COURT SESSION: TOUGH LOSS CAN'T TAKE AWAY FROM GREAT YEAR

Needless to say, I was extremely disappointed with the outcome of Sunday's game against Murray State in the finals of the OVC Tournament. It was the toughest last-second loss I've ever had because the stakes were so high.

I really feel for our seniors who have worked so hard to achieve the goal of qualifying for the NCAA Tournament. Our other players and coaches will have more opportunities, but when the Murray State shot fell, the seniors saw their last chance go down the drain.

I am extremely proud of this team. In the championship game, they did everything we asked them to do and they played extremely hard. Other than the first few minutes, when we were noticeably tight, I don't think we can play any better.

Jon Sundvold, the ESPN commentator on the game, told me it was one of the finest games he had ever been a part of as a broadcaster. I recruited Jon when I was an assistant at Missouri and we have remained in touch over the years. I remember driving from Des Moines, Iowa, to Sikeston for his wedding.

Sundvold said it was a great game for TV, but that he really felt bad after the game because he knew how much the game meant to our program. Getting into the NCAA Tournament takes your program to the next level and we were so, so close.

The fact that we played well on national television has to help our recruiting nationwide. The dramatic ending has brought added attention to the game and to our program. It ended wrong, but we still continue to get great national exposure and that is good for our program and for the University.

The turnout of our fans in Nashville was tremendous. I don't think our fans ever sat down during the championship game. Every time I looked that way, they were standing. When we needed a defensive stand, the fans were urging us on. Our players fed off that enthusiasm.

Hopefully, everyone who went to Nashville had a great experience. The playoff atmosphere was special. There was a lot at stake and you felt the intensity on every possession in every game during the tournament.

Although we will not be going to the NCAA Tournament, we do have a slim chance of being selected for the NIT. We were told this week that we are under consideration and on the bubble. Depending on results of conference tournaments this week and who ends up in the NCAA Tournament, we could still be playing basketball next week. I sure hope so.

This has been an enjoyable group to coach. They hung together as a family all season and they came back to practice ready to work hard every day. We improved as the season progressed and that is all you can ask for as a coach.

Our seniors provided great leadership this season. Bud Eley had an awesome year and is certainly deserving of his selection as the OVC Player of the Year. To be the all-time leading rebounder and shot blocker and the fourth-leading scorer of all time is a tribute to a great basketball player. I'm sure Bud will have a future in the NBA.

Kahn Cotton hit two of the biggest baskets in Southeast history and had we won both of those games, especially Sunday's game, he would be remembered forever. He is a great clutch player. Remember, he also won he game at Arkansas State with a shot in the final seconds and Arkansas State is headed to the NCAA Tournament.

Cory Johnson will be remembered as the greatest free-throw shooter in Southeast history and his long 3-pointers will always be special.

Demetrius Watson was our warrior for two years and contributed in a number of ways that don't show up on the state sheets. All four of the seniors will be missed.

It was a great year with a number of firsts, including the most wins at the Division I level, the most OVC wins and the highest OVC finish. We made our first trip to Nashville in OVC Tournament play and we established several new career, season and game records.

In addition to Bud being OVC Player of the Year, Rod Johnson was named to the all-newcomer team and Bud and Mile Branson made the all-tournament team.

Our fans are the best. We again led the OVC in attendance and we had great followings on the road.

It was a great year and hopefully it isn't over yet. An NIT bid would be great for our program, but regardless, it has been a great year. Thank you all for being a part of it.

Gary Garner is the head men's basketball coach at Southeast Missouri State University. His weekly column is sponsored by Rust Communications.