NCAA-T: Norfolk State (Thursday 3/18)

[ah59396]

When does next season start!?!?

[Appstrong]

Not the outcome we were hoping for, but some valuable experience was gained by playing in this tournament tonight.

[Seattleapp]

It’s obnoxious we lost on a bail out foul but I keep thinking about delph missing that dunk. However a pump fake from almonacy and to the rack and app wins. I go insane with these kids settling for threes

[bigdaddyg]

Not the greatest officiating I’ve ever seen. Some quick whistles on a few jump balls but it usually evens out.

I never gave up but I think it was fair to point out a terrible first half. We decided to force the action more at the rim and it worked. Defensive intensity was great. Awesome job fighting back. We have a lot to be proud of.

[appdaze]

We have the right coach.

I'm excited to see our future.

[AppFan11]

Great comeback... continue to show grit. NFST last possession... we got hosed... their guy traveled but they call a foul on us after he traveled.... makes two beats us by one.... we should have had the ball with the lead... they would have had to foul us. Hard to argue though that we had the last two shots for the win. Thanks guys for getting us back to the Big Dance!!!

[Seattleapp]

Not the greatest officiating I’ve ever seen. Some quick whistles on a few jump balls but it usually evens out.

I never gave up but I think it was fair to point out a terrible first half. We decided to force the action more at the rim and it worked. Defensive intensity was great. Awesome job fighting back. We have a lot to be proud of.

I was cheering like I haven’t in years

[EastHallApp]

I'm assuming a win over Gonzaga would be more probable than our win over Michigan, right?

MORE probable?? No way!

Michigan was the first game of the season Gonzaga's gone a whole regular season as an undefeated team, and, is favored to finish it off by winning the Big Dance. I'd say a win (with a 17-11 record) over an undefeated favorite would be the much bigger upset.

History would prove you wrong. Beating Gonzaga would not be an historical accomplishment, it'd just a big upset. It's not going to re-write the record books and upset all precedent. There is no basketball equivalent of what happened in Michigan in 2007.

Disagree with all of this. If us beating Gonzaga wouldn't be a "historical accomplishment," then that phrase has no meaning.

There's only one precedent, because it happened for the first time ever three years ago. And that game was every bit as iconic as us beating Michigan.

And winning in the NCAA Tournament is a bigger deal than winning in week 1 of the regular season.

As far as which was/would be a bigger upset, my guess is the line on the game, should we win tonight, would be pretty similar to the Michigan game (I think we were something like +37 in that one?).

Your welcome to your opinion of course. I never said it wouldn't be historical, it just doesn't compare. Top ranked bb teams lose to teams that never sniff the tournament almost every year. If ASU would have beat Gonzaga four weeks ago, nobody remembers. Do you remember who beat Virginia in the tournament? I don't. Upsets happen in the NCAA tournament practically every single day. Its' five on five, anything can happen. Every footrball fan in America knows App State beat Michigan.

Yes, UMBC, they're really famous for it. Any college basketball fan knows that name instantly.

I'm going to guess maybe you don't follow college hoops as closely as football. Trust me, upsets like that do not happen every year at all, much less in the tournament.

Moot now anyway, sadly.

[MAD Doctor]

Good season guys. Ups and downs but at the end of the day, we have a conference championship and a helluva coach. Basketball matters again.

[NavyApp]

I don't know if anyone else noticed but Xavion Brown played some GREAT D last night. Young man is dripping with potential, there were times when he just looked like he had a different gear than everyone else on the court. Thinking about him and Gregory reeking havoc on the defensive end next has me soon excited for next season, plus some growth from Eads! This team is heading in a fun direction, can't tell you the last time I was so excited for basketball season to come back around!!!

[Longrifle28]

Tough loss. Guys had a fun run and never gave up. Look up gritty in the dictionary and there's a picture of App State Basketball. Looking forward to next year.

[Rekdiver]

I cussed and cheered...for years I have just cussed. Thank God we have an Athletic administration and an AD that makes good choices. Message to Coach Kerns...Thank you....im counting on you to get us back to the Dance quickly cause I don’t have 21 years left in the tank!

[asumba95]

I don't know if anyone else noticed but Xavion Brown played some GREAT D last night. Young man is dripping with potential, there were times when he just looked like he had a different gear than everyone else on the court. Thinking about him and Gregory reeking havoc on the defensive end next has me soon excited for next season, plus some growth from Eads! This team is heading in a fun direction, can't tell you the last time I was so excited for basketball season to come back around!!!

agreed..putting him as the main on-ball defender in the 2nd half was crucial to us clawing back into the game. He seems to have the most athleticism on the team.

[Appstate88]

Congratulations Mountaineers. Great Season. Keep climbing those stairs DK. In DG we trust. We have the right people in place. Go Apps! Give to MAF/Yosef Club!

[WataugaMan]

We beat ourselves last night, throughout the game we were our own worst enemy. Nevertheless, on to next season and hopefully our first NCAA March Madness victory.

[AFANBUTNOTREALLY]

I know no one will say this but I will. First, cool for ASU to be playing in a "play-in-game" as that is better than what normally happens. My point, why call a time out when you have 11 secs. full court to go downhill at the hoop? That maybe didn't cost them the game, but to give your team only 5 seconds to throw the ball in from the side, defense set, person throwing in cant' move, well in my mind is crazy. As Charles Barkly said, I hope that is not what he called timeout to design. You only call a timeout in that situation if A) you have a play in the bag you have used or has worked before B) You have athletes that can get open and create very quickly once receiving the ball or C) You think highly of yourself as a coach in that situation. Give your guys a chance to go full speed getting downhill and creating in a natural setting. Get the ball to Forest and put it on his shoulders. #5 had a terrible shooting/playing night and you reward him by giving him the ball? Not the coaches best coaching but I guess it happens. Put it on the players and not the coach.

[AtlAppMan]

Things didn’t always fall our way last night for a variety of reasons but we never gave up and clawed back. I am very proud of this team.

This year was a BIG improvement. Now let’s build on that and go to next level. Let’s take SBC regular season and SVC tournament and get further into NCAA tournament next year.

[Stonewall]

We are winners. Again. Finally. WE.....ARE.....WINNERS!

[hapapp]

Next year will be the real test of this staff. If Justin and Michael choose not to return someone will need to develop quickly to fill those two spots. Not sure we currently have anyone on the roster who can fill those shoes. Our big problem this year was very little offensive production off the bench. Brown got useful minutes in the postseason but he’s a different player than either of those two. No doubt Delph, Gregory, and Lewis will be back to provide the nucleus of the team. And, while Duhart provided valuable rebounding and defensive help late season, he’s not much of an offensive threat.

I think App fans everywhere are proud of the fight and grit this team displayed all year. As someone wrote earlier, we can look forward to what’s in store next season.

[/\PP ST/\TE GRAD 09]

Anyone with some inside information want to chime in on if Justin and Michael will take advantage of the extra year of eligibility? I'm sure with the loss being less than 24 hours, neither has that immediately on their mind, but wasn't sure if either had mentioned it earlier in the season.

I'm hopeful that with a conference title it will make our OOC schedule slightly better next season. Decent mid-major schools in a relatively close location. Liberty, UNC-G, JMU, rematch with Norfolk State, VCU, ODU. I'm sure basketball scheduling is much tougher than football scheduling, but hopeful the tournament bid will help DG work his magic.