The slide continues for UWM, which is blown out at home by Detroit Mercy

The slide continues for the Milwaukee Panthers. 

A three-game home swing came to an uninspiring close Feb. 4 at the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena as the Panthers were outplayed in every facet and lost, 76-63, to the Detroit Mercy Titans. The third loss of the last seven days for Milwaukee was also the second by double digits in the past week after only suffering one such loss in Bart Lundy’s first three-plus years as coach. 

"I thought they were just tougher, connected, way better IQ," Lundy said. "Just way better than we were."

"We've lost, but we fought in those other games," Lundy said. "I didn't think we were cohesive. We didn't fight. Of all the losses we've had, this is the most disappointing."

A sluggish first half saw the Panthers fall into a 40-27 hole at the half thanks to a 12-0 run after Milwaukee closed the deficit to one with 3:17 to play. The Panthers never led, shot 37% percent from the field and allowed Detroit to shoot 51.7%. 

Things didn’t change for the better for Milwaukee in the second half, either. In games prior even during this rough patch, the Panthers have generally been able to find a lineup that gels in the second half to at least give them a fighter’s chance.

The Titans kept their foot on the gas, keeping the lead at double digits save for two times the Panthers got it to eight. Lundy kept cycling through his ranks trying to find a group that worked, but nothing clicked. Not even the return of Faizon Fields, out since Jan. 1 with an ankle injury, helped, as the senior forward fouled out in 19 minutes. 

By the time 5-foot-8 Lance Stone buried a three to push the Detroit advantage to 16, the Panthers turned it over and Tyler Spratt buried a dagger with a four-point play with 5:47 left, shoulders were slumped all over for the hosts. 

"I mean, it's pretty simple," Lundy said. "Detroit was a team and we weren't a team. And that's disappointing."

Aaron Franklin and Sekou Konneh each finished with 10 points to lead the Panthers, who finished 43.6% from the field but couldn’t get stops in the second half as Detroit made 14 of 25 attempts in the period. 

The Panthers have not held a lead since the 10:59 mark of the first half on Jan. 30 – a span of five entire halves without ever once being in front. 

"There's a myriad of issues, but I think the first issue is them rowing in the same direction, pulling for each other," Lundy said. "If we're going to have a chance, they've got to pull for each other and they've got to be a team. There are eight healthy dudes in there that can play, and they've got to find a way to be cohesive and give us a chance."

If there is a silver lining, it’s hard to find it at this point of the year for the Panthers. They have battled most nights despite being significantly short-handed because of injuries, yet that fight has produced one win in the last seven contests and two since Dec. 29. The last two times out have been underwhelming efforts against teams in the bottom half of the Horizon League. There aren't any reinforcements coming anytime soon.

"I think it's wearing on us a little bit," Lundy said. "I told them they're not pulling for each other. We got no leadership. There's no (instance of) when one guard comes out, he's trying to help the other guard. We're not rowing in the same direction. It's more somebody takes a shot and everybody's questioning the shot. That's what losing looks like, and tonight, that was a Milwaukee team that was a losing team and acted like a losing team and our spirit was that of a losing team."

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Slide continues for UWM, which is blown out at home by Detroit Mercy