NEW YORK — Reality, Andre Joseph said, began to set in as Michigan’s lead grew during the second half Tuesday at Madison Square Garden.
The Ducks’ season was assuredly over. In turn, the college careers of the team’s four seniors — Joseph, Luke Jackson, James Davis and Jay Anderson — came to a halt.
Now, the future comes into the picture.
“I’m going to graduate and play hoops somewhere,” Joseph said. “The important thing is to get the degree, because I know I’ll play ball somewhere. I know I’ve got to get (the degree).”
Joseph has been the most publicized of the Oregon seniors in recent weeks, most notably because of the 22-credit class load he had to take winter term. He earned a course-satisfying grade in all but one class, and will retake it in the spring before he moves on.
Davis, Jackson and Anderson are all in the graduation boat as well.
Jackson is rumored to be a first-round selection by Houston in the 2004 NBA Draft, according to NBADraft.net. But for Davis and Anderson, the NBA is something they’ll have to watch on television.
“I really can’t believe it’s over,” Davis said. “In the springtime, when they start to work out again and start doing their individuals for next season, I really don’t know what I’m going to be doing.
“It’s definitely kind of exciting, but definitely very emotional right now. I’m going to miss all the teammates and all the coaches that’ve been there for me.”
The quartet leaves as one of the most prolific player groups in Oregon’s history.
Jackson finished with 656 points this season and 1,970 for his career, good for second all-time.

Davis ended the year with 86 three-pointers, fourth best in a single season. He connected on 242 shots from beyond the arc, second all-time in school history and eighth in the Pacific-10 Conference’s.
Jackson, Davis and Anderson went 81-45 in four seasons with the Ducks, and Joseph was 41-22 in two years.

No consolation
This season marked the first since 1983 that the NIT decided not to have a consolation game, citing attendance as a reason.
The 12,630 in attendance at Tuesday’s games was better than the average per session that the tournament had in the past three seasons. Tonight’s attendance would rank fourth on the list since the 1983 season if Tuesday’s figure is attained or bettered when Rutgers and Michigan play.
However, Rutgers, which is located in nearby New Brunswick, N.J., brought many of its fans to the game.
Madison Square Garden was a sea of red for the Scarlet Knight’s game against Iowa State, which the team won, 84-81, in overtime.
That win sets the stage for the final tonight in New York.
“To have a chance to win the national championship just shows the strides we have made and it shows the hard work (we have put in),” Rutgers guard Ricky Shields said. “It is a building block for us to move on to the next big stage. Right now, we just want to compete Thursday night to the best of our abilities and do the things that can help us win.”

Well, they had the Pac-10 down pat
Who could possibly unite all the fans at Madison Square Garden?

The Oregon cheerleaders, of course. While the Ducks saw their small lead evaporate quickly, then Michigan’s grow substantially, the team’s cheerleaders began to get the biggest ovations.
Fans yelled individual comments throughout the arena, and eventually gave a standing ovation.
Michigan, Oregon, Rutgers fans, it didn’t matter. During halftime, one of the cheerleaders was even seen taking a picture with a Rutgers fan.
Must be that New York hospitality everyone’s always talking about.