samdrussBLUE

April 10th, 2013 at 7:55 AM ^

Damn shame we didn't win that game. I look at those highlights, especially Spike, and remember the majority of the first half and... Damn. What could have been. Maybe it's a little too soon for me to watch highlights. I'm still somber. Thanks for posting though

Thorin

April 10th, 2013 at 9:40 AM ^

I would have uploaded these on Monday night if they would have won. They didn't, but I think most people should be able to appreciate their tournament run and performance in the championship game at this point. They held their own in an instant classic. 

ijohnb

April 10th, 2013 at 11:06 AM ^

the entire game last night on DVR.  I have the timeout game on VHS but have never watched it and it has become like a long term thorn in my side.  Can't get myself to watch it now and I wanted to go ahead and get this one out of the way while the pain was still fresh.  If you ever do watch it again, sober this time, you will note:

1. The refs were that bad.  Not a partisan review, but an outright fact.  That crew will not see a big game again.

2.  Yes, Lousville did make at least 5 completely ridiculous shots in the second half.  Not merely "unlikely" shots like Spike's outburst, but silly shots that I was like "that is way off" until I saw is somehow go down.

3.  The fouling "gaffe" was more severe than I remembered it in my intoxicated-panic attack state the first time.  Both the players and the coaching staff was very confused and it cost us any significant shot to make a final push (and there was a shot).

michclub19

April 10th, 2013 at 8:43 AM ^

Just incredible how our backup, unheralded, PG can come in and steal the show for the first half of the NC  My favorite was Spike's fake handoff-crossover drive for a layup, starting at 1:10.  That was something I thought only Trey and a select other players in college could do.

For clarification I'm removing The Trey from consideration because, well...

NoVaWolverine

April 10th, 2013 at 9:17 AM ^

Would've been nice to cap things off with the title, and it still hurts to know just how close they came ... but that doesn't change how FUN it was to watch this team play.  (Thank heavens we aren't fans of a program like Bo Ryan's Wisconsin, where you have to "cheer" for ugly basketball.)

These young men and their coaches gave us so much joy over the past few months, and for that, I'm thankful and proud.

MidnightBlue

April 10th, 2013 at 9:33 AM ^

I missed the first half and the Hancock barrage late in the 1st half.... does anyone know who was covering Hancock late in the 1st half ????  Because it sounds like that was what cost us the game.

allezbleu

April 10th, 2013 at 9:49 AM ^

but most of those 3's were when we switched off 3's. And all of them were fairly well contested. He was making them over McGary, Stauskas, Hardaway, Levert, etc. It was more Hancock making shots than our defensive failure. But I do agree that we could've played tighter on him and just take away the 3 and make him put it on the floor after he got so hot.

umumum

April 10th, 2013 at 10:05 AM ^

Though on the 3rd one, it was Tim off a switch (I think).  On the first one (can't really fault him), Caris got confused on the screen.  The other two, particularly the last (4th) one, he just gave him too much room.

BPocern

April 10th, 2013 at 10:32 AM ^

I still can't believe they had 2 big east officials do this game. They were bad, but UL's guards being extremely quick was the biggest problem of the night for us (along w/ Hancock and 2nd half rebounding).

Regarding the refs, it seemed as if they were targeting our big 2 (Burke/Mitch).

The last time Burke was in foul trouble was like @ Iowa his freshman year (Yes, I remember this game quite well). For him to get 2 fouls early is extremely rare, and then it happens after a hot start in a national title game on a VERY suspect 2nd foul call. Fishy.

I could go on and on about it, but I'm trying to move on and remember this team for all the amazing/fun moments they gave us. McGary's tournament, Burke's season, Stauskas/Florida, Spike/Louisville/Cuse/UF, LeVert/Cuse, GRIII and his amazing dunks all season long. Jordan Morgan's redemention game.

In the end, we win a runner-up banner and we lost with class. We also lost to a team who was legit and also a very classy squad. I have never witnessed a game like that in my life, the intensity and hype was insane. We'll be back. Go blue!

Maizenblueball

April 10th, 2013 at 1:25 PM ^

Man, watching those Spike highlights again, takes me back to the emotion of that game.  It almost doesn't even seem real, to think that Spike went off like that.  It's a damn shame we didn't win that game, because Spike would go down as a legend.