So Close For ODU
One impression that I got from ODU’s 2nd Round loss to Baylor; those guys have some tall dudes. I mean really tall. There were 4 players on Baylor’s roster who were 6′10 or taller. Two 7-footers! That’s the equivalent of Chris Reckling standing on Bruce Rader’s shoulders, or something like that.
ODU played very well in this game. Even when they fell behind by 14 in the first half, I never thought the Monarchs were playing badly. I just thought Baylor was shooting lights out. And they were. Even one of their “tall dudes” knocked down a couple of three-pointers. That’s just not supposed to happen.
In that 2nd half, ODU started to be rewarded for playing well. Their zone defense made it very hard for Baylor to score easy buckets, until the end. And even those weren’t easy. The “big dude” named Lomers got a couple buckets down low in the final minutes and that was it. ODU put up a great fight, but it wasn’t enough.
I saw a lot of red eyes after the game. It was obvious that the players and coaches were crying in the locker room during the post game talk. But, they shouldn’t feel bad for long. This team has left it’s mark. And, now it has given the program something to build on.
Perception is reality. And the next time ODU gets to the NCAA Tournament, playing won’t be an accomplishment. The fans, local media, and national media will expect ODU to compete and possibly win. And that right there is a step in the right direction. That is a program on the move.














