Now that I've had seven hours to let it marinate, I have a few more thoughts to add.
#1 -- I am really, really proud of this team. They overcame a lot of [well-documented] adversity to hang in there and make it to the NCAA tournament.
#2 -- Today's result doesn't tarnish the fact that we went dancing this year. Selling it to recruits... yeah we got blown out, but at least we made it. That's better than 80% of the teams in college basketball. We made it to the tournament. We were a tournament team.
#3 -- Mike Scott was great this season, and he will be missed. But there's no doubt that we needed more weapons on the floor today. It was one scorer (Mike), one sputtering outside shooter (Sammy), and one point guard who occasionally drives the lane (Jontel). The defense sagged off of Akil Mitchell and Jontel Evans, and Joe Harris (still not anywhere near 100%) couldn't get things on track either. We were simply outgunned. And in taking a step back and considering the whole picture, there was no way we were going to win this game today. Not against a team like Florida. But maybe if we had gotten an easy draw like Wichita State... (I'm just joking.)
#4 -- This was Tony Bennett's sixth season as a head coach. By no means is he "experienced." I think it's important to keep that in mind, as he still has a lot to learn about pushing the right emotional buttons, managing the roster, scheduling for success, and working the referees. He'll get there, I have no doubt. He is absolutely the right man for the job.
#5 -- We're losing Mike Scott, and a lot of people will just assume we're going to take a big step backward next season. I'm not so sure. This team needs an upgrade in talent across the board, and the incoming class of freshmen represents a good step in the right direction in that regard. I think we have a tendency to write off freshmen a little bit, probably because they never seem to really fully click in Bennettball as frosh. But Justin Anderson is a next-level talent, and as good as Mike Scott is/was, JA is going to be better. Raw talent isn't everything... but in basketball it means a whole hell of a lot. Evan Nolte and Mike Tobey also figure to make a nice impact as first year players, and both are talent upgrades over what we're losing in Sammy and Assane Sene.
#6 -- Don't be surprised to see Florida in the Final Four. There, I said it. Their bigs were much better than I expected today, and I already knew their guard play was top-notch. Billy Donovan showed me a lot with the way he spread the floor and attacked with the dribble-drive, once the threes weren't falling. One of the better in-game adjustments I've seen against us this season. The guy can coach, and this team of his is very versatile and puts a lot of firepower on the floor. Defensive desire gets ratcheted up in the tourney, and they're athletic enough to D you up. Florida in the Final Four... would that make you feel better about today's loss? I don't see a team that is clearly better than the Gators in the West region.
#7 -- This year was an important step for the program, proving that Bennettball works on a very basic level. Now it's time to build off of that foundation. The immediate keys are to find another big man to add to the 2012 class, and to put together a tougher non-conference schedule for the 2012-13 season. The trip to Europe scheduled for the end of the summer will be really important, as the holdovers attempt to gel with so many newcomers. Jontel, Brog, Joey Buckets, Akil, and Darion form a decent core, but adding Justin Anderson, Evan Nolte, Mike Tobey, and Teven Jones to the mix could be a very good thing. We'll be deeper and more athletic, and the offense won't be able to bog down waiting for one guy to make things happen.
#8 -- Again, I am really proud of this team. Disappointed about today's game, but proud of the season-long effort. We lost in the first round, but our name was on that bracket, dammit. A year ago I said "2012 NCAA TOURNAMENT OR BUST," and we freaking made it.
GO HOOS!
Nice save.....
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