Students are just a UPass and a Route 30 bus ride away from NBA action. In fact, the Buck’s home court at the Bradley Center is the next-door neighbor to the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Panthers’ U.S. Cellular Arena.

Despite their proximity to the Panthers, the Bucks don’t seem to be getting the love they deserve — especially with a promising season underway.

In what should be a basketball-crazed campus following UWM’s Sweet 16 run last year, many seem committed only to the college squad, leaving the pros with few fans in the stands. However, classmates, there is room for you on both bandwagons.

Leave out the obvious differences between the college and professional game, and the two rosters are actually quite similar: new head coaches, high expectations and potential to make some noise come playoff time. So without further ado, I present you with the “UWM Bucks.”

Running the point, T.J. Ford is to the Bucks what Chris Hill is to the Panthers. Both are small, quick and athletic and have the ability to run the offense without creating too many turnovers. Last year, Hill began the season on the bench before earning his starting spot in the backcourt. Similarly, Ford’s season began on the bench; however, a back injury prevented him from resuming his spot in the Bucks’ lineup for the entire 2004-’05 season.

At shooting guard, Michael Redd is the Boo Davis of the Bucks, give or take $90 million. Like Davis, Redd is one of the leaders of his team, has a great shot and thrives behind the arc. This summer, the Bucks made sure he will always be their “Boo” by signing him to a contract worth the league’s maximum salary.

In addition to the nearly identical guards, both squads also boast solid play in the front court. At small forward for the Bucks, Bobby Simmons is an older, higher-paid clone of Joah Tucker. Last year’s most improved player in the NBA shoots and grabs boards much like the preseason player of the year in the Horizon League.

Jamaal Magloire and Jason McCoy fill the power forward position and share more than just the same initials. Both the former Hornet and the Rutgers transfer are shot-blocking machines, and J.M. should lead to plenty of W’s in the pros as well as in the college game.

Andrew Bogut and Adrian Tigert may as well be twins at center. OK, maybe not twins. Tigert isn’t from Australia, nor was he selected with the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA draft (yet), but he has proven he can play like a high draft pick, returning as the leading rebounder in the league. Although Bogut’s American English may fall short of Tigert’s, both speak the same language when it comes to basketball and have unusually long-range shots for centers.

Both teams also possess benches deeper than Lake Michigan. With guys like Joe Smith, Dan Gadzuric and Mo Williams for the Bucks, and Kevin Massiah, Avery Smith and Mark Pancratz for the Panthers, these teams can run their opponents to the ground.

As for the coaches, even they have something in common. Terry Stotts and Rob Jeter are entering their first seasons as head coaches in Milwaukee after previously serving as assistants for their respective clubs. Stotts spent four years with the Bucks in the George Karl era, while Jeter roamed the Panthers sidelines for two years under Bo Ryan.

Add to Jeter’s resume the fact that his father, Bob, was a defensive back for the Packers, which on its own should be enough to earn him the Horizon League’s coach of the year award. Stott’s dad has no experience in the NFL, but he isn’t a bad coach either, despite a brief and forgettable head coaching stint with the Atlanta Hawks.

As you see, the two Milwaukee teams are quite similar, and can indeed coincide with one another. As UWM prepares for another sweet tournament appearance come March, the Bucks may very well be fighting for home court advantage in the NBA playoffs — and they’ll take all the fans they can get.

So next time you make the trek downtown to a Panthers basketball game at U.S. Cellular, go ahead and stop by its neighbor. After all, some of the current Panthers have a shot at making the Bradley Center their next home court.

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