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Feels like this is where the downward spiral started:

and without a change in coaches we will see just how much further this program will fall.

The biggest blow was losing Jarrey and then Shake to injury.

I’ll always maintain the bigger loss was to UCLA two years prior.

Next opponent would have been #14 seed UAB, then a full weeks publicity as a Sweet 16 team. A huge momentum opportunity for our program wasted.

In defense of the ‘17 collapse, that was a very talented USC team we faced. They started the following year ranked in the Top 10, based almost entirely on their returning players.

SoCal_Pony wrote:I’ll always maintain the bigger loss was to UCLA two years prior.

Next opponent would have been #14 seed UAB, then a full weeks publicity as a Sweet 16 team. A huge momentum opportunity for our program wasted.

In defense of the ‘17 collapse, that was a very talented USC team we faced. They started the following year ranked in the Top 10, based almost entirely on their returning players.

I agree that it was the biggest missed opportunity. However, I stand by the injuries as being the biggest blow because that is what kept us from sustaining the level of success we had been accustomed to those years. Losing Shake and Jarrey justified the subpar results. Of course we all know Jankovich's atrocious recruiting is the reason for our regression, but injuries are a very convenient cover and Jankovich has never met an excuse he didn't love. Once we had subpar results it made the last two seasons palatable for our administration to the extent that it is pretty clear Jankovich is coming back next season.

The biggest loss was not having a capable coach willing to put in the effort to maintain the family culture, the recruiting and the promotion of the program needed to be successful at this level. All three areas have been a massive fail.

Add a fourth. Blew up Brown's system...........

Ugh. I drove up for that game, and it was such a LONG drive home. Just think, we ran a team out there with 4 future NBA players (Shake, Semi, Ben, Sterling) and a really talented cast of role players (Emelogu, Foster), and just couldn't close the deal. That year and the previous one we had such a talented roster and 0 NCAA tourney wines to show for it. The NIT run was fun, but still.........

LA_Mustang wrote:The biggest loss was not having a capable coach willing to put in the effort to maintain the family culture, the recruiting and the promotion of the program needed to be successful at this level. All three areas have been a massive fail.

and does anybody believe that a recruit will come here knowing the coach is a lame duck whose contract will not be renewed after the end of next season.

That game in Tulsa was a killer. We had an enormous amount of SMU fans in the building, a USC team that had to have a play in game, to qualify and they flew into Tulsa in the wee hours of the morning, with very little time to prepare for us. I think we led by 9 at halftime and collapsed. I still haven't recovered.....I guess Tiny Tim hasn't either.

ALEX LIFESON wrote:That game in Tulsa was a killer. We had an enormous amount of SMU fans in the building, a USC team that had to have a play in game, to qualify and they flew into Tulsa in the wee hours of the morning, with very little time to prepare for us. I think we led by 9 at halftime and collapsed. I still haven't recovered.....I guess Tiny Tim hasn't either.

Agreed! Worst I have ever felt after an SMU game !