Welcome to life on the top of college basketball. Hope you like roller coasters. EVERY elite team has had some unexpected early exits from the tourney. No program is immune to players sometimes feathering back a little on the gas pedal because they think they will be fine at less than full tilt. even the greatest coaches run into match ups where they just flat out cannot get a play working with success. Games happen where it seems like the rebound always falls where you aren't. Opponents have games where they seem to get the loose balls. It happens. Some ISU fans relished the bashing of Kansas for early tourney flame outs but hopefully this just shows how quickly a very good season can end. No one in their right mind would argue that ISU was overrated or not an excellent team. They absolutely were. They just had a bad game at the worst possible time. This won't be the last one over the long course of time, either. Just a bump in the road. Hoiberg seems to have them poised to have continual shots at more great seasons ahead so time to turn the page on this year and look forward to the next one. A little more jaded, a little thicker callous to the heckling of outsiders, but there will always be a next season and next season also looks very promising for ISU.
Everyone should like this post. This is the reality; beautiful and sad at the same time. Get used to it everyone.