that was fun while it lasted

After such good play in the last two games, Malik played well again but ran into foul trouble against the Gators. Photo: Christin Palazzolo, Daily Emerald

I saw two things after Oregon's season-ending loss to the defending national champion Florida Gators today:

I saw a team, under pressure for the first time in a long time, just have an off day and miss far too many shots and making mistakes. What was Tajuan, 2 for 12? If he even hits two more of those to go 33% then it's a different ballgame. How about the fouls? Sometimes the refs are whistle happy; good, very experienced and top-level teams can play through it; I guess the Ducks couldn't today.

I also saw a team without that experience - only Zahn had ever been to the NCAA tournament before this year, and he was a redshirt freshman at the time - finally earn their stripes in the past couple of weeks and especially today. The pain in the eyes of Maarty Leunen and Malik Hairston - see Malik above - was not the pain of a team who was just happy to be there; it's the pain of a team that thought it had a legitimate chance to continue on and take home the big gong.

That appetite will be with Maarty, Bryce, Malik and, yes, Champ as they try and set out for a senior year to remember next year. It will be with Tajuan Porter, who always takes adversity as a fuel to drive him, simply because he doesn't want to be remembered as a flop in his biggest game. He'll need every ounce of that because he *is* the biggest question mark next year: can he handle all the responsibilities that were split between himself and Aaron Brooks this past season? Can he lead a team *and* be a leading scorer? Can he calm his mercurial streak for shooting?

So many questions, so much potential still, and so much pain in the team for coming up just a few steps short. I think this will be a team to watch next year. We certainly won't sneak up on anybody this time around, but I think the seniors next season can handle that pressure.