In the end, this loss may help us...but still hurts that it was ND

[Niv Berkowitz]

Count me in as someone who feels kicked in the nuts after today. But...give it 48 hours and really this loss may not hurt us badly.

Sure, it gave NDs tourney hopes some life, and it sucks losing to those deuschbags, but that aside, how will this loss hurt us?

We still got the five seed. And if we had one, we would probably be looking at a solid 8-9 seed. That means a #1 in round 2 if we win. As it stands now, we are probably a 9-12 depending on how we do in the tourney. But count me as one of those guys who believes it's alll about draw and playing the odds.

We get a 10 or 11, we have a 2 or 3 seed in round two (most likely). That is a much easier route to the sweet 16 than going through a 1-seed. I don't want to face Syracuse, Kentucky or Kansas with this team. But any other team in the country I think we could hang with. So, I'll sleep tonight with my bitter pills but then Tuesday, I'll wake up ready to find out who we play on Wednesday and hope for the best.

Oh...and all the ripping on Buzz and bandwagon jumping after one loss is pathetic. Shots didn't fall. Buzz called some great set plays (that worked). And the bottom line is that many of us have a philosophical difference w/him re: fouling when up by 3. I would have fouled...but had we grabbed the rebound from the original miss, we wouldn't be having this pain either.

[PGsHeroes32]

We can look back on this loss if we lose on wednesday(although i dont want to because i want to watch more of this team) as a good thing because it would put his in that 6/11 game most likely and i wouldnt mind play as an 11. We will really regret losing this game however if we win on wednesday. Because if we follow that up with a loss vs Nova instead, we will be an 8/9 rather than a 7 with a ND win. IF we were to get through Nova and then lose, with an ND win we would probably get a 6 seed rather than a 7 or 8. So this loss could be a good or a bad thing. I would have preferrred to just have won.

[ecompt]

I thought before the game how much more the game meant to ND and how it didn't matter whether we lost, but to blow a seven-point lead in the final 62 seconds was still depressing. We lived with the 3 all year and today we died with it. Until Butler's three late in OT I think we were 3-for-22 from downtown, and that killed us. Whomever we play Wednesday will be playing its second game in as many days, but then again that team will have a huge homecourt advantage. UConn fans always flood the Garden for the tournament. As for the NCAA seeding, if we shoot the way we did today and if get into any foul trouble at all, it matters little who we play in the first round. 

[Niv Berkowitz]

As for the NCAA seeding, if we shoot the way we did today and if get into any foul trouble at all, it matters little who we play in the first round. 

We knew that all year and still...we could have pulled today out. Even on a day we were 3 of 23, we should/could have won. I like our chances.

[romey]

I thought before the game how much more the game meant to ND and how it didn't matter whether we lost, but to blow a seven-point lead in the final 62 seconds was still depressing. We lived with the 3 all year and today we died with it. Until Butler's three late in OT I think we were 3-for-22 from downtown, and that killed us. Whomever we play Wednesday will be playing its second game in as many days, but then again that team will have a huge homecourt advantage. UConn fans always flood the Garden for the tournament. As for the NCAA seeding, if we shoot the way we did today and if get into any foul trouble at all, it matters little who we play in the first round. 

I agree that THIS is why this loss hurt so much.  I posted this in another string.  We were on the rise toward a getting beyond the8/9 "hump into 6/7 territory.  A win yesterday and a win Wednesday may very well have got us that 7 seed.  But now that same scenario may put us squarely in the 8/9 seed range again.  So. let's pretend - if we lose wednesday we are a 10/11 seed right?  God forbid we become a "last four out" team with a loss.  BUT, a win wednesday, and a loss thursday to Villanova, are we then an 8/9 seed?  Is that a good thing?  Food for thought.