5 year anniv of last NCAA Tourney game

[LS71]

^ I knew that you'd have something to say....

Each of of us here is free to express their opinions on this board.

You're not the board monitor.

The point that the the ass-kicking five years ago didn't hurt recruiting stands. No argument from me. I just took it one step further in noting that talented recruits do not ensure success.

Like in all areas of life, talent/ability is not enough.

[InnervisionsUMASS]

I'm also free to express that you took a stupid, unnecessary and ridiculously condescending shot at the recruiting that was done after this run. I am free to express that as well, right?

[LS71]

^ I didn't say otherwise and never will.

My shot was NOT at the recruiting that was done. Yeah..talented recruits continued to come to UMass, but as I explained in my reply to your post....

...talented recruits do not ensure success.

Like in all areas of life, talent/ability is not enough.

The changes being made by MM illustrates that point. Players have to buy into how the coach and his staff want to run the program. Both players and coaches have to put in the work to develop the talent,thus creating the wining team/culture we all want at UMass.

[InnervisionsUMASS]

This is as condescending a post as ever written here, especially related to what was being discussed (the game hurt recruiting).

And those guys helped UMass, how?

Your "shot" was pointless and had nothing to do with the discussion at hand.

But please, carry on, almighty LS.

[LS71]

^

[Steve81]

The final 4 NIT runs were fun, the VCU game and other sellouts and the Springfield BYU game as well. Let's hope we are back in the dance in two years or our A10 money will being drying up. Especially as the conference as a whole is down and earning less than a 1M in NCAA credits last year and perhaps this year as well. Say the new average is 7.5M for 6 years (5 NCAA games a year) and we are not in the 75% pool, we'd be splitting less than 2M with a bunch of teams. Let's hope for a return to the dance and a turn around in the next two years.

[natwam2547]

Although they didn't win the game, that home game against St. Louis was a great one as well.

When I look back on that season, I think about the overall excitement of the season, more than the NCAA tournament failure. I think about that extremely entertaining home game against LSU as part of the 24 hour ESPN showcase. I think about beating Nebraska, New Mexico and Clemson in a early season tournament. I think about the BYU game in Springfield, I think about getting robbed against FSU. I think about beating URI 3 times (even if they were shitty that season). I think about all the speculation, and bubble watch on this board towards the end of the season. I think about Trey Davis scoring the team's final 10 points against Duquesne, including 2 huge 3's and going 4-4 from the line, and everyone on here going nuts thinking that win was the one that put them into the tournament for sure since they avoided a bad loss. Sure, at this time of year I think more about "what could have been" but for a program that hadn't made the tournament in 16 years, you take them however you can get them. I do remember rooting hard for Iowa in that Dayton game though because I just knew Tennessee was a bad match up. Never thought the game would be a disaster from the start though.

In terms of "sigh" or "what could have been" nothing holds a candle to the 2008 collapse against Charlotte. Even if it did bring us some great memories in the NIT afterwards.

[InnervisionsUMASS]

In terms of "sigh" or "what could have been" nothing holds a candle to the 2008 collapse against Charlotte. Even if it did bring us some great memories in the NIT afterwards.

Was that the year they all got sick or was it the year before? Those AC trips were fun.

[Not Trigger]

The highlight of that NCAA tourney game was the beautiful picture of an airplane that DK drew as part of his inspirational pre-game talk.

[natwam2547]

In terms of "sigh" or "what could have been" nothing holds a candle to the 2008 collapse against Charlotte. Even if it did bring us some great memories in the NIT afterwards.

Was that the year they all got sick or was it the year before? Those AC trips were fun.

I'm pretty sure that was the same year. Either way, blowing an 18 point 2nd half lead in a matter of 8 minutes is brutal. Some thought that winning that game was all they needed to get in to the tournament. Still remember Gary Forbes lying on the floor at the end of that game in disbelief. Some of that stain was taken away by beating Syracuse in similar fashion in the NIT. Speaking of old videos of games, that's one I'd like to see.

[MJatUM]

^
It was the year before... I'm about 99% sure they played SLU in the FLU game.

[Steve81]

Goldwire was on fire from the 3, killed us and do not feel we collapsed.

[MikeUMA]

^
It was the year before... I'm about 99% sure they played SLU in the FLU game.

This is correct, the 2007 A10 tourney. We were the 2 seed (after tiebreaker gave Xavier the 1 seed) and faced SLU.
http://umasshoops.com/games/2006-07/0308st_louis

[harbo]

FWIW, in each of the eight years under the current format, one of the 11 seed play-in game winners has won to the round of 32 (Arizona State can continue that this year) and the other one has lost in the round of 64. VCU in 2011 made the most of it by getting to the Final 4. Only two other teams advanced to the sweet sixteen.

[Steve81]

/\

Do you have something against Buffalo from winning their opening round game for the second year in a row?

The game should be on now on TNT.

Anyhow, not a Bob Hurley or PAC-12 fan and rooting for the Bulls.