Per my post from last week about Dayton's NCAA Tournament chances, you would have to say with an overtime loss at Xavier, UD lost any shot for an at-large NCAA Tournament bid. So in theory, everything the team does from now until the beginning of the Atlantic 10 Tournament doesn't matter. Sure, UD could help itself it terms of seeding in the A-10 Tourney, but they are going to be in the bottom eight anyway, having to play four games to win the whole thing. In my mind, it doesn't make much difference if you're the five seed or the 10 seed.
But that doesn't mean tonight's game at Duquesne doesn't matter. To a real basketball team, it's important because it signifies a shot at revenge for an embarrassing loss at home earlier in the season. It signifies a chance to get back on track and get rolling going into the tournament. Perhaps most importantly, it signifies a chance for Dayton's guards to show they are better than the annoyingly incredible (or is that incredibly annoying?) TJ McConnell.
As a fan of the team, I know the season is close to being over. I will continue to hold out hope they'll make a run in the tournament and bring UD fans a miracle, but in my head I know that's about as likely to happen as me going for a run this week (note: there's almost no way it's happening; I'm pitiful).
Even knowing that this season is all but over for UD, I still can't think of anything that would be more disappointing than to see UD mail it in over its final four games. When Dayton lost by 29 to Buffalo early in the season, it was absolutely heartbreaking to watch the body language and lack of effort put on display by the players. To see a team that has played hard above everything else, even if it meant making tons of mistakes in the process, since I've followed them just give up, I can't think of any other way to describe my feelings.
So even if they aren't playing for anything over the next two weeks, I still won't be able to stomach the Flyers not giving it their all.
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