There is no way to paint a positive stroke on this loss and I'm sure the reasons for the loss abound. I haven't read a single thread since the game started and probably won't for tonight. It was such a disappointing way to end basically a full year of fun K-State basketball for me, one of the top 2-3 stretches of K-State basketball I've had as a fan. It will take awhile to move on from this.
The defense slipped as the shots continued to miss. Of course Barry being out was a factor, but a stretch of missing 12 out of 13 threes ultimately did us in. We were poor on 2s against the best 2PT% defense in the country, but that 10% gap on 3s was huge. I was way wrong on the call in thinking UCI wouldn't beat us by shooting a bunch of 3s as they came in with a 3PT rate of only 32%. But 46% of their shots were 3s and they mad 39% and in the end that was a major part of this win.
UCI also had an incredible day at the FT line in making nearly 90% as a 70% team for the year. K-State won the boards and TOs by a slight margin, but the poor shooting that was a culprit for this team all year also served to help end the season.
I hate that my last memory of Barry will be that turnover and a very lacklaster games. Sure, he should have played more, but he simply wasn't very good.
X also went back to struggling with his shot.
Mak's solid double day kept K-State in it, but those 6 TOs were big too.
Carti and Mike were solid, though Mike's 0-4 from 3 hurt.
And finally, a big thank you to good basketball player Kam Stokes who fought like heck in his final game.
At some point I will look back at the career of the 3 seniors very favorably because they gave me a ton of great fan memories. Bruce has done good things with this program, but another 4 seed loss is tough to take. I'm not going to call for his head, but these moments will always allow that doubt to creep in. I said it earlier this week, but I was ultimately just hoping this season wouldn't end in a first round exit, but Bruce's 4th in 5 trips to the NCAA is hard to take.
The defense slipped as the shots continued to miss. Of course Barry being out was a factor, but a stretch of missing 12 out of 13 threes ultimately did us in. We were poor on 2s against the best 2PT% defense in the country, but that 10% gap on 3s was huge. I was way wrong on the call in thinking UCI wouldn't beat us by shooting a bunch of 3s as they came in with a 3PT rate of only 32%. But 46% of their shots were 3s and they mad 39% and in the end that was a major part of this win.
UCI also had an incredible day at the FT line in making nearly 90% as a 70% team for the year. K-State won the boards and TOs by a slight margin, but the poor shooting that was a culprit for this team all year also served to help end the season.
I hate that my last memory of Barry will be that turnover and a very lacklaster games. Sure, he should have played more, but he simply wasn't very good.
X also went back to struggling with his shot.
Mak's solid double day kept K-State in it, but those 6 TOs were big too.
Carti and Mike were solid, though Mike's 0-4 from 3 hurt.
And finally, a big thank you to good basketball player Kam Stokes who fought like heck in his final game.
At some point I will look back at the career of the 3 seniors very favorably because they gave me a ton of great fan memories. Bruce has done good things with this program, but another 4 seed loss is tough to take. I'm not going to call for his head, but these moments will always allow that doubt to creep in. I said it earlier this week, but I was ultimately just hoping this season wouldn't end in a first round exit, but Bruce's 4th in 5 trips to the NCAA is hard to take.
