Lemme be very clear
I HATE LOSING!
I played basketball competitively for 9 years, all the way through NAIA in college. I absolutely hate to lose, but I was OVER this loss in about 10 minutes last night. It doesn't bother me. Here's why:
1) We were 3 Point underdogs. When you're playing the toughest game you'll play in your entire 18-game conference schedule, you have to be ecstatic if you "steal" a win, and sober (but not dismayed) if you lose. If everyone on this board would have agreed 2 weeks ago that KU was NOT going to go 18-0 in Conference play, then what the hell are we mad about when we lose a game that we are supposed to lose on the schedule???
2) Our best offensive player picks up two early fouls that aren't his fault, and sits 15 minutes of the 1st half!! Perry came out with an edge right off the bat, and I think it's likely we take a 3-4 point lead into halftime, if he had played the full 1st half.
3) We already have a SLIGHT edge on ISU, in that we've won at a place they've lost (Baylor). If we keep holding court at home, and pick up another important road win like at West Virginia, we'll still be in the driver's seat.
4) They attempted almost 3 times as many free throws as us. I'm never quick to call "jobbed" on the hometown refs, but sometimes the stats don't lie. There's no reason why a perimeter-focused team should end up shooting 26 free throws to our 10!! I can understand this disparity happening every once in a while when we are playing a team that really pounds the ball inside, but ISU is not that team. In fact on the year, they shoot 38-40% of their shots from beyond the arc!! I thought the refs sent the calls in their favor most of the night and unfortunately, we didn't even get the benefit of the "make-up" call in the last 15 seconds when Wayne was called for the charge. That defender didn't even stand in and really take the contact. He was already falling back slightly to avoid contact prior to Wayne arriving, which should always merit a no-call in my book. Be a man, absorb the hit, or you don't get the call!!
I played basketball competitively for 9 years, all the way through NAIA in college. I absolutely hate to lose, but I was OVER this loss in about 10 minutes last night. It doesn't bother me. Here's why:
1) We were 3 Point underdogs. When you're playing the toughest game you'll play in your entire 18-game conference schedule, you have to be ecstatic if you "steal" a win, and sober (but not dismayed) if you lose. If everyone on this board would have agreed 2 weeks ago that KU was NOT going to go 18-0 in Conference play, then what the hell are we mad about when we lose a game that we are supposed to lose on the schedule???
2) Our best offensive player picks up two early fouls that aren't his fault, and sits 15 minutes of the 1st half!! Perry came out with an edge right off the bat, and I think it's likely we take a 3-4 point lead into halftime, if he had played the full 1st half.
3) We already have a SLIGHT edge on ISU, in that we've won at a place they've lost (Baylor). If we keep holding court at home, and pick up another important road win like at West Virginia, we'll still be in the driver's seat.
4) They attempted almost 3 times as many free throws as us. I'm never quick to call "jobbed" on the hometown refs, but sometimes the stats don't lie. There's no reason why a perimeter-focused team should end up shooting 26 free throws to our 10!! I can understand this disparity happening every once in a while when we are playing a team that really pounds the ball inside, but ISU is not that team. In fact on the year, they shoot 38-40% of their shots from beyond the arc!! I thought the refs sent the calls in their favor most of the night and unfortunately, we didn't even get the benefit of the "make-up" call in the last 15 seconds when Wayne was called for the charge. That defender didn't even stand in and really take the contact. He was already falling back slightly to avoid contact prior to Wayne arriving, which should always merit a no-call in my book. Be a man, absorb the hit, or you don't get the call!!
