OKLAHOMA CITY — The sting of Northern Iowa’s loss will linger.
It’s up to coach Ben Jacobson to make sure it doesn’t linger too long, or become the sort of thing that haunts a men’s basketball program for years to come.
Sunday’s 92-88, how-did-that-happen, double-overtime defeat by Texas A&M brought an abrupt end to what was a feel-good season.
A six-week resurgence — highlighted by a Missouri Valley Conference tournament title and a buzzer-beating half-court shot to beat Texas — ended less than a minute shy of a berth in the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16.
It was an emotional pothole in a 23-13 run through March Madness.