I begrudgingly admire what Wisconsin has established as a program, and I have been impressed by the work they are doing in this year's tourney. Yesterday was an outstanding example of clutch play against an outstanding opponent.
And yet ...
For all of the accolades Nova deservingly received last season and this, I was disappointed in the way they defended (or didn't defend) Koenig in the final couple of minutes.
Gard ran the most basic play in the book - have his best 3-point shooter inbound the ball and then come back inbounds to take the pass for a 3 - and Nova left him wide open. I mean, I ran that play the last three years for the girls middle-school team I coach - seriously. And 12 years ago, my daughter won a high school game on the exact same play. Every team at almost every level runs some version of it. Yesterday, I was yelling at the TV, "Watch Koenig for the return pass!" And yet Wright's defending national champions weren't ready for it. Ugh.
Still, Koenig had to make the shot, something he has done in the clutch over and over and over again. He will be severely missed next season, as will Hayes, but I'm with those who caution not to underestimate Wisconsin. Effen Bucky.
As for Nova ...
Another Scooper referred to the CBS note on all of Wright's early exits, most of them coming with his team seeded 1 or 2. Had he not won the title the one time they got past the opening weekend, would he be a failure as a coach?
I know, that's actually the kind of "impossible hypothetical" I hate when others ask it, but I do think it's an interesting question.
I say no, I'd still regard him as a great coach any program would want, but there are those who base everything on tournament success.