Can I get a mulligan?

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee men's basketball team definitely should want one after the past week. Losses to Wright State and Butler, the third-and second-ranked teams in the Horizon League, respectively, closed Milwaukee's margin on the league lead to one game.

Butler now is just two wins short of the Panthers, while Wright State isn't far behind, having only one more loss than Butler and the Panthers.

The odd part about both losses was that neither game was played poorly. A few players had below average games, but overall the team played OK. The snake that bit Milwaukee, however, was the lack of production by two starters, Chris Hill and Boo Davis.

On Hill's behalf, he scored 15 points against WSU. Yes, he did well for himself at the Nutter Center, leading, along with Adrian Tigert, the Panthers in points. In that game, however, Tigert also flourished on the glass, getting 10 boards.

Hill, whose expertise is in passing, had only one assist. Teams that have their starting point guard give them one assist in a game usually do not win that game. Hill was almost absent at Hinkle Fieldhouse, scoring four points and netting four rebounds. Yet again, the number that jumped out was zero, as in zero assists.

Davis, who has been consistent this season, sputtered in the last two games. At Wright State, he shot two for 11 from the field, including a hard-to-look-at one for six from his nest outside the three-point arc. He sank both of his free throws to score seven points on the day — not exactly an ideal day from the best scorer.

Against Butler, Davis was the main culprit in a horrid 0-for-13 three-point game for the Panthers. Five of those came from Davis. While several of those shots were challenged, a few of them were wide open. Davis had five rebounds, which was more than his four points.

The best that can be said about this past week is that Milwaukee played hard. They were not victims of a bad effort, but in the Butler game, they were victims of some terrible calls.

At least the Panthers had built a large enough lead in conference that they still own the lead in the Horizon League. However, only a one-game difference separates Milwaukee and the Butler Bulldogs.

Three of the final four games on the Panthers' league schedule are at home, something that should calm the Milwaukee fans who are jittery. Out of the top three teams, Milwaukee has the best schedule.

The Panthers play the bottom four teams of the Horizon League — Youngstown State, Cleveland State, Illinois-Chicago and Detroit. The Cleveland State Vikings are the only away game.

Before UWM gets a crack at Cleveland State, Butler gets its shot. Their game, which will be today, is Butler's last of an impressive three-game homestand.

Then comes the hardest games left on their schedule. If they want to win the conference, they have to do what Milwaukee could not do, beat Green Bay and Wright State on the road. The Resch Center, which has turned into an away team's nightmare, will be tough. Also, Wright State will be making a run at first place as well.

It seems that Milwaukee gets the luck of the draw, having played Wright State and Butler twice each already. The Horizon League championship hopes for one of those teams appears to come to an end at that game. While it may not turn out to be, both of those teams have to make no more mistakes.

If Butler slips up at Green Bay, and Wright State falls at Loyola, that could be the end of either teams' hopes for the Horizon League tournament at home.

Milwaukee just needs to get back on its horse and not underestimate the bottom of the conference.

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