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By Matt Norlander | Senior Blogger
April 10, 2013 2:57 pm CT
4. Louisville 72, Wichita State 68. The unfortunate fact about what's bound to happen in the coming years: we'll remember Wichita State making the Final Four, but everyone aside from WSU fans will forget just how close this team was to making the title game. Like, the Shockers had this. They had it. And, not only that, but fans, pundits, we all fell into the trap of thinking Louisville would cruise. I probably talked to 50 people in Atlanta about this game before it happened and not one person had Wichita State winning or losing by single digits.
Unfortunately, a premature jump-ball call that should've never been altered possession to Louisville and the Cardinals -- who deserved to win, I'll add -- and they held control until the end. Luke Hancock provided what would prove to be the first of two unprecedented performances. The Final Four often provides duds. I'll celebrate the close ones when they happen.
3. Wichita State 76, Gonzaga 70. Yet this is the Shocker game that gets highest ranking because -- and I'm probably biased because I saw it happen first-hand -- that run to end it was just nuts. Go to the play-by-play, scroll down to the bottom and then scroll back up and tell me when you get to the last point when Wichita State missed a field goal. Gregg Marshall's team hit 14 3-pointers after only sinking two against Pitt 48 hours prior. This game wasn't close, but I'm putting it so high because of WSU's offensive onslaught. A tidal wave of offense, really. Super impressive. This was WSU's best game of its five in the tournament. And for the Zags, another letdown in the tournament; I think this goes a long way to showing why this is the case.
April 10, 2013 2:57 pm CT
4. Louisville 72, Wichita State 68. The unfortunate fact about what's bound to happen in the coming years: we'll remember Wichita State making the Final Four, but everyone aside from WSU fans will forget just how close this team was to making the title game. Like, the Shockers had this. They had it. And, not only that, but fans, pundits, we all fell into the trap of thinking Louisville would cruise. I probably talked to 50 people in Atlanta about this game before it happened and not one person had Wichita State winning or losing by single digits.
Unfortunately, a premature jump-ball call that should've never been altered possession to Louisville and the Cardinals -- who deserved to win, I'll add -- and they held control until the end. Luke Hancock provided what would prove to be the first of two unprecedented performances. The Final Four often provides duds. I'll celebrate the close ones when they happen.
3. Wichita State 76, Gonzaga 70. Yet this is the Shocker game that gets highest ranking because -- and I'm probably biased because I saw it happen first-hand -- that run to end it was just nuts. Go to the play-by-play, scroll down to the bottom and then scroll back up and tell me when you get to the last point when Wichita State missed a field goal. Gregg Marshall's team hit 14 3-pointers after only sinking two against Pitt 48 hours prior. This game wasn't close, but I'm putting it so high because of WSU's offensive onslaught. A tidal wave of offense, really. Super impressive. This was WSU's best game of its five in the tournament. And for the Zags, another letdown in the tournament; I think this goes a long way to showing why this is the case.