An Ugly End to the Hoops Season

No, I’m not talking about last night’s game, when UConn and Butler combined for 41 points in the first half. Everyone kept talking about how great UConn’s defense was, and they were intimidating Butler in the lane, but how many open shots did Butler miss? Still, it was a bit of redemption for the Big East, and it’s odd to think that we beat the national champion on their own court this year. Of course, it would have been better for the Orange to have played like that in March, and not in February.

In any event, the ugly game to which I refer was the Sunday night debacle against Marquette a few weeks ago. That was the game when the Orange shot 55 percent from the field and still managed to lose. Perhaps it was their 18 turnovers, most of which were unforced, just sloppy ball handling or inattentive passes, that kept them away from New Jersey. Or maybe it was just that they had struggled like this too often all through the winter. In fact, we all knew this night was coming; from November on we could see that the team lacked the consistency they would need to get deep into the NCAAs. I figured all along that the logical end to the season was either the second round, or at best, the sweet sixteen. And I preferred them to lose a close game to Marquette, than to get blown out in the sweet 16 by someone like Carolina. At least now we can tell ourselves that with only a few less turnovers, or maybe with a couple more threes, we could have seen another game or two. And if we feel that way all summer, then it’s easier to look forward to next fall.

What also didn’t help on that Sunday night was that Jackson was neutralized, scoring only seven points, and even more surprisingly, grabbing only four rebounds. All season he had been a rebounding machine, but in neither tournament game did he get his double double. He did score 23 in the opening round, and I recall that Indiana State had no answer for him. However, on Sunday night, he was taken completely out of the game. Last year, that would have left Rautins and Wes open on the perimeter, and they could have done major damage, but we had no one to fill that role this year. In the end, aside from Jackson, we really had no consistency and no leadership.

What about next year? The backcourt remains the same, unless Waiters transfers. Rumors have it that he is on the outs with Boeheim, although his tournament minutes do not give any indication of that. And although they’ll miss Jackson, there will be another year of experience for CJ Fair (who so reminds me of Josh Pace), Joseph and the explosive Southerland. In addition, DeShonte Riley returns, and there is another highly touted recruit at the center position, but based on this past year’s disappointments down low, let’s reserve judgment on how much of a difference that will make.

Of course, I won’t be in Section 108 to cheer them on, nor will the guys on either side of me. I will have almost three grand more in my pockets, which ought to allow me to buy plenty of good whisky to enjoy while I watch the games at home, or at the bar in the Chophouse, or who knows where else. Just not behind the bench. Sorry folks, but even for a life-long fan like me, there was a breaking point. Anyway, that’s all the Orange news you’ll get to read for a while. And like we used to say in the Nation, wait till next year.

PS: we’ll return to whisky news and baseball in the next postings.