No KU in Houston

VCU could shoot and make baskets from outside and the charity stripe; KU lost this ability this game. (Kansas City Star photo)

Do I really have to?

I have to write about Kansas' loss to VCU?

I guess I have to do my sports bloggy duty.

Kansas spit the bit on Sunday against Virgina Commonwealth University. They wanted it "too much," tightened up and lost the game due to poor execution to a team that was too good to execute poorly against and win.

You can still hear the sound of three point shots and free throws clanking off the previously friendly Alamo Dome rims even now. This team that swaggered through much of their schedule and the tournament up to this point ran into a team that played better than it did, especially under pressure.

Here's what I thought would transpire after the first few minutes of the game. You'll remember that Kansas went out to a lead at first, looking impressive. VCU then responded, gaining the lead themselves. I thought at that point we would see a taut back-and-forth basketball game with runs by each team, rather like the scintillating Arizona-UConn match of Saturday.

What did happen: VCU kept on with their run. KU, despite multiple time outs by coach Bill Self, could not stop them and ended up behind 14 points at the half. OK, KU fans said to themselves, we come roaring out in the second half and we catch and surpass them. It almost happened too, except the fouls and mistakes caught up with the Jayhawks, killing their momentum and letting VCU continue to lead. When clutch shots needed to be made it was the Rams that made them, not the Jayhawks. Final score: 71-61. KU's last play? Two missed three point attempts.

So no Kansas Jayhawks in the Final Four this year. The "if-only's" have to be making Kansas faithful crazy...