Phoenix Stuns Wildcats In Overtime Thriller, Sparks March Madness Buzz
Phoenix Stuns Wildcats In Overtime Thriller, Sparks March Madness Buzz...
The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Panthers ("Phoenix") delivered a March Madness-worthy upset against the Northwestern Wildcats in a 92-89 overtime victory late Tuesday night. The game, played at UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena, is trending nationally as fans debate whether it signals a shift in mid-major competitiveness ahead of Selection Sunday.
Junior guard Angelo Stuart scored a career-high 34 points for the Phoenix, including the game-tying three-pointer with 1.2 seconds left in regulation. Northwestern's Boo Buie countered with 28 points, but the Wildcats' defense collapsed in overtime, committing three critical turnovers.
College basketball analysts note this marks Milwaukee's first win against a Big Ten opponent since 2018. The upset comes at a crucial moment, with ESPN's Joe Lunardi projecting Northwestern as a potential 7-seed in his latest NCAA tournament bracket. Social media erupted with reactions, particularly after the Horizon League's official account posted Stuart's game-tying shot with the caption "Mid-major magic."
Northwestern coach Chris Collins told reporters postgame: "We got outworked in 50-50 situations. That's unacceptable this time of year." The loss drops the Wildcats to 19-10, while Milwaukee improves to 21-8 with their eighth straight win.
The game gained additional attention due to its unusual 9:30 PM CT tip-off, scheduled to accommodate FS1's national broadcast. Nielsen reports show viewership peaked at 1.4 million during overtime, surpassing typical late-night college basketball ratings.
Wisconsin sports bars reported unusually large Wednesday lunch crowds replaying the game's highlights. At Milwaukee's Major Goolsby's, manager Tina Kowalski said: "We had people calling off work to celebrate. This feels like the NCAA tournament already."
Both teams play again this weekend, with Northwestern facing Purdue and Milwaukee meeting Cleveland State. The upset has intensified scrutiny on the NCAA selection committee, particularly regarding mid-major at-large bids.
