Most disappointing NCAA tourney losses

[minneman]

I can't believe no one has shown to be a "true fan" by answering with "all of them" as any "true fan" would. So that's my answer: All of them.

Seriously though, the losses from the early to mid '90s were the worst for me. (Notice I didn't specifically say '92 or '93 per the OP's instructions.)

 

[Radio Zero]

I can't believe no one has shown to be a "true fan" by answering with "all of them" as any "true fan" would. So that's my answer: All of them.

Seriously though, the losses from the early to mid '90s were the worst for me. (Notice I didn't specifically say '92 or '93 per the OP's instructions.)

“And when the sun comes up,
I'll be on top.
You be right down there,
Lookin’ up,
And I might wave
Come up here.
But I don't see you
Wavin’ now.
I'm way down here
Wonderin’ how,
I'm gonna get you,
But I know now,
I'll just cry,
Cry, I’ll just cry ...”

 

[TerhuneHoosierfan]

The Pepperdine loss was infuriating in that the Hoosiers looked like they had absolutely no clue how to attack that 1-3-1 half-court trap (which in my opinion is the worst defense in all of basketball against a competent offense). In fact, the entire second half of the 1990's we weren't a real threat in the tournament. I think by that time RMK was mailing it in, in terms of establishing relationships with players. When your coaching style is as intense and confrontational as his was, those personal relationships are critical to getting a lot of kids to play at their peak for you. IMO, this is what precipitated IU's noticeable decline in that time period. By the time March arrived, players played as though they couldn't wait for the season to end and Knight couldn't wait to get away from Bloomington for spring and summer fishing.

I thought the Pepperdine embarrassment was as bad as the Syracuse debacle under Crean in terms of being outcoached and ill-prepared - only to a much worse team.

You hit the nail squarely on the head, oc. They may have well just stood up cardboard cut outs of our players in that Pepperdine game. And the worst was yet to come a couple of seasons later when they got completely outplayed losing to Indiana State in the Classic. Royce Waltman could flat out coach and if I remember correctly, they had Nate Green, Menser, Renn and Djibril Kante on that team. Talented tough hard nosed players who were well coached and never gave up. I think ISU lost to Texas in the NCAA Tournament that year.

The 90's with the misfortune of the Henderson injury and the turmoil closing out the decade was the handwriting on the wall.

 

[Birnk403]

You hit the nail squarely on the head, oc. They may have well just stood up cardboard cut outs of our players in that Pepperdine game. And the worst was yet to come a couple of seasons later when they got completely outplayed losing to Indiana State in the Classic. Royce Waltham could flat out coach and if I remember correctly, they had Nate Green, Menser, Renn and Dibril Kante on that team. Talented tough hard nosed players who were well coached and never gave up. I think ISU lost to Texas in the NCAA Tournament that year.

The 90's with the misfortune of the Henderson injury and the turmoil closing out the decade was the handwriting on the wall.

Royce Waltman

 

[TerhuneHoosierfan]

Royce Waltman

Yeah, I typed "Waltman." Damn phone! Happens all the time with names. I should have checked the spelling. I'll go back and edit my post before more people begin to bust my ba**s. I was introduced to Royce at a restaurant in Terre Haute. Very nice man.

 

[Birnk403]

Yeah, I typed "Waltman." Damn phone! Happens all the time with names. I should have checked the spelling. I'll go back and edit my post before more people begin to bust my ba**s. I was introduced to Royce at a restaurant in Terre Haute. Very nice man.

Very intense on the floor and at practice, but extremely nice off of it.

 

[Wiedersehen]

Lots of good ones on here but Syracuse in ‘14 is the most recent and therefore still stings the most for me. That team was national championship good. If only they had a coach.

 

[TR32]

There was a game against UCONN in the late 90's I believe, Guyton led team. We had that ****ing game won and let it slip in the 2nd half

98. I thought they played fairly well but we're beaten by a slightly better team. Although Jake Voskul was really annoying.

 

[IUNorth]

89...I was 10 and I cried in the back seat of my dads Oldsmobile on our way home from dinner.

92...I embedded my dads commemorative 76’ Hoosiers coin in our basement wall (I thought it was lucky at that point.

94...I had to control my emotions. I was at a friends house watching with his parents.

late 90s...don’t remember where I was or how mad I was. I’m sure I was really mad most years. But there weren’t really any high expectations for the tournament until Vic/Cody’s teams.

12...I watched in a muted, glowing anger...with my youngest child sleeping in my arms (he was about 10 days old). I can vividly remember how horrid our defense was. And it was the beginning of my hatred of Crean’s focus on that side of the ball. We had many possessions in that game where we literally didn’t guard Kidd-Gilchrest. Number 2 pick in the ensuing draft MKG.

13...had about 50 family members up stairs for my youngest’s first birthday party. I’ll never forget how quiet they all were when I emerged from the basement. Made it exponentially worse. I actually think our defense is what lost us that game more than our inability to score on their zone. Creating any sort of transition opportunities with your defense was/is the key to beating the good Cuse zone teams. But watching Triche and MCW dominate us didn’t surprise me in the end. When I saw the draw the week before, I knew it was the worst S16 matchup we could have possibly had.

16...was so frustrating because UNC went OFF from the 3. Which was not their MO. I actually thought we played decent defense. They just shot out of their minds. And with their dominating interior play, there was no way we could handle it.

02...edited for that run. I was living in Iowa City. Almost got into a fight because of how loud I was yelling at my TV. Had an Iowa football player who lived in my apartment building come to my door after the Duke game. Needless to say I yelled into a pillow in the ensuing games. I remember nearly bursting a blood vessel when Davis decided to start pressing Maryland relatively late in the game. Right after Odle put us up 1. They got a layup and open 3. Game was basically over. Still one of the dumbest and least talked about coaching decisions I’ve ever seen. We had turned that game in our favor. Not saying we would have won. But we were never gonna press Steve Blake and Juan Dixon successfully. So dumb.

06...watched the loss to Gonzaga during my bachelor party. Didn’t get too mad. Knew we weren’t gonna stop Morrison or that team.