The sporting landscape at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee is one that has changed over the past few years.

For those who serve as elder statesmen to the rest of the student body, you'll know that up until 2003, this school was predominantly a soccer school. Louis Bennett's NCAA Tournament soccer team was the main athletics program on campus.

To the rest of you, especially the freshmen crowd, know this: basketball is king.

A student section that began as a pitiful dozen or so in the beginning of the millennium has grown exponentially into a massive frenzy painted black and gold. The reign of players bearing the last name Tucker (Clay and Joah) and McCants (Ed) may be over, but the snowball is rolling.

If you doubt, just ponder this; today's date is Sept. 5, nearly three months from the beginning of the basketball season, and the Post is hashing down the upcoming season for men's roundball.

Last season recap

Last year's squad, going 22-9 overall and winning the regular season and Horizon League championships, nailed the coffin on Big 12 opponent Oklahoma to advance to the round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament.

A team that was dominated by seniors, the preseason accolades called for a one-man show; the Joah Tucker Express.

The team couldn't have been any different. Sure, Joah Tucker was the leader, but there was no doubting the impact felt by seniors Adrian Tigert, Boo Davis, Chris Hill, Derrick Ford, Jason McCoy and Mark Pancratz. The experience-laden group led the Panthers into a fiery fight against the Florida Gators, only to be sent off in a 22-point drubbing.

It came as no surprise that the team that dispatched the beloved Panthers went on to become National Champions, the second year in a row they were defeated by a team playing in the championship contest.

What's next?

Many naysayers in the press believe that Milwaukee, losing seven seniors and six of their top eight scorers, is now in the bottom of the Horizon League. The leading returning scorer is Avery Smith, a player who did not start a single game last year, and scored only 4.7 points per game.

It seems, on paper, that Milwaukee is a program that needs to cover a lot of ground.

What you won't hear, however, is anything about the group that enters play at Milwaukee. Ricky Franklin, 2005 Player of the Year in the toughest conference in the state, Milwaukee City Conference, has met academic standards and can now begin play as a Panther.

Highlighting this year's recruiting class is Roman Gentry, the Iowa class 4A state Player of the Year, who will have a chance to win the starting swingman job that Joah Tucker held these past few years. Expected to give Allan Hanson a run for his money in the starting point guard spot will be Charlie Swiggett, a 6-foot-1-inch defensive dynamo from Notre Dame Prep in Fitchburg, Mass.

Also departing from the team are Steve Hoelzel, Derrick Wimmer and Tyrone Young. Hoelzel was never getting enough playing time, Wimmer's position was recruited heavily this year and Young never lived up to his billing as a Panther.

Hoelzel has enrolled at UW-Eau Claire, Wimmer at UW-Whitewater and Young at Central Missouri State, reportedly to be closer to family.

By no means does losing seven seniors mean the Panthers are starting from square one. Recruits to the program have never been bigger, and coach Rob Jeter did not take a job at Big 12 school Iowa State University when the opportunity arose.

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