Hey all ... sorry for starting a new thread, this is a bit therapeutic for me right now on multiple levels. Will explain why on a personal level in the next day or so ... not trying to be cryptic. I'll just leave it at my 82-year-old dad is hanging on by a thread (he's been having major health issues, so this isn't a shock). Sorry, not trying to bring everyone down, just want you to know where I'm at here. Anyway ...
Probably going to rehash a lot of what's been said, so apologies in advance:
1.) Going back a minute, Mizzou's win at Temple really concerned me. I said at the time, I wish they had beaten Charleston Southern and then lost to Temple by 15. Was worried the CS game was sort of a kick in the tail for them. Then, they were down 45-39 to Temple yet rallied to win going away. Didn't like the feel there. I still do not think they are very good, and I do not foresee them having a very good season at all. But in the short-term, that Temple win concerned me as it related to the BR game;
2.) It seems silly to look at a 26-23 halftime deficit as cause for concern. But I felt in my heart of hearts we were in big trouble at that point. We had 11 points with just under 15 minutes left in the half. To only score 12 the rest of the half was a big red flag in so much as it was clear Mizzou was mucking the game up as I'm sure they planned and dictating tempo. What's more, to go from up 21-18 to down 26-23 just felt like trouble. Instead of us going on a mini-run before the half to distance ourselves a bit, they turned the tides and, despite trailing most of the opening stanza, went into the half with a lot of momentum. Bad sequence of events;
3.) As others have noted, had you told me last night Mizzou would have 49 points with 7 minutes left and Tilmon and Mark Smith would finish with a combined 4 points (all from Tilmon), I'd have figured we'd win 69-55 or thereabout. I mean, Mizzou still only had 53 points with 2:21 left. No way I'd figured we'd have lost under these circumstances. And that's a poor reflection on us, really poor, Furthermore, despite my fears that Mizzou would just play some once-in-a-lifetime game where they rain in treys, they had 53 with 2:21 left ---- and we still lost easily;
4.) Also, never in my wildest nightmare would I have thought MIZ would outrebound us. That's really tough for me to wrap my head around. But, they wanted it more, so ..;
5.) I have no idea why we waited so long to press. Once it was clear what we were doing wasn't working, not sure why we wouldn't have decided to change things up, up the pressure and see what happens. Really puzzling. Just TRY something different since what we were doing clearly wasn't working. Would it have worked? No idea. But sure would have been nice to at least have that answer;
6.) The issue about MIZ wanting it more has been covered and then some. Despite my desire to win this game, I'd actually be fine with that if the tradeoff was a 26-win season and a date in the second weekend of the tournament. Still could happen, but, for some odd reason, I'm skeptical =). Moreover, it can't be neither ... we can't let MIZ care more about this game and kick our tails AND we still finish 18-15. Again, the latter has yet to be determined, but, it's hard to envision us going on to have a great season like they did in 2008-09 when we whipped them 75-59 and then they went on to go 31-8, win the Big XII Tournament, get a 3 seed and reach the Elite 8. Though, I suppose stranger things have happened, as I doubt their fans saw the rest of said season unfolding after we humiliated them;
7.) As far as winning this game moving forward, it's hard to see that happening as long as they have Pickett, Pinson, etc., on the roster. Once those guys are flushed out and they have basically no one who has a major axe to grind against us, then I think we can start winning it again. Until then, with us having so many "national" players and them having local guys who really hate us, it's hard to see it. It is what it is, as they say.
Obviously, a very discouraging day. Cratch started a great thread about the future. He makes some valid points. That's what I am clinging to, that we're still amid a rebuild and will see the fruits of this payoff over the next couple years. Again, skeptical to say the least, but what else can we do at this point but hope for the best? Thanks all for letting me have my moment to reflect here.
Go Illini!
Probably going to rehash a lot of what's been said, so apologies in advance:
1.) Going back a minute, Mizzou's win at Temple really concerned me. I said at the time, I wish they had beaten Charleston Southern and then lost to Temple by 15. Was worried the CS game was sort of a kick in the tail for them. Then, they were down 45-39 to Temple yet rallied to win going away. Didn't like the feel there. I still do not think they are very good, and I do not foresee them having a very good season at all. But in the short-term, that Temple win concerned me as it related to the BR game;
2.) It seems silly to look at a 26-23 halftime deficit as cause for concern. But I felt in my heart of hearts we were in big trouble at that point. We had 11 points with just under 15 minutes left in the half. To only score 12 the rest of the half was a big red flag in so much as it was clear Mizzou was mucking the game up as I'm sure they planned and dictating tempo. What's more, to go from up 21-18 to down 26-23 just felt like trouble. Instead of us going on a mini-run before the half to distance ourselves a bit, they turned the tides and, despite trailing most of the opening stanza, went into the half with a lot of momentum. Bad sequence of events;
3.) As others have noted, had you told me last night Mizzou would have 49 points with 7 minutes left and Tilmon and Mark Smith would finish with a combined 4 points (all from Tilmon), I'd have figured we'd win 69-55 or thereabout. I mean, Mizzou still only had 53 points with 2:21 left. No way I'd figured we'd have lost under these circumstances. And that's a poor reflection on us, really poor, Furthermore, despite my fears that Mizzou would just play some once-in-a-lifetime game where they rain in treys, they had 53 with 2:21 left ---- and we still lost easily;
4.) Also, never in my wildest nightmare would I have thought MIZ would outrebound us. That's really tough for me to wrap my head around. But, they wanted it more, so ..;
5.) I have no idea why we waited so long to press. Once it was clear what we were doing wasn't working, not sure why we wouldn't have decided to change things up, up the pressure and see what happens. Really puzzling. Just TRY something different since what we were doing clearly wasn't working. Would it have worked? No idea. But sure would have been nice to at least have that answer;
6.) The issue about MIZ wanting it more has been covered and then some. Despite my desire to win this game, I'd actually be fine with that if the tradeoff was a 26-win season and a date in the second weekend of the tournament. Still could happen, but, for some odd reason, I'm skeptical =). Moreover, it can't be neither ... we can't let MIZ care more about this game and kick our tails AND we still finish 18-15. Again, the latter has yet to be determined, but, it's hard to envision us going on to have a great season like they did in 2008-09 when we whipped them 75-59 and then they went on to go 31-8, win the Big XII Tournament, get a 3 seed and reach the Elite 8. Though, I suppose stranger things have happened, as I doubt their fans saw the rest of said season unfolding after we humiliated them;
7.) As far as winning this game moving forward, it's hard to see that happening as long as they have Pickett, Pinson, etc., on the roster. Once those guys are flushed out and they have basically no one who has a major axe to grind against us, then I think we can start winning it again. Until then, with us having so many "national" players and them having local guys who really hate us, it's hard to see it. It is what it is, as they say.
Obviously, a very discouraging day. Cratch started a great thread about the future. He makes some valid points. That's what I am clinging to, that we're still amid a rebuild and will see the fruits of this payoff over the next couple years. Again, skeptical to say the least, but what else can we do at this point but hope for the best? Thanks all for letting me have my moment to reflect here.
Go Illini!
