I'm not even that upset. The team that hustled and put forth the effort needed to win today.... won.
Nothing irritates me more than watching teams that don't give effort. Teams like that, get what they deserve.
Kudos to Jameel McKay this season.... he's the only one on this team that consistently is giving the kind of effort needed to be the best team you can be. If every guy on this team gave the effort consistently that McKay does, I would have picked us to the Final Four. Instead, I had us losing to Gonzaga in the Sweet Sixteen, but wasn't surprised one bit that we lost today at all.
I love Hoiberg, but he was outcoached again today, and his players are a mirror image of him in that they have no sense of urgency. Well, today, that urgency never did show up, and we lost.
It's aggravating because of how we lost more than anything. If we played really well, and were just beaten by a team that couldn't miss, etc, that's one thing, but we lost today because we didn't care at all and gave no effort. We got destroyed on the glass, and that is all about effort, hustle, and basic fundamentals in blocking out.
UAB got nearly every loose ball. They got nearly every contested rebound. They turned us over numerous times. It was flat out embarrassing, and I hope our guys are embarrassed, if nothing else, just by the lack of effort they gave. They took this win for granted, and for that, they're going home, as they should.
As for next year, we will be a VERY talented team once again, that will have the ability to go as far as they want. Now, whether they learn a lesson from this and give better effort next year, we shall see. I hate to see seniors go, and I will miss Dustin Hogue and Daniel Edozie, but I'm sorry I will not miss BDJ. I think his attitude and his lack of effort rubbed off on this team and destroyed any kind of chemistry we could have had. Go ahead and rip me all you want for saying it, but it's just how I feel. Kane and Ejim did SO much for the team's chemistry that BDJ didn't.
I think this year's team probably was more talented than last year's, but it doesn't surprise me one bit that this team didn't go as far. This group felt entitled and let their success go to their heads. They didn't think they had to show up today to win, and they were wrong and got embarrassed. I just hope it sinks in, and they don't allow it to happen next year.