MILWAUKEE, Wisc. - Freshman Vincent Brady II scored a career-high 18 points on 5-of-9 shooting and Jlynn Counter added 10 points and seven assists, but the Jaguars dropped their Horizon League opener at Milwaukee on Saturday (Dec. 3), 74-61. 

Kentrell Pullian led three Panthers in double-digits with 18 points and Markeith Browning II added 12 points. Justin Thomas contributed 11 points and six assists in the win. 

Milwaukee (7-3, 2-0 HL) won for a fifth straight time and improved to 6-1 at home to start the season. 

"I'm proud of our effort," head coach Matt Crenshaw said. "I thought we played hard and I thought we competed. We were better defensively in the second half and I think we did a better job of getting out on their shooters. 

"It's been hard for us to find any sort of rhythm with the injuries to Bryce. It's hard when your best playmaker isn't out there, especially against a team like Milwaukee that has really good guard play."

While IUPUI (1-7, 0-1 HL) shot an efficient 50 percent in the opening half, the Jaguars couldn't keep pace with an explosive Panther attack. Milwaukee did it all via distance or dunk in the first half, knocking in eight treys and flushing six dunks before the break. 

IUPUI's lone lead came at 2-0 after Counter dropped in a layup on the game's opening possession. Milwaukee fired back with the game's next six points on Pullian threes and never looked back. Egbuta tied the score at 8-8 with a wing three at the 17:04 mark but Milwaukee regained the lead and never relinquished it. 

A 12-2 burst late in the half turned Milwaukee's four-point lead into a 34-20 advantage with 4:59 left. The Panthers ultimately led 46-33 at intermission. 

IUPUI used an 11-0 run midway through the second half to close within eight at 58-50 with 6:37 remaining. Brady made back-to-back threes and Daylan Hamilton dropped in a nifty layup to keep the rally going. The Jaguars squandered opportunities to get even closer and the hosts found their footing late to regain control of the contest. 

IUPUI finished at 46 percent from the field and 7-of-17 (41.2 percent) from three-point range. Milwaukee also closed at 46 percent and connected on 10-of-28 (35.7 percent) from deep. 

With top scorer and assist man Bryce Monroe in street clothes at the end of the bench, the Jaguars struggled with turnovers, committing 18 that led to 17 Milwaukee points. 

IUPUI will continue its two-game trip on Monday (Dec. 5) when the Jaguars face Green Bay at 11:00 p.m. Central (12 Eastern) on ESPN+.