guard Bryce Barnes of Chicago becomes the third member of the Panthers’ recruiting class, and the first since LaVall Jordan replaced Rob Jeter as head coach.

Barnes started for three seasons at Bogan Prep, averaging 13 points and five assists per game in his senior year.

Jordan says Barnes will bring leadership skills and a more athletic profile to the Panthers, and the coach says he’s excited about what he called Barnes’ “passion for the university and for Milwaukee basketball.”

UW-Milwaukee introduces new head coach Friday (AUDIO)

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Milwaukee Panthers logo

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee introduced their new head coach at a news conference on Friday afternoon.

The new face of Panthers basketball is former Michigan, Iowa and Butler assistant coach LaVall Jordan.  The 36-year-old Jordan replaces Rob Jeter who was fired back in March after 11 seasons at the school.

Jordan discussed his vision for the program moving forward and was asked about the future of those players that had asked for and been given their release, with a condition that they meet with Jordan first.

Two of those players, Jordan Johnson and Cody Wichmann, were in attendance, along with several other of their teammates. [Read more…]

Report: UW-Milwaukee reaches deal with Michigan assistant

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Milwaukee Panthers logoAccording to multiple reports, UW-Milwaukee has reached an agreement with Michigan assistant coach LaVall Jordan to become the school’s next head men’s basketball coach.  Jordan has spent the last six seasons on Michigan’s bench and three years before that at Iowa.

Jordan replaces Rob Jeter, who was fired in March after eleven years at the helm of the Panther basketball program.

That firing has led to much criticism of Panther athletic director Amanda Braun after she denied the Panthers an opportunity to participate in several second-tier postseason tournaments despite a 20-win season and an offer from a booster to pick up all of the costs.  Braun then fired Jeter and fans and Panther players made their disappointment known.

Four of those players, Austin Arians, Cody Wichmann, Akeem Springs and Jordan Johnson have been granted their releases and are considering transferring.  However, a condition of their release is they must meet with Jordan before leaving.