Disappointment leads to blame but the blame goes to the fans

On Saturday, Kansas men’s basketball fell to the Auburn Tigers 89-75 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Despite the Jayhawks fighting all throughout the second half, Auburn’s unreal shooting performance was too much to overcome.

Players were seen in the locker room holding back tears and some even had some big words after the devastating finale.

In his postgame interview, redshirt junior forward Dedric Lawson says, “I feel like we didn’t accomplish things we should have this year. Being the leader, I feel like it’s my fault.”

Most Kansas fans are well aware that Lawson is not to blame for any shortcomings this season, in fact, he should be praised for what he did in his first season of eligibility as a Jayhawk.

On the season, Lawson averaged 19.4 points and 10.3 rebounds per game and shot 49% from the field. Lawson even had the highest player efficiency rating in the Big 12 conference.

After a heartbreaking loss, it would be understandable for the leader of a team to put the blame on their shoulders, but for Lawson, he deserves zero blame.

In the loss, Lawson put up 25 points and 10 rebounds and despite his struggles early in the game, finished shooting 8-of-17 from the field.

That alone goes to show Lawson does not deserve any blame for this loss, in fact, nobody on the Kansas roster deserves the blame. All around, the Jayhawks were outmatched by Auburn and the Tigers shot insanely well from behind the arc to start the game.

It’s hard to blame anything or anyone for the disappointing loss and disappointing season, but by no means was this season the fault of Dedric Lawson. Honestly, more blame should be put on the fans for the “poor” season rather than the players on the roster.

Think about it, how often did we as a fanbase count Kansas out? I for one know that back in January I was saying Kansas would not win the conference.

As a fanbase, we took heat all season for not supporting the Jayhawks as much as we have in the past. Considering the expectations Kansas had at the beginning the season, it is astonishing seeing the lack of support for the program in a “down year”.

Sure, compared to year’s past, this season was a down year but compared to literally every single other college basketball program around the country, Kansas was one of the best teams out there.

The Jayhawks are in the midst of one of the greatest stretches in college basketball history.

I for one attended only one Kansas game as a fan and throughout the season, I would turn off games a quarter of the way through the second half. I’m not the only guilty one either.

Sure, the fans have no actual, physical affect on the game, but the emotional aspect can play an enormous role.

This season, Kansas wasn’t perfect, but neither was its fans. It’s time for us to step as a fanbase and say, “we could have done better.”

To Dedric Lawson: this season was not your fault, if anything, you can blame us. You did not deserve this.