The 3rd Man In

Titans, Panthers meet in first round

Detroit Titans (13-18) vs. Milwaukee Panthers (17-13)
Location: U.S. Cellular Arena – Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Time: 6:00 p.m. CST
Broadcast: TV: Time Warner Cable SportsChannel & HorizonLeague.com; Radio: WISN-AM1130

March Madness is here, and everyone knows what that means for the Milwaukee Panthers – win or their season is over. The Panthers will open the Horizon League Tournament at home as they face a familiar opponent in the Detroit Titans.

In the regular season the Panthers and Titans split the two games, with each team winning on the road. The Titans won in Milwaukee by 19, while the Panthers won their final regular season game in Detroit by six.

The Titans have been a mediocre team all season, while really struggling on the road going only 5-11.

Detroit is averaging 71 points per game and is shooting 41.5 percent from the field including 32 percent from three-point range. Their defense is allowing 70.5 points per game, while allowing opponents to shoot 42.6 percent from the field and 36.1 percent from behind the arc.

Forward Juwan Howard Jr. leads the Titans offensive attack with 18.2 points per game with 5.5 rebounds per contest.

Joining Howard in the starting lineup is guards Jarod Williams and Matthew Grant, forward Evan Bruinsma and center Ugochukwu Njoku.

Milwaukee will most likely counter with their usual lineup featuring guards Steve McWhorter and Jordan Aaron, and forwards Austin Arians, Matt Tiby and Kyle Kelm. Since Aaron is coming off of his suspension I would rather see head coach Rob Jeter use the lineup that beat the Titans last week with JeVon Lyle, who put up 20 points against Detroit, but knowing Jeter he will have Aaron in the starting lineup.

It is win or go home for both these teams, and this will make for an entertaining matchup. It will not be easy for either team, but if Milwaukee wants to win they will need to slow down Howard, while taking mostly high percentage shots offensively.

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