Fresh start: Another big game by BJ Freeman keeps UWM in first place in the Horizon League

A one-time super sub, BJ Freeman has graduated to scintillating starter.

The sophomore forward turned in the game of his young career to date with 30 points, 11 assists and six rebounds to lead UW-Milwaukee past Youngstown State, 88-75, in a battle atop the Horizon League standings on Saturday night at UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena.

Freeman hit 12 of 20 shots, including 5 of 11 from three-point range, as the Panthers improved to 14-6 overall and 8-2 in conference play – their best 10-game start since 2005-06, when they opened 9-1 en route to an NCAA Tournament berth.

"I was selfishly trying to win the (award for) most points off the bench in the entire country," coach Bart Lundy joked with regard to Freeman, who he reinserted into the starting lineup Thursday against Robert Morris after having brought him off the bench the previous eight games.

Freeman responded with 26 points in that 77-69 victory, and it's safe to assume from this point forward he'll be opening games with regularity.

"I knew BJ really wanted to start," Lundy continued. "Obviously, he deserves to start. We’ve gone through starting lineups trying to find the right mix, and he’s pretty good either off the bench or starting.

"I can’t screw him up."

Indeed.

Through 18 games, the 6-foot-6, junior-college transfer is leading UWM with averages of 15.3 points and 4.9 rebounds per game as well as with 42 three-pointers.

Over the last seven he's averaging 23.7 points on 50.9% shooting with 26 three-pointers (44.1% from beyond the arc) and 6.7 rebounds.

"That’s what Coach needed me to do," Freeman said of bouncing between the bench and starting. "So, whatever we had to do to get the win, I trusted in him. We got some wins, then I trusted in him to get my starting spot back. Just trusting in Coach and believing in what he’s got going for us.

"It’s all positive. It’s nothing negative to hurt me or the team. So, just following what he says to do and just executing the plan."

Freeman's first shot in this one, a three from the top of the key, got the Panthers out to the quick lead and foretold what was to come in a terrific first half.

All told, UWM hit 9 of its first 15 attempts from three-point range and was 10 for 19 in taking a 43-33 lead by intermission. The Panthers recorded 14 assists on 16 makes overall in the opening 20 minutes en route to 22 assists for the game.

"Every time I hit that first shot I feel like it’s going to be good," Freeman said. "Then it just carries to the team because once I start hitting those shots, it just leaves everything open."

Freeman hit the first shot of the second half as well, this time a spinning, running bank shot that gave him 21 points for the game.

That number was noteworthy in that it gave him his fourth consecutive game of 20 or more points, making him the first Panthers player to accomplish the feat since UWM Hall of Famer Joah Tucker did it in January of 2006.

"I think the potential is through the roof," Tucker, who now serves as analyst for UWM's TV broadcasts, said of Freeman. "Not only is he scoring the ball phenomenally, but he's also making his teammates better. I'm loving to see my record broken, because that means there's more talent coming through."

Youngstown State (15-6, 7-3) didn't play poorly the rest of the way by any means; the Panthers were just that much better as they maintained a comfortable lead and never let the Penguins back into it.

There were several highlight-reel moments along the way that energized the crowd of 2,053 – most notably a signature alley-oop dunk by Ahmad Rand, Markeith Browning II's flying block of a layup attempt and a couple Moses Bol slams following press breaks.

Freeman's 30 points were the most by a UWM player since Te'Jon Lucas scored 31 against Cleveland State on Jan. 23, 2021. His 11 assists, meanwhile, set a season high for the Panthers.

"I knew when I was going to attack that it was going to draw two (defenders) to me, so it was going to leave me the shooters or the dump down to Moses (Bol)," Freeman said of his success passing the ball. He entered the night with 25 assists for the season.

"Just following what Coach said, the game plan, and executing it."

The excitement is growing by the day, and it's been palpable. UWM is now tied with Northern Kentucky atop the Horizon League standings, but the Panthers beat the Norse in the teams' initial meeting in Milwaukee on Jan. 12.

Freeman, as he did in that game, was leading the cheers from the court in the closing minutes of this one, and he and his teammates soaked up the adulation.

"It’s been crazy," Freeman said. "We’ve finally got the fans out here happy to see us play. Coach Lundy’s doing a good job on Twitter. Everybody’s blowing us up, saying to come see us play. To execute for the fans and to give them what they want, a show, is just a blessing, really."

Kentrell Pullian finished with 17 points, hitting 4 of 6 threes, while Rand added 12 points and Browning 11 as UWM shot 54% overall and 48% from beyond the arc.

Youngstown State placed four players in double-figure scoring but hit only 4 of 21 threes (19%) and also had seven shots blocked.

The Panthers head back out on the road for a three-game swing that opens with games against Wright State and Northern Kentucky.

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Fresh start: Another big game by BJ Freeman keeps UWM in first place