I remember being so mad after that game. I was expecting a Sweet 16 run that year. After the game was over, all I could think was âWhen are we ever going to have that good of a chance to make a run again?â We had been ranked at 18 at one point in the season and had a great trio of players in Withers, Basden, and Plavich. Weâve not even sniffed the bubble since. Geez, thinking about that season makes me a little mad again. >:(
I recall our zone defense worked well early and we built a large lead. Then Lutz went man to man and the worm turned. The national press at the time was critical of Lutz.
That would be correct. Lutz went man-to-man in the second half for no apparent reason, and Julius Hodge went off. That was the 4th loss in a row to end the year. Major meltdown after a good year.
We were up 18-6 at one point. Plavich couldnât miss in the first 10 minutes. To h
herbâs credit, he stayed with gameplan and kept sending it inside. We went cold and the swing was huge.
On a personal note, this loss was as tough on me sportswise since Sid slid.
My wife and I went to a party that night. 8 couples were there. All the guys were state alums, al the girls were state or Meredith alums. They werenât talking smack, they were consoling. While they werenât condescending, if felt like they thought we we unca or something.
I knew we were in trouble as a program with the loss of Eddie and Plavich, andlater Iti.
Weâve been snakebit ever since (actually since the blowout loss at USF about two weeks before this game).
That was probably the worst I have ever felt after a 49er game. That was a great opportunity to make some noise nationally and locally. It could have been a program changing victory for us.
Instead we lose, join the A-10, and start the gradual fall to where we are now.
I was at the Louisville game that started the meltdown. I remember walking out of Freedom Hall and thinking âweâre going to lose Sat at USFâ and damn if we didnât. Playing Memphis in Memphis in the 1st round of the CUSA tourney didnât help either.
I was at the USF game. I remember thinking âaw crap, this is not going to end wellâ. I did get a funny story out of that trip though involving Leemireâs extended family.
I was sitting in the bar at Caesars Palace watching the game with a work mate. It had been a long week working a trade show but very successful for us. I was so enjoying our huge early lead, thinking what a great way to end the week watching my Niners clobber NC State on natâl TV. My work mate was from England and he said âIs this a local Darby? Seems they are really going at itâ I said yes, it is a bit of a darby, just a bit.
That was the day the music started to die. What a very bad loss.
This is a depressing thread. Hearing the CBS sports music, watching all the games and highlights while at work, and hoping for a sweet 16 runâŚit is all a distant memory.
I remember our last NCAA game in 05. It hurt. The whole end of the season hurt. Niner basketball was going to do great things. Then, with 3 games to go, disaster. Didnât Judy send out letters asking for money to keep Bobby? Right after that we blew up.
Hopefully we can go back to the tournament soon. It is hard to be at the bottom, or close to it but victory is sweeter when you have tasted defeat. (Iâm sure some famous person said that but I heard it in a cartoon my child was watching!!)
Never should have lost this game. It took me to the frickinâ edge. It was the icing on a crap cake that ended that season that could have been glorious. Now Iâm just numb, but hate that you brought it upâŚAGAIN! >:(
We lost a bit of our fanbase that day. With the move to the A-10 many people chose to throw in the towel. The threads from that time period are still on here if you want to take a look. Many of those names are no longer around.
We lost a bit of our fanbase that day. With the move to the A-10 many people chose to throw in the towel. The threads from that time period are still on here if you want to take a look. Many of those names are no longer around.[/quote]
As far as buying season tickets I was done. The one and only reason I came back was football. The fact that we were headed to the A10 cemented in my mind the lack of vision our school had and has. If we were happy just being dictated to I had no interest in supporting that.