Kansas Basketball: Most Painful Tournament Exit Memory?
by Andrew Clark on Dec 22, 2011 9:00 AM CST
in Kansas Jayhawk Basketball
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PrintStop feeling good about yourself! It’s time for some good old fashion depression, courtesy of Kansas basketball. Recently, a friend of mine and I took a trip down memory lane to examine some of the bittersweet tournament memories for Kansas, i.e. times we were close to a title and came up short. We couldn’t decide which one was the worst, so I’m asking you, the great and majestic people of Rock Chalk Talk, to help me out.
To keep things specific, we are doing Self-coached years only. I will provide a quick blurb on the season, tournament, and how close KU was to winning it all. Refresh your memory on the pain you experienced, and vote at the end. Remember, you are voting for your opinion of the biggest "the title was RIGHT THERE!" moment. Here we go:
2004 NCAA Tournament – Lost in Elite 8 to Georgia Tech
This one gets kind of overlooked by Kansas fans, but it certainly warrants discussion. In Self’s first season, which was largely up-and-down for the Hawks, KU was gift wrapped an easy NCAA field and found itself in the Elite 8 against a strong Georgia Tech team. Kansas took the Jackets into overtime, eventually falling to the eventual tournament runner-up. If Kansas prevails in OT, it makes the Final 4 and who knows what happens, right?
2007 NCAA Tournament – Lost in Elite 8 to UCLA
Nearly this same team won the title the next season, which erased a lot of bad memories from this game. Don’t forget though, that this Jayhawks squad was a one seed, beat Kevin Durant twice, and had already beaten eventual champion Florida earlier in the year. Kansas just couldn’t buy a basket against the Bruins, and UCLA started making ridiculous threes and even a half court shot to boot. Had KU gotten past this road game against the lower seeded UCLA team (still bitter about that), I’d imagine they had as good a shot as Florida or Ohio State of cutting down the nets.
2010 NCAA Tournament – Lost in Second Round to UNI
I know, I know, what am I doing putting a second round loss in here… ok, fine. But LOOK AT THIS TEAM!!! Collins-Taylor-Henry-Morris-Aldrich with Morris-Reed-Morning-Star-Johnson on the bench?! An absolutely loaded Kansas team had only lost two games all year, nearly swept the Big 12, won the Big 12 tournament, and… yeah. Still hard not to think about what happens if Kansas pulls this thing out, gets its tournament scare out of the way early, and makes a run.
2011 NCAA Tournament – Lost in Elite 8 to VCU
My first pick for most painful, likely because it is the most recent. Still, a very good one-seeded KU team was gift-wrapped a road to the title. All that stood between Kansas and Bill Self’s second championship was VCU, Butler, and UConn. Not exactly Davidson, North Carolina, Memphis. The weakest Final 4 in recent history, Kansas is the last top seed and, well, you know what happened next…
So there you have it, Jayhawk fans. Vote for what you believe was our biggest whiff, or just whatever was most painful for you.
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How do you pick just one?
These all sucked so bad. I’ll rule the GaTech game out just because we were a higher seed (weren’t we a 4 or 5?) than GaTech that year. That game sucked too, though, because of Langford’s ridiculous 5th foul (a phantom charge on Jarret Jack or Muhammed or something) that might have changed the result.
The other three games we played so poorly in all of them, but it’s hard to call the UCLA game a choke. UCLA was really good that year, and they were essentially at home in San Jose. Tough to win that game under any circumstances.
UNI and VCU, therefore, are the top two for me. Both 1-seed Kansas teams losing to far-inferior teams (UNI a 9 seed, IIRC, VCU an 11). Both losses are really inexcusable. Both clearly were choke jobs.
I’ll go ahead and say that VCU was the more disappointing loss, though, just because we were the last regional final game that year, and they had to know the field was RIPE for the taking in the Final Four.
Criticize FHOFNCHCBS at your own risk...
I picked UNI
The Collins and Aldrich team was my favorite team of the past 5 years (excluding 2008). Watching them go out like that hurt much more than the 2011 loss, for me at least. Plus that game had a signature shot that we will be seeing on every single march madness highlights. Montana recently kicked the crap out of UNI in the FCS, didnt erase the memory of that game but it certainly helped
2003 was the worst....
I still have nightmares of Hakim Warrik turning into a giant monster and blocking the winning 3… but then I pop in the tape of 2008 when Mario hit that magical 3.
Of course for me (based on your list) it was a tie between UCLA and VCU.
I remember everyone was pissed that UCLA had a home game even though they were the lower seed. Just like most of KUs losses in the past several years we couldn’t make a basket and the other team just seems to find some 3point magic.
I think VCU is worst given the easy Final 4
But UCLA certainly was painful. Like I said in the post, people seem to forget it since we won it all the next season, but we were a one seed, 14-2 in the Big 12, league and tourney champs, beat Durant twice, etc.
And we get to play a road game against UCLA who makes freaking half court shots. Man I was pissed after that game. Still wonder at times if we could have had back to back titles, let alone back to back Final 4s. That team certainly was talented enough to do it.
Shit happens when you win championships
by Andrew Clark on Dec 22, 2011 9:54 AM CST up reply actions
Forgot to mention in the post
I know the Bucknell and Bradley games are painful, but I didn’t include them because those teams had no shot to win the title those years (IMO). Same with the 2009 team that narrowly lost to Michigan State in the Sweet 16.
Now, I know you could argue the 2003-2004 team likely wasn’t talented enough to win it all, but when you are an overtime away from the Final 4, against the eventual runner up… well that is close enough for me :)
Shit happens when you win championships
Would have been three straight final 4s too
Damn, forgot about that. Although we likely would have pulled a UCLA and crashed the final 4 three times with no hardware, which may have been even more painful.
Shit happens when you win championships
by Andrew Clark on Dec 22, 2011 9:57 AM CST up reply actions
Out of these options UNI was the hardest.
However, 2003 was the worst. I never really cared either way for Syracuse before that game, but afterwards I found myself with a new level of hatred for them. To this day, I can’t stand them. That loss hit me pretty hard. As well as the multiple Jagerbombs I did that night…
What? A girl who likes sports...INCONCEIVABLE!
I guess I should have stated why UNI was the most difficult loss out of these.
K-State. It really peeved me that we beat them 3 times in that year and they made it all the way to the Elite 8. I was sooooo glad that Butler won that game.
What? A girl who likes sports...INCONCEIVABLE!
And their fans reaction
WE MADE IT FURTHER IN THE TOURNAMENT THAN YOU!!! Doesn’t matter we lost to you three times in the season… or that you won the league and conference championship… sigh.
Shit happens when you win championships
by Andrew Clark on Dec 22, 2011 10:38 AM CST up reply actions
I was at the 2003 title game
Syracuse fans, for the most part, were very classy and we enjoyed talking with many of them after the game. But the events of the past few months have soured my opinion on Syracuse and Boeheim forever.
by jayhawk1996 on Dec 23, 2011 11:50 AM CST up reply actions
See I've always hated Boeheim
He is just an arrogant douche. Watch him after a game when they do handshakes, he barely looks at people, kinda with this smirk like ha I beat you.
Hes a prick.
Shit happens when you win championships
by Andrew Clark on Dec 23, 2011 12:05 PM CST up reply actions
I have to go with 2005 versus Bucknell
A first round loss is just completely devastating. Having rivals toss that in your face from the 1st round of games all the way through the tournament and into the next years. Hell I see KSU fans still wearing a bucknell sweatshirt every now and again.
It's not that I'm lazy; it's that I just don't care.
Ask them if they've ever won a title
Or hell, in Mizzou’s case, if they’ve ever even made a Final 4.
Shit happens when you win championships
by Andrew Clark on Dec 22, 2011 10:39 AM CST up reply actions
UNI was easily the most crushing to me.
So disappointing.
Glad I came, just wish I hadn't stayed so long.
Rock Chalk Talk
For me it's 2007
and not even close in the Self era. There were quite a few in the 90s that were as painful of course. The reason is that the last 2 teams we’ve had have just not felt that good. Last years team was an Elite 8 team all year in my mind. No surprise they lost there though they don’t lose to that opponent more than 1 of 10. The 07 team and the teams in the 90s were the best teams in the country in my head going into the tournament so it was very disappointing to lose very early (though EE in 07 isn’t all that early all things considered).
I had the same feeling about last year's team too
But it is hard to keep that same perspective when VCU is standing between you and a Final 4 birth (Self STILL only has one). And the rest of the Final 4 is a whos-who of poo poo.
Its an interesting comparison: Which team was closer to a title? I’d argue that the 2007 team was a better team, but had OSU and Florida waiting in the Final 4 (plus we had already beaten Florida). While 2010 didn’t have as good a team, but a super easier Final 4.
I’d listen to arguments for both.
Shit happens when you win championships
by Andrew Clark on Dec 22, 2011 10:42 AM CST up reply actions
I see that argument
but for sanity reasons refuse to ever change my expectations due to path to the title. Win 6 in a row against great teams and good teams and you get a ring.
Conclusion
being that last years team was not good enough to win 6 games against quality opponents in my estimation before the tournament so I wasn’t all that disappointed.
That seems an odd conclusion to me...
Since last year’s team won 6+ games in a row three separate times. In fact, they won 18 in a row before losing to Texas under extremely sad and rare circumstances. Then they won 6 straight Big 12 games – 3 of which we’re on the road and 2 of which were against their biggest rivals. And then heading into the tournament, they won 8 in a row in their conference, several of which were on the road and afew more that cam against tournament teams.
Of note, during the 18 game win streak to start the season…they had a stretch from Nov. 27 – Jan 17 in which they won all 13 games. Of those 13, five were against tournament teams – all of which were better than VCU.
by hiphopopotamus on Dec 22, 2011 12:24 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
I just never felt it
The Big 12 and Pac 10 were terrible last year and I think that gave a lot of people a sense of security that I didn’t share. We finished Big 12 play 2 for 4 against the only teams that I felt had even a tiny shot of competing (KState and Texas).
Call me Debbie Downer but VCU didn’t hurt as much because I never dreamt we’d be the last team standing in April.
Don't get me wrong...
Last year didn’t feel like a championship team to me either. But I’d say the same thing about the 2010 team. We were only the favorite by default. But that doesn’t change the fact that we were the best team in 2010 and we probably were the best team last year, with only Ohio State really having an argument.
by hiphopopotamus on Dec 22, 2011 1:38 PM CST up reply actions
I didn't think either of those teams
were the best teams for a 1-and-out tournament. I thought they could play with the best but not nearly consistent enough to win 6 in a row agianst quality. A lot of it is luck but solid, consistent teams have a better shot in a 1-and-done setup and we weer anything but solid or consistent the last 2 years.
Really?
Kind of shared the same feelings at times over the last two years but “solid” and “consistent” are pretty accurate descriptions for those teams according to their records. Something definitely seemed off at times, no killer instinct or playing down to competition or whatever but from their regular seasons they were definitely solid and consistent.
Glad I came, just wish I hadn't stayed so long.
Rock Chalk Talk
I think we're saying the same thing
inconsistent effort that produced seemingly consistent results due to poor schedules (at least last year). 2010 seemed more like an identity problem than inconsistency and was probably Self’s worst job coaching in his career.
Disgusting post...
But from these choices, last year was an easy pick for me. All year in 2010, I felt like we were going out early. Last year felt different. I still can’t explain why, except I think I let my guard down. I had watched every VCU tournament game and they just weren’t very good – it almost didn’t even occur to me that we could lose that game. The last two seasons of college basketball were extremely subpar, and to not get a title or even a FF berth in either is pretty disappointing and inexplicable.
by hiphopopotamus on Dec 22, 2011 10:23 AM CST reply actions
Sorry
Shit happens when you win championships
by Andrew Clark on Dec 22, 2011 10:38 AM CST up reply actions
for me it's easy 2010
that was the only game where i felt we could have done specific things to win the game, and wasn’t due to just a generic off night or the other team shooting lights out from three
I write everywhere. You're probably better off following me on twitter
You mean like employ a full court press?
Run more offense through Marcus in the post? BENCH SHERRON.
Don’t even get me started… I’m with you. Boggles my mind why we just showed up and kept ramming a square peg into a round hole.
Shit happens when you win championships
by Andrew Clark on Dec 22, 2011 10:43 AM CST up reply actions
All too true...
Maybe one of Self’s worst coaching moments we’ve seen. It still wasn’t more painful for me, but I agree with every word you both mention.
by hiphopopotamus on Dec 22, 2011 11:00 AM CST up reply actions
UNI was more painful for me because it was unexpected.
It softened the blow for last year I think.
Glad I came, just wish I hadn't stayed so long.
Rock Chalk Talk
UNI...
It was so early in the tournament, and I remember being so shocked afterwards. Anytime a team has 5 players drafted to the NBA, and most likely 2 more after these next 2 years are up, they better make a deep run.
THEO!
by wrigleyrocker12 on Dec 22, 2011 10:49 AM CST reply actions
Yeah
Mixed with the reasons I listed above in regards to the first round exits, you’d have to argue that the UNI loss was by far worst than Bucknell and Bradley, even if it was a whole whooping round later.
Shit happens when you win championships
by Andrew Clark on Dec 22, 2011 11:06 AM CST up reply actions
I was at both Bucknell and Bradley.
I don’t wanna talk about it.
R.I.P. DOM
by KennyGregoryRockThaCradle on Dec 22, 2011 3:17 PM CST via mobile reply actions
Have to go with VCU out of these choices
I could almost taste the title it was so close. I was worried about UNI as soon as I saw the bracket in 2010 so I was more prepared to accept it. Those Valley teams play such a disruptive style of basketball. My all time most painful would be a toss up between 2003 because nothing is worse than being within a single shot of winning a title but falling short and 1997 because that was one of the strongest teams I can remember.
Damn UNI ran away with it in the end
I don’t know how you could argue that is the closest we were to a title (I think last year clearly was) but certainly see how it was the most painful…
Shit happens when you win championships
Maybe it shouldn't have but it just blindsided me.
Glad I came, just wish I hadn't stayed so long.
Rock Chalk Talk
GT was the worst
‘Cuz their Gumbyesque center shouldn’t have been able to do squat against KU, but did. Also, ‘04, ’10, and ’11 could have been solved easily by Self had he used his bench players to hack one hot player on each opposing team into submission. Here’s where Self & Roy have a lot in common — neither is a great game coach. Give them time to prepare, or a best-of series, and they’ll probably come out on top. A major change in strategy during a game? Unlikely.
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