MILWAUKEE, Wisc. - Host Milwaukee closed with a 7-0 run, including a pair of go-ahead free throws from C.J. Wilbourne with 1:08 to play as the Panthers outlasted IUPUI, 78-74 inside Panther Arena on Friday night (Jan. 3). Milwaukee connected on 12-of-29 (41.4 percent) three-point attempts, six in each half, to fuel their attack. 

Junior Elyjah Goss finished with a career-high 19 points, 16 rebounds and six blocked shots for his fifth double-double of the season and Jaylen Minnett added 18 points in the loss. IUPUI (4-12, 0-3 HL) misfired on its final five field goal attempts of the contest, including Minnett's potential game tying layup on the Jaguars' final possession of the game. 

"We're right there," head coach Byron Rimm II said. "It's just where it comes down to one bad shot or one missed assignment and that's been the margin so far. We could just as easily be 3-0 at this point."

Goss helped give the Jaguars one final opportunity, drawing a charge from MKE's Te'jon Lucas with 23 seconds left to negate a bucket. Trailing 76-74 with 21 seconds left, the Jaguars ultimately turned to Minnett on their final offensive possession. The Jaguars' second-leading scorer beat his opponent off the dribble, but was unsuccessful as his attempt went long. Isaiah Williams was called for a foul going for the offensive rebound, allowing MKE's Darius Roy to set the final margin at the free throw line. 

"From every single game, it's been simple, small pieces that we can take - one game it was free throws and tonight it was transition defense," Goss said. "We're pretty much there. It's early in conference play. It's hard because they've been such tough, close losses, but we're going to figure this out and go on a little run (of wins).

Josh Thomas staked MKE to a 71-70 lead with a trey with 3:09 remaining, only to see Marcus Burk retaliate with a jumper just inside the arc. Minnett extended the Jaguars' lead to 74-71 at the foul line with 2:32 left, but it would be IUPUI's final counters of the night. 

DeAndre Abram tied the score at 74 all with a wing three and Minnett missed on a potential go-ahead drive with 1:24 left. The Jags nearly secured the offensive rebound as Mike DePersia came charging in to try and gather the loose ball, but lost his footing in front of the IUPUI bench to give the Panthers possession. 

IUPUI (4-12, 0-3 HL) got an initial stop as Roy misfired on a contested jumper, but Wilbourne was fouled underneath as he was jostled for position for the offensive board, leading to the go-ahead free throws. Milwaukee was just 4-of-10 from the free throw line before hitting their final four of the night in the final 68 seconds to ice the win. 

The Jaguars used a 13-0 run in the first half to build a 31-20 lead with 4:29 left before halftime. Minnett fueled the burst with a pair of triples, while Williams also scored three points during the run. The damage could have been deeper for the Jags as Burk got loose for a fast break, but lost the handle as he attempted a layup, leading to a Milwaukee transition opportunity. Roy cashed in at the other end, converting a three-point play to stop the Jaguars' run. Milwaukee ultimately outscored IUPUI 14-6 over the final four minutes of the half to cut the Jags' lead to 37-34 by intermission. 

IUPUI finished at 44 percent from the floor, but just 2-of-13 (15.4 percent) from three-point range. Minnett finished at 2-of-7 with both makes coming during the first half run, while Burk was held 0-of-4 in a 15-point effort. Williams closed with six points and three boards and Mike DePersia added four points, five boards and a career-high five assists off the bench. The Jags were without Jamil Jackson Jr., who missed the game due to illness, limiting Rimm's rotation to just seven players. 

Goss continued to impress of late, giving him two double-doubles in the Jaguars' first three league games. 

"This year, I've just come in with a new aggressive mindset," Goss said. "I can just grab every single rebound possible and just help my team with the small things, whether it's rebounding, scoring points in the paint, defending the basket or whatever the team needs, that's why I'm here." 

IUPUI outscored Milwaukee 46-28 in the paint as the 46 points in the paint were easily a season-high. 

Thomas led Milwaukee with 13 points and Arturro Bingham added 12, hitting 4-of-5 three-point attempts. Lucas closed with 11 points, six boards, six assists and six steals and Roy added 10 points. Abram just missed a double-double with nine points and 10 caroms, scoring all nine of his points from beyond the arc. 

IUPUI will conclude the two-game road trip on Sunday (Jan. 5) when the Jaguars continue north to face Green Bay inside Resch Center at 1:00 p.m. Central (2 Eastern). That game will be broadcast on ESPN+.