Thoughts from being at the game

[JasonB]

- I think a key to us struggling was Sterling and Ryan getting into foul trouble in the first half. We were already struggling on offense, and then the defensive intensity slipped a couple of notches. That allowed UCLA to start building a lead.
- For the first ten minutes of the second half, we continued to play passive on both sides of the court. Slow on offense, and relaxed on defense.
- At that time, it was kind of like the team hit a switch of "hey, we aren't in foul trouble in anymore, let's start hustling". Defensive intensity ran way up, and we started to move the ball very quickly on offense. the people in the iowa state section started to remark how well we moved the ball, they were really impressed.
- Our fans were awesome. I started in the nosebleeds and moved down into the iowa state section, but our section was incredible.
- 3.5 minutes left, I told everyone around me that if we scored 62 we would win (someone can post and back me up on that), regardless of what UCLA (Alford) did. We got screwed by that last call, but our inefficiency on the offensive end caused us not to get to 62 and not to win.
- I was really surprised that Ryan wasn't guarding Alford at the end. But that isn't why we lost.
- There was a drive at the end that either Ryan or Sterling (can't remember who) made a great play on a steal and got whistled for a foul. That was awful.
- The Iowa State fans thought we got screwed all game by the official. We were called for touch fouls. Ryan's 4th was absurd on the behind the back move. Their 40 was moving on the inside screens the entire game to pick Nic and only got called for it once at the very end.
- We made a mistake not going aggressively inside once their big was in foul trouble in the first half and got sent to the bench. We didn't move the ball quick enough in the first half to take advantage of it.
- I feel awful for CC. Subbed in to make free throws, all he had to do was hold the ball and get fouled. There was an opportunity for a 2 v 1 break, he saw it, but held the ball. The whole crowd reacted because we all saw the opportunity, and then he decided to make the pass and turned it over.
- The momenteum really changed with the awkward Kennedy shot. We were on our run, and there was plenty of time in the shot clock and he took a bad shot. He is such a great player, but that shot was really tough. UCLA went down and hit a three and it really changed mo.
- The Kentucky people all think we got screwed. They said if the refs had done that to Kentucky, there would be a lynch mob outside the stadium.

[Mountain Mustang]

Great post and great perspective.

[Donnell88]

Great insights, good to hear that Iowa State and Kentucky fans also thought we got hosed
as well.

[ParkyPony]

Thanks for the perspective and thoughts. I too was wondering why we didn't have our best defenders Manuel or Brown on Alford. I was shouting at the TV for CC to make the pass earlier. He really just froze-up. After "the call," I really wish Larry had taken a timeout to calm the players down and draw something up for the last 13.5 seconds. Just my opinion.

[gostangs]

the time for a time out was not when we went down with 10 seconds left - that would have helped UCLA. we ended up getting two shots at it (although from too far away - we only needed two.

The time for a time out was before the inbounds to CC. That inbounds needed to go to Nic on a set play - and then game over and I'd still be in Louisville.

[DanFreibergerForHeisman]

the time for a time out was not when we went down with 10 seconds left - that would have helped UCLA. we ended up getting two shots at it (although from too far away - we only needed two.

The time for a time out was before the inbounds to CC. That inbounds needed to go to Nic on a set play - and then game over and I'd still be in Louisville.

I fully agree with this.

[ojaipony]

Thanks for sharing. EVERYONE is telling me we got screwed. UVA alums, UT alums, crazy.