Canes Rally Falls Short

So down 16, my DirecTV goes off thanks to the showers outside so I give up on the game. I switch over to a video game, then glance over and somehow we are only down 2 at the very end. Unfortunately, it looks like the Canes fell about 15 seconds short of pulling one of the most improbable comebacks in NCAA history.

Thanks to a flurry of points by Jack McClinton and two huge threes by Raymond Hicks, the Canes pulled to 74-72 with a few ticks left. The ensuing foul shot was airballed by the Texas player, but he made the 2nd and the Canes didn't have enough time to set up a shot with 1.8 seconds left. Disappointing end to a great comeback by an outmatched Canes team that for the first 30 minutes of the game had no business being on the same court as the Longhorns.

This game almost reminds me of Game 2 of the 2006 EC Finals. The Heat were down huge the whole game and made a massive comeback in the final 90 seconds only to run out of time. It's a shame that Miami's season had to end like this after a historic rally. Imagine all the publicity and the love from Sportscenter had they pulled off the impossible.

The sad truth is that Miami deserved to lose this game from the outset from they way they played early on. Texas was lights out from 3 point range and we looked completely outclassed. Leave it to me to lose my TV feed and miss the exciting comeback. I don't even know how it happened. I suppose that's a good thing for me, seeing as how the most painful losses to me are failed comeback attempts. I just hate that gleam of hope that gets snatched away at the very last second. Utterly heartbreaking.

But hey, like I said, these guys have character. They might have lost to a better basketball team, but these kids proved that Miami belongs in the Tournament and that they are not afraid of the bigger programs. High school kids all over the country will remember this rally and gain respect for the Miami basketball program.

All in all, this was a very good season for Miami basketball. It certainly had its ups and downs, but the result was a giant step towards relevance in both the ACC and on the national scene. From here, there is nowhere to go but up with this momentum. Hopefully these kids will spend the summer practicing hard and watching game tapes to learn from their mental mistakes.

On a final note for the season, I want to thank all the players for their outstanding efforts. The fact they refused to give up against Texas makes me incredibly proud. Miami basketball is no pushover and all of these guys proved it to the world. Congrats.