By C. Kent Lowe
LSU Sports Information
CLEVELAND — The Road has ended again.
An emotional ride ended emotionally as Rutgers just took the life out of LSU, 59-35, Sunday night at the Quicken Loans Arena.
I really thought this was the year. This was going to be the night that LSU won its first Final Four game, either men or women.
But 8-of-10 three-point field goals will make you think differently in a hurry.
I wanted Bob Starkey and his Lady Tigers to win this game so much. I’ll admit it. I know Bob wanted to win it for the kids as he has said so often. I wanted the kids to win too, but having worked for many years with Bob Starkey when he was an assistant coach with the men’s team and having watched him as a friend for now some 17-18 years, I really wanted him to pull this off.
But Bob Starkey left with his head high and the same wonderful attitude he came into this tournament with. He hurt after the game, but he hurt for the kids. He said all the things he needed to say in the interview room as if he was a seasoned pro. He doesn’t want the head coaching position but schools of any shape and size need more coaches who are as dedicated to their programs as Bob Starkey.
I was taking notes as the night unfolded and let me just take you through a few of my notations as the game began:
The first thing I wrote down was “a Final Four game with NO seniors.” There is no reason to think that LSU can’t go deep in another NCAA Tournament with whomever the administration brings in to coach, but obviously the proper fit is important. I think those making that decision realize that.
Other notes from a pad of scribbles:
I don’t know what it says about seats at “The Q” but everyone received State Farm seat cushions.
Every possession is critical, especially when Rutgers takes 25 seconds to make a three.
The second foul on Kia Vaughn was brutal as Sylvia Fowles went hard to the floor with 11:16 to play in the first half. Defense down low just not what LSU was able to overcome early.
Rutgers is 8-of-10 from the three at the half and just 5-of-20 from the two in the first 20 minutes and still had enough points to win the game at halftime.
Starkey and Rashonta LeBlanc tried to explain to one official what an illegal screen was at one point in the second half to no avail and Starkey came over to the basketball committee, including chairman Judy Southard to ask if any conference supervisors were nearby after one official apparently told him that the three-second count starts over when the ball is passed to a post player. If I hadn’t seen a charge in the SEC Tournament against Garrett Temple at the end of regulation I would say that’s impossible, but then again these are your best referees in the country so if they want to say the count starts over, I guess the count starts over.
There are other notes, but they really don’t matter. Let me leave you with a couple of things Coach Starkey said on the podium as he finished his press conference. Some might make the morning paper, some might not, but they are worth repeating when asked about his plans now:
“I haven’t given much thought obviously to that,” he said. “My next thing is to go back to the hotel and pack and get on the plane with the team (Monday). I did tell the team that if I never coached again that I was thrilled that this was the last team that I coached. And if I coached for 20 more years, I would never forget what they had accomplished.
“So I think that’s important for them to know. And I don’t know what’s ahead for me. But I was tickled to death to be a part of them. I told my high school coach was here tonight and I made the comment to him that I didn’t take them to the Final Four, (the LSU players) took me. And there really is a lot of truth to that. I’m awful proud of them. “
Bob, there are a lot of us very proud of them and equally proud of you. I really have no doubt about that.
So goes the Road in 2007. It’s time to come home to Baton Rouge. So long from Cleveland.