Whew. This has been quite the precipitous fall-off from the high-flying hopes of just a few weeks ago. I don't think I have anything constructive to say about the first Sunshine Slam loss to Stetson that was never within reach.
We did manage to beat Siena to salvage this "tournament" appearance but we sure made it as difficult as possible against a team we should have buried if we played under control and to our potential.
BJ Freeman chalked up 18 points and had a good game for Milwaukee (3-3, 0-0) against the Siena Saints, but as a team we shot like we are football players playing basketball (21-59 or 35.6% FG). Browning added 13pts and Faizon Fields- for all his lackluster play until tonight- had a great game scoring 9 and grabbing 7 rebounds. Fields performance last night may be the first time we had a bonafide forward presence in the post.
Folks, we have a total of 3 wins and 2 of them came against DIII teams. The other came against a team with an RPI of 355.
One Panther fan commentator noted on the UWMFreak Milwaukee Panther Hoops discussion board (I think importantly) that this moribund performance that begins most every season dating back to Jeter is why we never reach low RPIs. It is also why we cannot schedule good non-con games.
At least now- I get it.
There truly is no benefit to Wisconsin or Marquette scheduling a #255 Milwaukee who (might very well win (!)- but-) provides virtually no benefit in the likely event of a win for UW or MU. In fact UW and MU's RPI and SOS would suffer as a result of playing us while we just sorta settle in, "forever-like" to our "whatever bro, wait 'till March" era.
Southern Mississippi up next this Saturday at the KC. Hopefully whatever students still on campus that make the game can make it loud and help this team collect another win. Help them to start playing like they don't want to ever collect another loss.
There is a lot of work to do to turn this team's fortunes around and a lot of it has nothing to do with basketball. Great chemistry on the court is the intangible, invaluable basketball asset that all great teams have.
And a winning mentality.
Somewhere in there, we need to, as a program, as a fan base, as a brand- start to loathe losing college basketball games. Until that happens, we'll just be that odd Darkhorse threat in March every 7-10 years but never a respectable, time-tested, consistently March Madness/NIT-caliber basketball program.
And that (the latter) is where we've got to get.
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