Dream Season Ends

If you took my advice and set your DVR for yesterday's game, I'm sorry. You can go ahead and delete it and save some space because it was a game that you will never want to watch ever again.

Of all the Elite 8 losses the Cats have suffered over the years, this one was the worst and hardest to watch. Even the infamous Duke game in 1992 was one of the greatest college basketball games ever played, and there's no shame in losing a game like that. In 2003 it felt awful at the time losing to Marquette, but Dwayne Wade has since established himself as one of the best point guards in the NBA. The Michigan State loss in 2005 was also a tough one, but it at least gave us one of the most memorable and exciting moments in UK history when Sparks made the shot to bring it into overtime.

There was hardily any positive moment in an ugly and freezing cold shooting night for the Cats last night. Everything that had happened all season long, did not happen last night. It was almost an entirely different team out there. They were stunned, frustrated, and lost more and more confidence with each wide open missed shot behind the arc. The 1-3-1 zone prevented them from doing what they did best, but for whatever reason, the Cats couldn't knock down routine shots that they had made throughout most of the season. Two days earlier, the Cats shut down Cornell, the best 3 point shooting team in the nation. Against West Virginia, the focus was no longer defending the three. In fact, the Cats did just what the scouting report told them to do in the first half. They didn't allow the Mountaineers to make a single 2 point field goal in 20 minutes and they crushed the offensive boards the entire game, grabbing almost 30 more than West Virginia

West Virginia, a very poor three point shooting team, made 8 three's in the first half from even the most unlikely shooters, one of whom made his first of the entire season. Three point shooting ended up giving the Mountaineers about a thirty point advantage. Rebounding and talent kept the Cats in it even in the worse performance of the year, but it just was not the Cats day. It just wasn't meant to be on that given day. After dominating performances in the first three rounds where shots went in with ease, the Cats were facing their first deficit of the NCAA Tournament. Perhaps, youth and inexperience caught up to them and they didn't know how to respond. They did not quit. They played hard and made it interesting, but in the end, poor three point shooting and free throw shooting doomed the Cats. When DeAndre Liggins made the Cats first three of the game it sparked some life and confidence into them-but it was just too little, too late.

Big Blue Nation, however, shall never forget the 2010 Cats. They brought our program back to the national level that it should always be at. They brought excitement and swagger back to Lexington that will never be forgotten. The incredible turnaround of the 2010 season was one of the most fun Kentucky basketball teams in history and they will be remembered someday when the Cats do bring home #8. We needed this coach (no one else- we got the perfect fit) and these incredible players in order to move forward and generate enough excitement after just one season to be among the top programs, once again, on the lists of every top recruit in the nation. Despite not winning it all, this group exceeded most everyone's expectations (which were pretty high of a freshman led team). The season ended in disappointment, but when you look at where we were a year ago and even early in the season, it's really remarkable that this young team was even in a position to reach the Final Four and make a run at the National Championship.

As bad as yesterday's game was, it could have been worse (just ask Kansas, Syracuse, and Georgetown), and the Cats will be back and better than expected next season. Sure, Wall and Cousins are likely gone. Patterson's post game comments, however, seemed to indicate that he was not happy with this ending and that there's more unfinished business for him to accomplish here in a return next season. If Patterson, Bledsoe, and Orton come back for another year to join juniors Darius Miller and DeAndre Liggins with potentially another top 5 recruiting class- a more experienced team that has now been deep into the NCAA Tournament may have a better chance at cutting down some nets in 2011. Stay tuned, as Wildcat Wrap will keep you updated on who will join Enes Canter and Stacy Poole in the 2010 recruiting class and which current Wildcats will join them in the next quest to #8.