DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Sophomore BJ Freeman scored a career-high 43 points to help Milwaukee slip past Stetson 87-83 in overtime in the first round of the College Basketball Invitational on Sunday night.
Freeman sank 10 of 20 shots from the floor, including 3 of 9 from 3-point range, and made 20 of his 22 free throws for the 11th-seeded Panthers (22-11), who advance to play No. 3 seed Charlotte in the quarterfinals on Monday. Freeman added seven rebounds. He had a basket and made 5 of 6 foul shots in the extra period.
Freshman Elijah Jamison finished with 12 points and seven rebounds for Milwaukee. Ahmad Rand added 12 points and three steals, while Kentrell Pullian totaled 10 points, seven boards, four assists and three steals.
Jalen Blackmon led the sixth-seeded Hatters (17-14) with 22 points. Stephan Swenson finished with 20 points, eight rebounds and four assists. Mahamadou Diawara came off the bench to score 18 points and grab a career-high 20 rebounds. Alec Oglesby pitched in with 12 points, seven rebounds and four assists.
Blackmon had 16 points and Swenson scored 11 to help Stetson take a 37-35 lead at halftime. Freeman scored 16 points, accounting for just under half of Milwaukee’s offense before intermission.
Oglesby hit a 3-pointer to give the Hatters a two-point lead with 45 seconds remaining, but Freeman sank a jumper with 14 seconds left to send the game to overtime tied at 76.
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