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OMAHA, Neb. --- This season was one of the most memorable in Missouri school history.

In any sport.

But the finish was the most forgettable. In any sport. Ever.
 
And ever is a long time.
 
Crushing.

Exasperating.

Heart-breaking.

And that's just the fans' emotions. Rest assured, the players feel even worse.

In one of the most stunning upsets in NCAA Tournament history, the No. 15 seed Norfolk State Spartans knocked off the No. 2 seed and third-ranked Missouri Tigers 86-84 on Friday.

"I feel like trash," Missouri senior Ricardo Ratliffe said. "I just feel like trash."

It all seemed so right, but it all went so wrong.

"This is going to hurt for a long time," Steve Moore said. "We didn't want our season to end in the first round. We had a great season, but ..."

Moore's voiced trailed off.

"I'm very disappointed for everybody in that locker room," Missouri coach Frank Haith said. "I hurt for those seniors, because they put so much into this and had such high expectations."
 
How did this happen?
 
"I felt we were prepared," Marcus Denmon said. "The coaches did a great job getting us ready.
 
"But they can't go out and get loose balls on the floor, can't make free throws, can't get rebounds --- that's for the players to do.
 
"And we came up short."
 
If you didn't have a dog --- or a Tiger --- in the fight, this is what it's all about.
 
March Madness.
 
No. 2 seed Duke also lost Saturday night, if it's any consolation --- unless your two favorite teams are Missouri and Duke.
 
No. 15 seeds are now 6-105 in the Big Dance.
 
The Spartans (26-9) --- who lost to the likes of Delaware State and Elizabeth City State this season --- were 21 1/2-point underdogs.
 
But the Tigers (30-5) could never shake the Spartans --- the game had a staggering 22 lead changes and 14 ties.
 
Or, more swings than the average city park.
 
The Tigers didn't lead by more than one point until 16:54 remained in the game, after Denmon --- who scored 20 --- hit two free throws with 16:54 left.
 
Just 18 seconds later, Chris McEachin banked-in a 3 for the Spartans --- and so it went.
 
The crowd of 17,000 had a new favorite team, as chants of MIZ-ZOU were easily drowned out by chants of NSU!
 
"We felt the fans turn to our side ... the whole gym was ecstatic," McEachin said. "We felt we could secure the win at that time."
 
The teams continued to slug it out for the duration. Nobody hit harder than Kyle O'Quinn, who had a massive day --- 26 points and 14 rebounds --- along with a massive, game-changing play.
 
With 34 seconds left, he caught a teammate's air ball, banked it home, was fouled, and converted the three-point play to give the Spartans an 84-81 lead.
 
O'Quinn's Irish Eyes will certainly be smiling this weekend.
 
"If it's anybody's ball," he said, "whoever wants it most is going to get it."
 
Down two with 2.9 seconds left, the Tigers had a shot to win it, but Phil Pressey's 25-footer at the buzzer bounced off the mark.
 
There's a fine line between a dream, like this season was, and a nightmare.
 
Crushing.
 
"We would have loved to have had a chance to continue in the tournament," Haith said. "I told the guys they had nothing to hang their heads about --- they overcame adversity and had a tremendous season.
 
"It just didn't end the way we would have liked. It's tough."
 
The locker room was a wake after the game.
 
Shock.
 
Disbelief.
 
Tears.
 
March Sadness.
 
Remember the season, just forget the finish.