The Bluejays ended their 2007-2008 season with a thud. CU got a taste of what the rest of the country is going to experience in the near future with the Gators - tough, fast, very good basketball players who want to take Florida back to the top. UF was 5-1 all time against NIT foes at home and showed why their only loss was a 2 point defeat to Georgetown last night.
Creighton played horribly and Florida was just on. The result was a 28 point beat down. Not the effort Dana Altman wanted but I didn't think they would win anyways...Florida is still Florida. Nick Calathes is a PLAYER and had the school's 2nd EVER triple-double. Their post players can really run the floor and they have shooters all over the floor.
The real disappointing number was turnovers - 21 of them. The Jays had only 5 assists! Nick Bahe ended his Jays career with a career high 5 turnovers. Booker Woodfox was 2 for 14 from the floor ending his great run of performances to end the year. Kenny Lawson, Dane Watts, and Kenton Walker couldn't do anything on the inside as well.
It's very hard to win on the road in college basketball, but the atmosphere in Gainsville was a great learning experience for the baby Jays. Now, it's time to get to work for Cavel, P, Book, Kenny, and Kenton. It's their team now. Add some good new recruits and the future is bright.
The Jays end the year with 22 wins, all important streaks continued, and a thrilling post season win. Nobody can say that this year wasn't a success given the expectation level that many had for this team. Rarely does a team meet expectation. Normally they go above or below. But the Jays were picked 4th in the Valley - they finished 4th. They were picked for the NIT - they made it to the NIT. They were expected to beat Nebraska - and did. They were expected to extend the streaks - and did.
Now the Jays look towards a 2008-2009 season in which they mostly likely will be picked to win the Valley. The NCAA tournament will be expected out of this bunch. You can only hope that the development continues under Dana Altman and the team learns from their mistakes this season. Consistency will be the No. 1 thing CU must improve. The roller coaster ride will not be accepted as easily next year.
All in all....a VERY fun year. Only 3 teams this year will end their seasons with a win. When you lose in all honesty, doesn't matter. However, you hope that the performance in Gainsville is the motivational fuel the Jays use to get better for next year.....when does the Council Bluffs Summer League start?
5 comments:
That is a tough way to end the year. What a sorry performance. This game just showed us the difference between Mid Major talent (lack of) and Major talent. Pretty much Creighton’s most talented player would be mediocre at best in a Major conference.
In any case will see how NU fairs against the same type opposition. Ole Miss has about the same record in the SEC and even has a win over Florida.
I can almost guarantee there won't be a 28-point beat down like Creighton just was handed. I can't believe there was triple double in this game, that is very rare. Can you say Defense.
2 words. Speed and Athletism. Florida was better athletically. Creighton had no answer for the speed of the gators.
hey realist, see below for a dose of reality. We beat you earlier, and we would beat you now. You NU fans are always looking for comparisons to make an arguement. Stop comparing and own up to the fact that CU beat you AGAIN this year. No more "oh we are a different team now." So is creighton, if you think that if they played again, that cavel, booker and p would only score 29 you are crazy!! good luck against ole miss, but if you win it has no relevance to your comparison with CU. In the end, there is none. Good season Jays!!
http://scores.espn.go.com/ncb/recap?gameId=273280156
welcomebackdana who do you figure you would beat us. You just got absolutely run off the court, if you guys aren't shooting good from outside the game is over againts good competition. If Booker Woodfox didn't hit 3 ridiculous three's towards the end of the game and Cavel Witter didn't make his first shot of the game you would not have even gotten past Rhode Island, but you did that's not the point, the point is Creighton got run off the court by good competition, I wouldn't say Nebraska is playing that great but they were good enough to go 7-9 in the Big XII where Creighton went 9-7 in the Missouri Valley who was only good enough to get 1 team in the Big Dance. But hey good end to the season and get your creighton football jerseys out I mean husker jerseys.
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