That One Hurt More Than It Should Have

[Jonny2TheP]

Going into the game last night, I was nearly 100% positive that the Cats were going to get spanked. I was going to watch the game as I always do, but I was already resigned to the fate of the impending blowout. Seriously, it's probably the least hope I had going into any game this entire year. I told my gambling friends to bet the house on Iowa minus 8.5 (it ended up going to 11 so everyone and their Uncle felt the same way).

But what happened? The Cats played their best 36 minutes of the season, completely controlling the game and looking like the better team throughout. And then those last four minutes of pure terribleness- a perfect combination of some missed FT's, turnovers, and an Iowa team that decided to get ridiculously hot just in time.

I would have preferred to lose by 25 and never have been in the game like I had already planned for my Sunday night. But no, even in a game when I had next to no hope, the Cats found a way to pull the heart right out of my chest. That one stung, fellas.

 

[JournCat]

Going into the game last night, I was nearly 100% positive that the Cats were going to get spanked. I was going to watch the game as I always do, but I was already resigned to the fate of the impending blowout. Seriously, it's probably the least hope I had going into any game this entire year. I told my gambling friends to bet the house on Iowa minus 8.5 (it ended up going to 11 so everyone and their Uncle felt the same way).

But what happened? The Cats played their best 36 minutes of the season, completely controlling the game and looking like the better team throughout. And then those last four minutes of pure terribleness- a perfect combination of some missed FT's, turnovers, and an Iowa team that decided to get ridiculously hot just in time.

I would have preferred to lose by 25 and never have been in the game like I had already planned for my Sunday night. But no, even in a game when I had next to no hope, the Cats found a way to pull the heart right out of my chest. That one stung, fellas.

I never felt like we had complete control of the game yesterday, even with the double-digit lead. We blew so many second-half possessions and left the door open, which is what bad teams do. Once Bohannon started firing and things happened like Taylor falling while apparently trying to foul him, I would have bet maybe not the house, but the car, that we were going to blow it. It's sad, but unsurprising. After last night, I wonder if Collins will fall into Tim Miles territory, with a program that everyone thought would rise but that ultimately got swamped in a perennially tough conference.

 

[Sec_112]

... I wonder if Collins will fall into Tim Miles territory, with a program that everyone thought would rise but that ultimately got swamped in a perennially tough conference.

Ooo. An unfortunately good comparison.

But it's NU. Gotta be patient.

 

[Jonny2TheP]

I never felt like we had complete control of the game yesterday, even with the double-digit lead. We blew so many second-half possessions and left the door open, which is what bad teams do. Once Bohannon started firing and things happened like Taylor falling while apparently trying to foul him, I would have bet maybe not the house, but the car, that we were going to blow it. It's sad, but unsurprising. After last night, I wonder if Collins will fall into Tim Miles territory, with a program that everyone thought would rise but that ultimately got swamped in a perennially tough conference.

Well, you were right that we blew it. But I’ll disagree that we weren’t controlling the game. We led almost the entire way including increasing our halftime lead and having a double digit lead for a large chunk of the 2nd half. Up until the last few minutes, any time Iowa even sniffed the beginning of a run, we had an answer.

We lost. That’s all that matters. But we absolutely controlled the game and outplayed Iowa for about 36 minutes last night. I don’t know how one could disagree really- even all my crappy Iowa fan friends said the same thing after the game. Doesn’t matter in the end though.

 

[Suterman_rivals107009]

You guys solidly outplayed us last night for 36 minutes. You deserved to win that game but my what a finish. Best of luck for the rest of the season.

 

[JournCat]

Well, you were right that we blew it. But I’ll disagree that we weren’t controlling the game. We led almost the entire way including increasing our halftime lead and having a double digit lead for a large chunk of the 2nd half. Up until the last few minutes, any time Iowa even sniffed the beginning of a run, we had an answer.

We lost. That’s all that matters. But we absolutely controlled the game and outplayed Iowa for about 36 minutes last night. I don’t know how one could disagree really- even all my crappy Iowa fan friends said the same thing after the game. Doesn’t matter in the end though.

A good team capitalizes on all of Iowa's misses and mistakes, and turns a 12- or 14-point lead into 20, instead of creating enough flubs to leave the game in striking distance. Whatever. It doesn't matter.

 

[Medill90]

You guys solidly outplayed us last night for 36 minutes. You deserved to win that game but my what a finish. Best of luck for the rest of the season.

classy post

 

[hdhntr1]

I never felt like we had complete control of the game yesterday, even with the double-digit lead. We blew so many second-half possessions and left the door open, which is what bad teams do. Once Bohannon started firing and things happened like Taylor falling while apparently trying to foul him, I would have bet maybe not the house, but the car, that we were going to blow it. It's sad, but unsurprising. After last night, I wonder if Collins will fall into Tim Miles territory, with a program that everyone thought would rise but that ultimately got swamped in a perennially tough conference.

Not necessarily bad teams but not great teams. When you have a several possession lead in a game with under 3 minutes to go first goal is to run clock and make sure you do not turn the ball over.

 

[eastbaycat99]

It’s funny since there is a lot of griping about Collins blowing the game, but with maybe 12 to 10 minutes left in the second half I thought to myself that McCaffery was blowing the game by fixating on having the Hawks push the ball to the post, presumably to foul Pardon and Benson out of the game. They really abandoned kick outs or moving the ball around the 3 point line.

In retrospect, that may have been one of the worst coached games on both sides I have ever watched.

 

[goodbyebobby]

It’s funny since there is a lot of griping about Collins blowing the game, but with maybe 12 to 10 minutes left in the second half I thought to myself that McCaffery was blowing the game by fixating on having the Hawks push the ball to the post, presumably to foul Pardon and Benson out of the game. They really abandoned kick outs or moving the ball around the 3 point line.

In retrospect, that may have been one of the worst coached games on both sides I have ever watched.

Lol. Spot on, dude. And you guys made us look God awful for 35 mins, we got lucky to get hot.

 

[bringbacktherantboard]

No, I think it hurts the right amount.