Way too often starting off real slow, then having a spurt of ten minutes sometime where we play real well and win. I think having seen that time after time we knew somewhere in the tournament it would come back to bite us.
When we didn't do the above, on a few occasions we get like twenty plus point leads and then slack off. We won almost all games in the teens, a few in low single digits, and we beat Temple by a lot. Again, if the above didn't bite is this would have.
All year we played "down" to competition. This is one of several reasons why I personally figured the Northern Iowa game was actually the most likely for us to lose in the tournament. I saw Northern Iowa enough (we get Missouri Valley games) to know they were good and to know they were the type of team that would give us fits. However, I figured we would take them lightly. I always thought if we got by them we would play our best against the name teams in the tourney (in our bracket that meant Mich. St., Ohio St. Maryland, even Kansas State if that had happened). After all we beat K State three times, yet played overtime in Colorado with Colorado, played real close with Iowa State, didn't do much with Texas Tech, almost lost to Cornell (who is good but doesn't have the name). On top of all this Northern Iowa had lots of seniors, big men to bang around with Cole, etc., experience in the tournament, won the conference and tournament in the Missouri Valley (which is no pushover league) and had a pretty respectable RPI. Personally I think Northern Iowa should have been a four, maybe a five seed, but oh well.
While everyone around the country ooohed and aaahed at Sherron, and while Bill and the players and the students and all of us really love the guy, lets face it this year wasn't his year. As often as he made key shots, he didn't make them more often. You can only go spinning into the lane (expecting to get a least a foul call) for so long before everyone figures out all they need to do is get set and stand in front of you...and the refs begin to realize there really is no foul (even though it looks like there should be one)
Yesterday before the game started I said to Karen in order to win we really need to see Xavier and Marcus play big time (I figured already that Cole and Sherronda weren't going to have the most dominant of games). Well, Marcus was okay, but not great, and Xavier, well, he just wasn't there.
I noticed after the game, and maybe this was just me, Xavier seemed the least upset of all the Jayhawks. Why? Could it be he always knew he was one and done and so this year was just part of a career move...not that big of a deal really. There were times this year when he looked great and times when he looked like he was asleep.
The game was played in Oklahoma City. For those of you familiar with our sad history there, need I say more
Outside of K State did we play a top ten team. I don't think so. Maybe a few of those games would have helped.
Finally, it's been apparent all year that the Jayhawks figured the championship was theirs (and I understand why) but you can't play entitled, because sooner or later teams come along who don't fold when they see the Jayhawk.
All that said KU really was a great team which could have been a once in a lifetime team. I love Bill Self. I know the guys are really hurting, but you know what...it's just basketball. Unlike Roy Williams I don't think you'll hear Bill comparing this loss to the earthquake in Haiti.
The good news, for those of you who know what I'm talking about, is that Carrie got out of jail this week. That is something which really does matter.
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