UAZipster0305

I'll give it a try... I said on this board in the first half of the away Ohio game that when a team is red hot with their shooting we just have to wait for them to cool off and hope that we are close enough to close the score. If that doesn't happen, we accept the defeat and shake the opponents hand and get them next time. Unfortunately, in the NCAA Tournament, there is no next time. This was the main factor in last night's game. VCU was red hot with the shooting all night. In turn, the shooting opened up the floor for drives to the basket by VCU's fast and athletic perimeter players. Even with Akron at full strength and any perceived coaching discrepancy evened out, VCU wins that game by 15+ simply based on shooting. We saw how Ohio completely collapsed when their shooting went cold. If that had happened to VCU last night, they still would have won due to us not being at full strength. We were essentially down 4 players (Diggs, Abreu, Walsh, and Forsythe) and didn't have an experienced ball handler on the roster. I think VCU fans would admit that with even rosters and a normal shooting night, this game likely would have been competitive into the closing minutes. Last night was a perfect storm for embarassment due to circumstance and none of it has anything to do with KD or the players. This was one of the strongest overall seasons in program history that was defined at both the beginning and end by unfortunate circumstances and poor judgement (Abreu). Some of you have mentioned how badly this loss hurts in terms of the negative national exposure and your pride among colleagues and peers. I'd venture to say that where it will hurt the most is with selection committees in the future. It will take a much stronger resume to get an at-large or the same seeding. In that circle, ours will be viewed as a temporarily tarnished brand whether that is warranted or not. We still won 26 games (tied for most in program history), had a 19 game win streak (among the best in the country), got votes in both polls for consecutive weeks, were #24 in the coaches' poll for a week, won the MACC and were MAC regular season champions, had the MAC Coach of the Year and MAC Defensive Player of the Year, and were competitive for an NCAA at-large bid with a week remaining in the regular season. After starting the season 1-3 with a loss to Coastal Carolina, I didn't expect any of these things. Thanks to the seniors (Zeke, Walsh, and Chauncey) for extending the excellence of this program and being exemplary student-athletes. Good luck with all you do in the future. Onward and upward! Go Zips!

Nate Silver was unbelievably accurate with the presidential election. Let's see if he's just as good with the NCAA Tournament. http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2013/03..._r=1nytmm Knock yourself out with this, DiG!

I'm optimistic, but if we lose this game, the FT stripe is where it happens. Lots of free points being left there.

We have already beat everyone in the MAC at least once this year.

If iCoach happened during the Rubber Bowl era, then me too. However, ditching the football program will not happen because of the Big Dialer and the fieldhouse.

Given the outcome, I'm as proud as ever of the record I left. Objective and analytical even at halftime. Heading into overtime without Zeke I wasn't nearly as confident though.

And honestly, the OOC wasn't that bad...9-4...good wins against MTSU and NDSU...at full-strength, CCU and OSU would have been wins too. We beat Big 10 PSU who beat #4 Michigan tonight. The losses on the road to Detroit and Creighton were not bad either.

If you want numbers, post-message DiG.

Our RPI just jumped to #37 from #46! HUGE WIN!

There it is! $$$

Why are we fouling?! Easy points with the clock stopped!

Cooper with that stupid lean in 3 pointer to draw the foul...and stupidly, we concede.

OT sans Zeke. I'm worried.

12 seconds...I'm stroking out. Looked like our ball too.

Trouble...Zeke fouls out. Big man and a good FT shooter on an undisciplined foul. Ouch.

If OU could play at home in the Tournament, I'd agree with you. They are only an above average team when not at home though.

Kretzer is smoking it!

Betancourt needs to take a seat.

Cheap foul on Zeke! Frustrating.

Bang! Zeke with the slam...best of all, he heads back on defense smiling. Having fun is important to staying loose and playing to one's potential.

Akron opponent Penn St. up 4 on #4 Michigan with under two to play. If it holds, that should help the RPI quite a bit. Oklahoma State playing and winning tonight too.

Zeke back in...I hope he doesn't get foul number 4. We are hot on the game for 3...7-11. That won't continue either.

Lead. 46-45!!! NO FEAR!

See how easy this is. Zeke under the basket...all the difference in the world...good job, KD.

See, OU goes cold from 3 and we catch up. That easy. Rarely if ever does a team stay hot from 3 for an entire game.