Are we overthinking one loss?

[ZagOD7540]

It's hard for the fanbase not to when the team had been beating WCC teams by 27ppg and beat SMC by 48 at K2. Also, the team had won 21 straight, and has two All American candidates on it.

Absolutely brutal. Feel just as bad as I did after the National Championship loss. Having a hard time shaking this loss off. Usually love to watch the other tournaments this week after Zags win the conference tourney. Loved to see the Zags listed as "automatic qualifiers" shown throughout all of the games and halftime reports. Have zero interested now. Embarrassed to have that "other team" listed now. Just a pathetic showing Tuesday night in "Spokane South"...ugh

[PeninsulaDog]

One bad game, but sobering. When I look at the SMC shot chart for that game, the Gaels basically had their way in the paint. Similarly, in the UNC game (another bad, bad game), every time they UNC needed a basket it seemed like they could get what they wanted inside. I worry about the Zags running into a team with lots of size, and just not having an answer. Clarke comes-up with hi-light blocks, but do we have the ability to defend consistently inside? (I won't get into my worries about in-game adjustments, and weird lineups.) The Tennessee game I chalk-up to inexplicable defensive lapses in the last minute or so. The silver lining (if there is one), is that the Zags redoubled their defensive efforts post-UNC, and became a much, much better team. I expect we'll see a better version of the Zags next week.

[ZagsObserver]

Not sure. While the game is only one data point, the Zags have struggled when teams slow the pace of the game down. This is a significant vulnerability. Zach also has a tendency to chuck at times, and this can exacerbated when he isn’t in a rhythm. Finally, I worry about health concerns.

For those reasons, I can’t say that we can simply ignore this game.

[Zagceo]

No

[VinnyZag]

Our guards (Perkins, Norvell, Crandall) shot 5-27 and 0-10 on 3-pointers. As a team, GU was 2-17 on 3s ... 1-17 after Kispert buried a 3 on the first shot of the game. Nobody is going to beat a good team when that happens.

They're all good shooters who had a fluky off night. Shooting can be random over short sample sizes, just like hitting in baseball.

Glad the off night happened in Vegas instead of next week. Hope it doesn't happen again.

So, yes, we are overthinking one loss. But I'm pretty sure that's what message boards (and Twitter) are for.

[scott257]

I think this board needed a sky is falling kind of game. Heck a three loss season is awesome and in the aftermath I have seen coaching complaints, phantom injuries, and other minor conspiracy theories. My thought is that if we had to lose a game to someone in the conference it may as well be to the team I dislike the most, now I have a reason to hope we crush them next year.

On the good side, we can hope that Saint Mary’s does some damage wherever they get placed in the bracket. It can only help us if they can show they aren’t as weak as others think they are.

[kdaleb]

St. Mary’s is good, but this is only the second game all season that these Zags didn’t have much of a push to win. The only other game they never had life was against UNC on the road. Vegas was filled with more Zags than Gaels, which makes it extra confounding. I think they’ll be fine for the tourney, but there’s a lot to look at as far as how many things went wrong.

More than the loss, the thing I actually care about basketball-wise is if this will affect our tourney performance. And I agree with Mal - I don’t think it will.

[jazzdelmar]

All it takes is one more.

[DZ]

All it takes is one more.

Frigging' perfect.

The Board's reliable - and needed - half empty guy.

Hey, it IS true that the glass is always both half full and empty.

And, Jazz, all it takes is waxing a 15 seed by 35, and handling a 7 seed by 20, things assumed a week ago, and we're on our way …

My dear hope is that this game teaches these guys a lesson in effort, adjustments, etc. so that when this year's team faces its "WVU moment" it makes the steal and hits the 3.

[BurgessEraZag]

LIZF, no your weren't. Sadly disappointed but can't cry in my beer. My friends asked me if I was wearing a "hair" shirt or had ashes on my head. No I just was disappointed. Will pickup on conference games now and try to be confident that Few knows what to do to motivate or kick ass so the guys can play up to and beyond their skill level. If they do, not to worry. Sun will rise tomorrow and the good news is the snow is melting in Spokane and eastern Washington. Spring is almost here and March Madness will just like 2017. Going to Final Four.