TallTexan said:

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Somebody tell me that's not a 10 point win with atleast an average ref crew.

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Being a former basketball official (at the high school level), I'm always hesitant to criticize officials, but that was a bad crew. The SLC has some really, really bad officials.

Well, we didn't exactly put the train back on the tracks, but at least it didn't fall any farther into the ditch.

I've got to go Colorado and come back again tomorrow, so it's going to be a minute before I update the contest. Sorry.

Here's a couple of my entirely meaningless postgame thoughts.

We had to win the battle of the boards against a bad rebounding team. We did. About 30 minutes into the game we had an almost 2-1 edge. It narrowed down the stretch as foul trouble and legs wore us thin, but we kept a solid advantage which kept UIW from getting over the hump. Kevon especially secured the rebounds as Fitz and Nieminen boxed out.

We needed offensive output today especially with our advantage on the boards. We finally had a 40 point first half with our big three going to double digits. Comeaux would have probably made it there as well if he hadn't been hobbled. We shot 55% from the field. After all those missed threes we took, that's pretty efficient. Basically nothing from the bench players, but at least more than one of the Big Three was effective.

We hit our free throws 73.3% and only let the best free throw shooting team in the nation hit one more than us on the day. It kept us in the game and let us finish off the last few minutes without embarrassment.

Bogues only played 36 minutes. That's a win amazingly enough. It was because he got his fourth foul with 5 left to play, but still, just a little more time on the bench is a good thing. Every starter except Sammy put in over 30 minutes. We are a one level team right now. There's plenty of those out there, but that's not how we've been winning these last couple of years. We need Aaron, John, Karl, Jock, but no excuses. We have to win without them, and we did.

This game was a lot like the game where UIW beat Nicholls. Close to the end, and then those 500 fans got loud in that small building and UIW closed. No one is saying the Cardinals are good, but with blood in the water at home with fans cheering you on, they can step up like collegiate athletes and finish. Watched them do it to the Colonels. But SFA held on and gritted it out on one leg on the road. Road win #2 on the year. They knew we had to win it. They know the road isn't getting easier. They know Abilene is tougher. But, you have to finish, and they did. Good on you Jacks.

You have to win the first to get on a roll. We have had 4 chances to win two D1 games in a row, and we haven't done it. Well you know what they say, fifth time's the charm. Time to come home and dig deep in front of our fans. We're going to cheer them on to their first winning streak.