What a missed opportunity

[Degaz-RU]

We could’ve been one of the Cinderellas going to the Sweet 16.

Imagine all of the positive press we would’ve gotten heading into a game against our old nemesis, Syracuse.

This would’ve done WONDERS for our program and recruiting.

Who knows when we will get this opportunity again.

This is like the football team missing out on the Orange Bowl by losing to WVU in 2006, and then missing out on the Orange Bowl again by losing to a limping Teddy Bridgewater against Louisville in 2012.

Just a devastating, heart wrenching gut punch.

 

[IL Lusciato]

We could’ve been one of the Cinderellas going to the Sweet 16.

Imagine all of the positive press we would’ve gotten heading into a game against our old nemesis, Syracuse.

This would’ve done WONDERS for our program and recruiting.

Who know when we will get this opportunity.

This is like the football team missing out on the Orange Bowl by losing to WVU in 2006, and then missing out on the Orange Bowl again by losing to a limping Teddy Bridgewater against Louisville in 2012.

Just a devastating, heart wrenching gut punch.

So damn true. This is so ****ing horrible. It really is.

 

[ScarletDave]

We could’ve been one of the Cinderellas going to the Sweet 16.

Imagine all of the positive press we would’ve gotten heading into a game against our old nemesis, Syracuse.

This would’ve done WONDERS for our program and recruiting.

Who knows when we will get this opportunity again.

This is like the football team missing out on the Orange Bowl by losing to WVU in 2006, and then missing out on the Orange Bowl again by losing to a limping Teddy Bridgewater against Louisville in 2012.

Just a devastating, heart wrenching gut punch.

Good comparison. Sweet 16 ~= BCS bowl. In all 3, Rutgers had leads and blew them

 

[Proud NJ Sports Fan]

I don't think most fans realize yet how devastating this loss is for the program

 

[Scangg]

Absolutely brutal. It. Was. Right. There.

I will never get over this loss

 

[sct1111]

I don't think most fans realize yet how devastating this loss is for the program

Devastating?!

Jesus take a deep breath. We haven't been to the second round since 1983.

 

[Scarlet Shack]

Worse guys

We are 10 points better than Syracuse ...And I think we play either Loyola or Oklahoma state 10 times we win 6 or more

This was our elite 8 game we blew ...

Houston is gonna to the final four if their point guard is healthy

And when they look back ...they will say how they stole the game from Rutgers that they were the inferior team for 35 minutes

 

[RUsojo]

Yeah it’s a real shame no other way to put it.

 

[Degaz-RU]

I don't think most fans realize yet how devastating this loss is for the program

Yeah, lots of people saying how proud they are of the team, etc etc.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m proud of them too.

But you also have to acknowledge just how devastating a loss this was. We got outscored 14-2 in the last 5 minutes, completely choking away a chance to get into the Sweet 16.

This chance might never come again, and we just flat out BLEW IT.

 

[bitnez]

It hurts. But we need some perspective here. There are tons of coaches and teams out there that took years to get to a Sweet 16. Heck, look at Jay Wright. He had a reputation as a guy who couldn’t get it done until he did. I’m not saying Pike is Wright, but it took him 4 years to break through.

 

[RocktheRac]

Well look at it this way. Teams in the 2nd round make One Shining Moment.

 

[carmenst]

Everybody needs to put this loss in some perspective of where our program was 5 years ago. Look where we are for the first time in 30 years. This was 4th NCAA game that I have watched Rutgers play .....ever!

 

[RUBlackout]

This hurts BAD...only bc that win was within our grasps and we have it away.
So sad for what could have been

 

[gmattle]

I don't think most fans realize yet how devastating this loss is for the program

Time for a little perspective. Great step in the build end of story.

 

[sct1111]

Yeah, lots of people saying how proud they are of the team, etc etc.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m proud of them too.

But you also have to acknowledge just how devastating a loss this was. We got outscored 14-2 in the last 5 minutes, completely choking away a chance to get into the Sweet 16.

This chance might never come again, and we just flat out BLEW IT.

What is this "this chance may never come again"? We would have been in the tourney last year and we will be in the future. It's expected that we make the tournament now. Our program has completely transformed.

 

[RUnTeX]

Worse guys

We are 10 points better than Syracuse ...And I think we play either Loyola or Oklahoma state 10 times we win 6 or more

This was our elite 8 game we blew ...

Houston is gonna to the final four if their point guard is healthy

And when they look back ...they will say how they stole the game from Rutgers that they were the inferior team for 35 minutes

Things really couldn't have been breaking better within the region for RU. WVU and Illinois losing today. For as flawed a team as it was this season in certain aspects, there was a path shaping up to an incredibly unlikely but potentially special Final 4 run. It would have been magical and a dream Cinderella scenario. But the shortcomings reared their ugly head when they couldn't execute well enough down the stretch in the final minutes.

Still damn proud of this team and group, but damn what could have been....we'll never really know.

 

[scarletrat]

this only goes away if we make the Sweet 16 in the coming years...
otherwise, it is like 2006 or 2012 in football, or 2007 in womens' bball, or 1990 or 1994 in mens soccer...
we were better, and should have won...and the region was wide open, though Loyola has been very impressive and wouldn't be surprised if they win...but could see Houston now reaching FF...
we gave it away more than Houston came back and took it...
that 5 pt swing was back breaking and knew bad things were happening...

 

[Proud NJ Sports Fan]

MAKE A DUNK

 

[Degaz-RU]

What is this "this chance may never come again"? We would have been in the tourney last year and we will be in the future. It's expected that we make the tournament now. Our program has completely transformed.

You don’t know that. We’re probably losing the entire core of our team (Geo, JY, possibly Myles, and who knows if other guys leave.

We’re going to be rebuilding next year, and who know what happens after that?

You have to seize the opportunities when you have them.

 

[Proud NJ Sports Fan]

You don’t know that. We’re probably losing the entire core of our team (Geo, JY, possibly Myles, and who knows if other guys leave.

We’re going to be rebuilding next year, and who know what happens after that?

You have to seize the opportunities when you have them.

Up 9 late yiu have to find a way to close it out, grab a rebound, make a dunk, don't throw it away

Did Pike not trust them to run the offense?

As annoying the commentator was he was 100% correct it calling out the early stall

 

[Scarlet Jerry]

We didn’t even have a practice facility until last year, and now we have the Athletic Performance Center. This program is in a very different place now, and we should have many more successful seasons ahead. We are just getting started.

 

[Mr Magoo]

Devastating? Lol. It’s not devastating at all. I feel like crap but it’s not close to devastating. Naked free throws and coaches throwing balls at players and coaches showing up to baseball games with a fake nose and glasses is devastating.

 

[Scangg]

There will be a lot of unknowns next year but we also don't know what type of transfer we would land if they leave. It's possible we can land a big time transfer. It's a big opportunity for a transfer looking for a B1G major role. There are minutes and starting spots up for grabs

 

[theRU]

Bottom line is that we don't know what the future holds...maybe we're dancing again soon, maybe not.

But we do know is that we should have been in the sweet 16 this year and snatched defeat. This is terrible, and finding the moral victories in this is pathetic

 

[RutgersClassof2004]

Bottom line is that we don't know what the future holds...maybe we're dancing again soon, maybe not.

But we do know is that we should have been in the sweet 16 this year and snatched defeat. This is terrible, and finding the moral victories in this is pathetic

Give me a break. We lost by a nose to the #6 team in the country. Yea we couldn't lock it down, but that's how these things go. Another big bucket or two would have won it for us. But dems the breaks and u move on.

 

[sunsetregret]

Devastating?!

Jesus take a deep breath. We haven't been to the second round since 1983.

Opportunities like this one don't come around regularly.

 

[BoogieKnight]

I understand it was a garbage way to lose and yeah the “bracket broke right.” But the reality is we simply aren’t that good. Illinois had a legit final four team. THEY should be upset they got bounced in the second round. As a 10 seed we should be realistic and acknowledge we got two major monkeys off of our back (getting selected for and winning a tournament game.)

I’ve watched Syracuse play lately. The way Buddy B. is going we likely wouldn’t find enough offense to beat them. I scoffed in December when their fans made a big deal about him not playing in our game as I thought it didn’t matter much. But both them and us are different teams today than 3 months ago and not in a good way for us.

 

[RUaMoose]

Time for a little perspective. Great step in the build end of story.

Love how some ppl act like these opportunities will grow on trees. We were right there and we choked it away.

 

[jordkap]

Love how some ppl act like these opportunities will grow on trees. We were right there and we choked it away.

This is exactly my thought process. Could we be great in five years? Sure, however how often are you in a region where the top 7 teams in your region all lose? Regardless of anything we had a real chance to make this a once in a lifetime run. Are we better than Baylor or Gonzaga? No... but it’s March madness and you need to make the most of your opportunity.

love our team and what they did, but that was an all time choke job any way you spin it. Had we been down the whole game and lost it’s one thing, but they blew a seemingly real shot at a final 4 run with a great team on the ropes.

 

[ancienthooper]

You guys rightly talking about perspective is a pointless exercise. You have to know your audience.

 

[shields]

I think with that stupid zone Cuse is going to Final Four.

 

[WW HEISENBERG]

We could’ve been one of the Cinderellas going to the Sweet 16.

Imagine all of the positive press we would’ve gotten heading into a game against our old nemesis, Syracuse.

This would’ve done WONDERS for our program and recruiting.

Who knows when we will get this opportunity again.

This is like the football team missing out on the Orange Bowl by losing to WVU in 2006, and then missing out on the Orange Bowl again by losing to a limping Teddy Bridgewater against Louisville in 2012.

Just a devastating, heart wrenching gut punch.

To me it felt more like a devastating gut wrenching heart punch

 

[krup]

Things really couldn't have been breaking better within the region for RU. WVU and Illinois losing today. For as flawed a team as it was this season in certain aspects, there was a path shaping up to an incredibly unlikely but potentially special Final 4 run. It would have been magical and a dream Cinderella scenario. But the shortcomings reared their ugly head when they couldn't execute well enough down the stretch in the final minutes.

Still damn proud of this team and group, but damn what could have been....we'll never really know.

There was a thread pregame comparing this game to Louisville 2012 football in order of importance.

Unfortunately events after that thread made the comparison even stronger.

In both cases we were left with a feeling that Rutgers’ mistakes squandered a game we should have won rather than the other team just being better. The fact our region was setting up well with a lot of upsets parallels that winning the BE football championship in 2012 was getting you a chance to play in the Sugar Bowl against a Florida team that had a big brand but really wasn’t that good that year and was very beatable by RU.

 

[Plum Street]

I agree with this thread . It’s so hard for a school like rutgers to get into that position again . Geez look we need a couple good bounces just to make the tournament

 

[eddynyse]

I'm hurt like any other Rutgers fan but it seems like Is never good enough for some people. If we would have won this game and lost to Syralose people would be saying how devastating of a lost that was. The program will never recover, etc. Etc. The same thing if we made it to the Elite 8 and lost there.

Be thankful that the team made it a super exciting March Madness for us! For many of us, this was the greatest tournament in our lifetime. Doing it again next year with the same level of excitement while risking a similar heartbreak/pain should be the focus of players and fans!

Go RU!

 

[jordkap]

There was a thread pregame comparing this game to Louisville 2012 football in order of importance.

Unfortunately events after that thread made the comparison even stronger.

In both cases we were left with a feeling that Rutgers’ mistakes squandered a game we should have won rather than the other team just being better. The fact our region was setting up well with a lot of upsets parallels that winning the BE football championship in 2012 was getting you a chance to play in the Sugar Bowl against a Florida team that had a big brand but really wasn’t that good that year and was very beatable by RU.

I think in time it more resembles 06. A once in a generation opportunity (with how the bracket worked out) to make a serious run. Myles missed dunk was Townsends drop.

 

[jordkap]

I'm hurt like any other Rutgers fan but it seems like Is never good enough for some people. If we would have won this game and lost to Syralose people would be saying how devastating of a lost that was. The program will never recover, etc. Etc. The same thing if we made it to the Elite 8 and lost there.

Be thankful that the team made it a super exciting March Madness for us! For many of us, this was the greatest tournament in our lifetime. Doing it again next year with the same level of excitement while risking a similar heartbreak/pain should be the focus of players and fans!

Go RU!

There’s a big difference in making the sweet 16 and round of 32. In no way is losing in the sweet 16 to any opponent a bad loss because every team that’s there is either really good, or very hot. Round of 64 you have a variety of teams and abilities. Round of 32 you have mostly good teams, and some that had great matchups round 1.

 

[RUtix4me]

Absolutely brutal. It. Was. Right. There.

I will never get over this loss

Its monday it sucks that we lost. There are a lot worse rhings in the world, I am sure you can get over this.

 

[JavaDunk18]

good point that even thought the bracket "broke right", we don't don't know how we would have fared against Syracuse this time around
better to lose by 3 as underdog to Houston, than by 10 to Syracuse ...not saying that would happen, but the way Buddy B is shooting, who knows..
Syracuse is going to have to shoot even better to have a chance against Houston though.
The Zone will not fare well for defensive rebounds..
will be pulling for the team of Sister Jean..
yes, with the sweet sixteen on Saturday this year, Rutgers would have had practically a full week of exposure.
the games on Saturday, instead of Thursday night would have gotten a lot more viewers as well

 

[kcg88]

Three years ago Houston lost on a half court buzzer beater to Michigan in the round of 32. The Wolverines then played a 7 seed, a 9 seed, and an 11 seed and went on to the title game

Missed opportunities and March go hand in hand, sadly, and it happens to everyone.