The early second-half run was our downfall again. We were warned. We saw it coming. We couldn’t stop it. A 16-point loss last year put us in our place and, quite frankly, the matchups were against us again — this time for a 38-30 finish.

A few early 3s from senior staff writer Jesse Dougherty gave us a double-digit lead. They were missing, we were rebounding. They couldn’t turn us over, we jumped on every loose ball.

And just like 2015, the scouting report was out the window. The lead felt like more, but it was only 20-12 at the half. These games in the Carrier Dome always seem so low-scoring. The depth perception makes it near impossible to consistently score, especially when there are 25 fans instead of 30,000.

We knew our frontcourt was where they could exploit us. With layup after layup to start the second half, they clawed their way back in until they took a 21-20 lead. I hit a layup to make it 22-21 in favor of print, but that was the last lead we saw.

It only slipped further from there. We resorted to fouling with two minutes left to stop the clock every 10 seconds. They weren’t hitting free throws, but we weren’t much better on the other end. The slim hope we had of stealing the cup back for 744 Ostrom vanished, and the subs entered with 31 seconds remaining.

It was a valiant ending for Dougherty especially, and the end of a tenure for Sam Blum as well. The matchups are in our favor again next year. But who knows what that really means.