I couldn't help get a little choked up during the National Anthem last night. Playing in the Final Four is such a special, special thing. We came out with fire and execution and played like the best team in the country for a half. Unfortunately for us, Florida responded like all great teams do and exerted their will on the game. They upped the intensity and their size and depth wore us down. And Walter Clayton...wow. That guy is playing better than anyone in the world right now. Disappointed to not be playing Monday night and I think we could have won, but I believe the better team did win last night.
Defensively we battled and it affected them early. Their scheme is tough to defend and Clayton got loose early, they got some back cuts, and slips early. But all in all we defended well. Just couldn't maintain it for 40 minutes. The 50/50 balls and rebounds that we got early started to go their way and it hurt us several times. Still we forced turnovers and made plays to give us chances that we really didn't capitalize on.
Our offense was beautiful for a half. When they ramped things up in the second, our timing and flow got disrupted and everything become so much tougher. As we've been prone to do when this happens, we took some bad shots and we had some bad turnovers. That stuff killed us. The defense and pace kept Florida in a winnable range, but the offense didn't quite get it done.
Only one team gets to win their last game in the postseason and it's never been mine so I have a little experience with this. Those kids and coaches are hurting. They've pointed everything in their lives for 12 months at this moment and they came up just short. It hurts. It's sad that such an amazing season is over. Sure, not everyone had the greatest game of their life last night, but now is not the time for that. Now is the time to be grateful for the blessing that this season was and for the players that made it special. Most of them will not be coming down the tunnel in an Auburn jersey ever again. War Eagle!
Defensively we battled and it affected them early. Their scheme is tough to defend and Clayton got loose early, they got some back cuts, and slips early. But all in all we defended well. Just couldn't maintain it for 40 minutes. The 50/50 balls and rebounds that we got early started to go their way and it hurt us several times. Still we forced turnovers and made plays to give us chances that we really didn't capitalize on.
Our offense was beautiful for a half. When they ramped things up in the second, our timing and flow got disrupted and everything become so much tougher. As we've been prone to do when this happens, we took some bad shots and we had some bad turnovers. That stuff killed us. The defense and pace kept Florida in a winnable range, but the offense didn't quite get it done.
Only one team gets to win their last game in the postseason and it's never been mine so I have a little experience with this. Those kids and coaches are hurting. They've pointed everything in their lives for 12 months at this moment and they came up just short. It hurts. It's sad that such an amazing season is over. Sure, not everyone had the greatest game of their life last night, but now is not the time for that. Now is the time to be grateful for the blessing that this season was and for the players that made it special. Most of them will not be coming down the tunnel in an Auburn jersey ever again. War Eagle!
