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I have just spent the last few hours watching the Louisville game over and over as tough as it was and have come to the following conclusions. Wichita State playing for the National Championship did not fit the national narrative. Louisville was the chosen champion once the elite eight was determined and all of the prominent commentators couldn't stand the idea of the shox playing for the title. Additionally, it was a razor's edge keeping us from victory. On any number of many plays, if we make them, the game is over and Louisville is done. It was that close. Finally, it was absolutely no fluke that we were there and we matched Louisville man for man minute for minute and I can't say that Louisville was the better team. In fact, I would say that the Shox were the better team...at least that night and Louisville was extremely lucky to get out with a win. I heard announcers continue to say how we were being let off the hook, we were fortunate...etc. etc. etc. Truth is our boys earned it, deserved it and the world is lucky we didn't win the whole damn thing!
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The other conclusion I came to was that I won't be surprised if we are back again next year...and if we are we won't be so nice! -
I absolutely believe we were the better team in that game.
I hate blaming the referees, but the officiating changed in that game the moment we went into the Double Bonus. We shot 3 FTs in the final 11 minutes of the game. 1 in the final 8 minutes. 0 in the final 6 minutes. Louisville did not suddenly start playing a different game once they got into the double bonus ... in fact, I think Pitino doubled-down that they wouldn't foul any of his players out of the game, and had his guys press even harder. Once they stopped calling the fouls, Louisville was able to get another level of pressure and start forcing turnovers.
If the game was called consistently throughout, I think we win that walking away.
I think Louisville was the best team in the country. But they weren't better than us in that game.Originally posted by BleacherReportComment
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I wonder why the replay still isn't available at March Madness Live?
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Strange. All games are available except the semifinals of the final four.Originally posted by shox1989 View PostIn the fast laneComment
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Full game here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6GyT...AjglisjQ7y0GPuOriginally posted by BleacherReportComment
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It is so hard to make a Final Four, and so many things have to go right. You need good health and good bounces...and good match-ups once you get into the NCAA Tournament. The 2012 team was more talented than 2006 or this season, but it also had a horrible matchup in VCU. Think of the great programs that have long Final Four droughts. Syracuse hadn't been there for ten years. Michigan had missed for 20. Indiana-2002? Anyway, it will be a tough task for WSU to be playing in JerryWorld next April.Originally posted by Capitol Shock II View Post
All that said...why the hell not??? This was not our lightning-in-a-bottle team like UNI had in 2010. We didn't have six seniors who built up for this one year run. The "experts" thought we would have to rebuild this year. WRONG! We will miss our departing seniors but still have many key pieces coming back...and those pieces are nowhere close to their ceilings yet. The Louisville game was no fluke. We had the athletes to go toe-to-toe with the eventual champs. It was not a gimmick. Our guys were that stinkin' good! There is no reason to think that the Shockers cannot put themselves back in that same position...and win it all next time.
I often say that WSU winning a national title (or even Final 4) is what I want to see most in sports. Before, when I would say it, there was always a "yeah, right" rolling-my-eyes feeling in saying it. Not now. I always thought that if WSU was to make a Final 4, Gregg gave the best shot. He is just confident (almost cocky) enough to believe it can be done. Gregg will always keep his teams hungry and not satisfied. Enjoy this, Shocker Nation. We will remember this time as "the good old days."78-65Comment
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Agreed the officiating was a huge variable. Although WSU could of played a perfect game and made it all a moot point.Originally posted by Rlh04d View Post
Give Louisville credit when WSU missed the front ends of those one and ones they came right down and stuck a three in the bucket.
Bottom line the future for WSU basketball is extremely bright and I look for Coach Marshall to bring his team back to the FF. I know only fans can say that at this point but I'm sure that is what is going on in his mind. Once you've been there and know what it takes then you keep doing it over and over with better players and more precision. I'm optimistic.Comment
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For those who watched the replay, what is your unbiased opinion of the double-foul call?"I not sure that I've ever been around a more competitive player or young man than Fred VanVleet. I like to win more than 99.9% of the people in this world, but he may top me." -- Gregg Marshall 12/23/13 :peaceful:
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Remember when Nancy Pelosi said about Obamacare:
"We have to pass it, to find out what's in it".
A physician called into a radio show and said:
"That's the definition of a stool sample."Comment
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I just looked at it frame by frame on my DVR. Baker and Van Triese (SP?) go for the ball. It deflects away but both players momentum brings them into contact with each other. Baker has his right arm loosely around VT's waist (he may or may not have grabbed hold for a second) and VT moves towards the ball and while doing so hits Baker in the face with his hand. The original call was a foul on VT as far as I could tell before going to commercial. Changing it to a double foul after calling a foul on VT? They had to believe Baker was trying to hook VT with his arm in my mind. I know they had a monitor but it's inconclusive to borrow a term from the NFL. I don't like that they changed the original call.Originally posted by im4wsu View PostComment
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I would prefer to remember them as the "Beginning of greatness".Originally posted by WuShock16 View PostComment
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