• Deserving to lose



    If you're not sure, the definition of insanity is repeating the same mistake over and over again without change.

    So if that definition holds true to college basketball, it looks like we've got some head cases on our hands.

    I don't know if I can question the sanity of this Milwaukee Panthers basketball team, but I sure as hell am going to question the heart and the determination of several players on the floor. The best I can do for some of these guys is that I'm not going to name those who are lacking heart.

    Wisconsin-Milwaukee - yup, I'm taking away the Milwaukee name until they deserve it - lost for the first time to UIC since 2007. That night, they lost by 30 in a game where Torre Johnson scored 30 points. Tonight, the Panthers coughed up a 16-point second half lead and lost 60-50.



    That's a 26-point swing. Remember when we said we were disappointed before? When were disappointed we couldn't get a shot off against YSU, or choked against South Carolina, or totally tanked against...pick any number of teams we've played? This is the worst.

    The Panthers shot 0-for-17 in the second half. It's the most ridiculous statistic in the world, especially considering they only took 25 shots overall. They took more than double the amount of two-point shots, and made exactly zero of them.

    In what world do you say to yourself, "Man, I just missed our eighth three in a row, but we were so hot in the first half I might as well jack another one?"

    But let's get real. Jordan Aaron has time and time again failed to lead this team that is lacking exactly that. He has proven time and time again that he makes far too many careless mistakes with the ball to be trusted with controlling the game for ten minutes, let alone 35. He has 76 turnovers - SEVENTY-SIX - and the season hasn't even hit February yet. It confounds me that anyone would ever complain about Kaylon Williams ever again. There's just no way.

    Anthony Kelley - he of the 1.3 points and 2.7 rebounds per game - had 10 points and nine rebounds. IN THE SECOND HALF.

    There's no heart, there's no determination. But worse, there's no effort. Lazily jacking up threes for 15 minutes is the kind of effort that deserves a loss. They didn't realize what was going on until only a few minutes remained, and even then they weren't going inside nearly enough.

    Demetrius Harris had a beautfiul and-one in the second half that showed he can dominate in the post so long as he minimizes his dribbling and shoots as close to the basket as possible. And they never went back there the rest of the game. It was like the Panthers were suffering short-term memory loss collectively on the basketball court.

    Frankly, I'm embarrassed. This is a team that receives some of the greatest benefits you can give a college student - free tuition, room and board, a food plan, a place to practice, thousands of adoring fans - and all we ask for is the effort. Well, not all of us. I ask for effort. Most people want to win more than anything else.

    The thing that bothers me isn't that the team lost in such a ridiculous fashion. It's that they didn't try to change things when they weren't going right. Jacking threes when they're not going down - repeatedly, over and over - that's insanity.

    But enough from me. Here are some tweets following the game. Some are mine, marked by starting with @PantherU. The first one gets us kicked off, I'll put in some of mine and then everyone else will take the floor:

    @PantherU: If you can't take the heat that's coming, turn in your scholarship. There are players on this team that care, and then there are others.

    @PantherU: Fans, please remember that Friday's Blackout game doesn't mean that you need to Blackout to enjoy these Panthers play basketball.

    @PantherU: I'm pretty sure you could take me, Michael Poll, Stephen Hawking, RuPaul & the Stay-Puft Marshmallow man and we'd score at least 9.

    @PantherU: One team wanted it, one team didn't. Shout-out to @uicflamesdotcom on a hard-fought second half. Screw this team's drive in the 2nd half.

    @tjdunne: As a fan I think it makes it easier to lose in blowout fashion, the close ones hurt more, cause you know they could have got the W

    @ajami30: Up 18. Lose by 10.  #Wow

    @ajami30: Talk about live and die from the 3 point line....#smh

    @PanthersInsider: Ha.

    @KlotscheKrazies: 8 points? The spread was 9. UIC covered. Are the #Panthers point shaving? #8POINTS @PantherU

    @TonyPaulis: Panthers get extinguished by flames

    @SectionEE: why care what fans who have never played at this level think? Sounds like a maturity thing to me as an outsider

    @CoachCunningham: Losing with a lazy,uninspired effort is 1 thing,but getting embarrassed & being a laughingstock is a new low.

    @SamSecor23: Sounds like UWM Men's Basketball team is at an all time low. Whats going on?

    @bobmcdonald: Remember Cleveland State fans, things could be worse. Your team could have only scored 8 points in a half.

    @NWIOren: Are you kidding me? Milwaukee only scored eight points in the second half? WHAT? @PantherU will be blasting fools tonight.

    @KlotscheKrazies: #8POINTS #8POINTS

    @DerickKelly28: You know how bad that previous worst half/game in Panther bball history was? A guy who played in TWO games EVER for Milwaukee, scored 1 pt.

    @KlotscheKrazies: Somebody call the RPI people! We are HANDS DOWN the worst team in D-1! #Panthers #mbb

    @brookehazza: let's hope to God that the Panthers don't play like that on Friday.

    @SBGC_UWM: ******* brutal...absolutely ridiculous

    @ColtonBerceau: So... Our basketball team scored 8 points in the second half. When do we get downgraded to D-5?

    @CoachCunningham: UWM,just because you are working under a merry go round administration,doesnt mean you can pull off "I dont care" games like this #panthers

    @PanthersInsider: They literally followed up arguably their best half of their season with their worst (that's saying a lot). This team is embarrassing.

    @TonyPaulis: Milwaukee broke their record for fewest points in a half tonight ,previous low = 11, set new Horizion League record for fewest in a half = 8

    @KlotscheKrazies: This was 100x worse than the S. Carolina loss... #8POINTS

    @biblesNshotguns: No heart no leadership. And these people go to school for free.

    @MilwauKyle: @ESPNStatsInfo What's the CBB record for difference between 1st and 2nd half team points? Milwaukee went 42 and 8 respectively.

    @TylerHerzfeld: @PantherU Jeter should visit the klotsche during intramurals, i guarantee he could find guys who could put up more than 8 pts in a half..

    @kwill210: Thats a damn joke 35-8 in second half

    Some from players:

    @BIGJermTwoThree: NEVER will get used to that feeling.

    @dmoelke20: .....

    And not all bad:

    @tmwichmann: @BIGJermTwoThree @dmoelke20 keep your heads up!! Lot of season left!! #pantherfamily #nextgame

    @CoachBrucePearl: @PantherU Hang in their Panthers! We have been so good for so long! Occasionally your going to step back some! Keep the faith

    @PantherU: All said tonight, there is still - miraculously - enough time and talent to turn it around, finish respectably, & challenge 4 Tourney Title.

    So there you have it. Also, if you're a player reading this: close this website, study hard, have fun being a college student, practice your ass off, and play hard. That's all I want for the rest of the season.

    And at the end of the day, smile: