Congrats uconn.

[dasher]

I don't think Louisville is quite the elite team we expected them to be preseason. Memphis is always solid.

And UConn is? You take Ollie getting his team better. I'll take slick Rick

 

[Eric15]

And UConn is? You take Ollie getting his team better. I'll take slick Rick

Ollie did a tremendous job last year with what he had to work with.

 

[Trueblue25]

For cuse maybe not.. for uconn they are the mountain that has to be climbed to get a decent seed or even the only chance into the tourney should uconn suffer more losses like houston.

Memphis is alright, UL looks weaker and weaker as the season goes on. Losing Behannan hurt 'em.

 

[Trueblue25]

Really? The kids on Louisville know how to win. That makes them dangerous. The ville would never lose to Houston. With 3 starters playing even.

Uconn still has a few players who sport championship rings off the court.

This is an experienced team, who has players that have won a championship, that has something to prove going into March this year. A strong March run would do big things for Uconn.

I wouldn't overlook them at all.

 

[dasher]

Memphis is alright, UL looks weaker and weaker as the season goes on. Losing Behannan hurt 'em.

No doubt but harrell is a hidden gem. With more playing time, I think he can be quite good.

 

[Orangezoo]

Memphis is alright, UL looks weaker and weaker as the season goes on. Losing Behannan hurt 'em.

It did but uconn has an even weaker frontcourt than the cards. Memphis and louisville put their stock in their backcourt which is strong for both. That means napier having defend and score for 40 mins. I dont see it.

 

[dasher]

Uconn still has a few players who sport championship rings off the court.

This is an experienced team, who has players that have won a championship, that has something to prove going into March this year. A strong March run would do big things for Uconn.

I wouldn't overlook them at all.

Fine. And no one should be overlooked. But you singled them out. And if they didn't have UConn on their shirts, you wouldn't give them a second thought.

 

[Eric15]

UConn has two early losses, one to a pretty good team (Stanford) and one on the road against a bad team (Houston).

If that scenario automatically disqualifies you from having postseason success, then we would have been screwed in 2003 (losing to Memphis and at Rutgers).

 

[Orangezoo]

UConn has two early losses, one to a pretty good team (Stanford) and one on the road against a bad team (Houston).

If that scenario automatically disqualifies you from having postseason success, then we would have been screwed in 2003 (losing to Memphis and at Rutgers).

Honestly I dont think stanford is good either. They are behind zona, oregon, colorado, ucla and cal in the pac 12 and are a bubble team at best imho.

 

[Trueblue25]

Fine. And no one should be overlooked. But you singled them out. And if they didn't have UConn on their shirts, you wouldn't give them a second thought.

I would because they are a team with an experience, formidable guard duo. Teams have to plan to play Napier and Boatright.
Also..

They are spectacular from the charity strike (a very undervalued strength come March etc.)
They are shooting over 40% from 3. With four players shooting 40% with over 30 attempts.

I don't think they are a top 5 or 10 team by any stretch... I just think they have a nice recipe for a deep March run.

 

[Eric15]

Honestly I dont think stanford is good either. They are behind zona, oregon, colorado, ucla and cal in the pac 12 and are a bubble team at best imho.

I can't emphasize enough how much I hate UConn - I watched the entire Houston game just because watching them lose would nicely punctuate my 2013.

I predict that they'll go something like 23-8 and be around a 4 seed in the tourney, and if they can get to the Sweet 16 they could be dangerous for a potentially vulnerable 1 seed like Wisconsin with their guard play.

 

[orange79]

Uconn still has a few players who sport championship rings off the court.

Probably because they stole them

 

[NineOneSeven]

I wouldn't have predicted their run in 2011 either. It's all about matchups, we all know this.

I watched that game on my laptop in the library of the university I was studying abroad at in Australia, and have never come closer to flipping a table over and sprinting around in a complete rage.

One of the worst games in the history of college basketball.

 

[pearl31]

They could win it all.

It's January 2nd.

UB could win it all for all we know.

Just to clarify…
A) I was in a hurry and mistyped "January" instead of "November" in my reply to your post. You proclaimed in NOVEMBER that you were CONVINCED ucon would win it all. And now, you are apparently attempting to warn people about judging ucon too early.
B) Do you understand the difference between "convinced they'll win it all" and "could win it all"?

 

[PeteCalvin]

Sniches get Stiches!!!

And the soap! Don't forget the soap!

 

[Trueblue25]

Just to clarify…
A) I was in a hurry and mistyped "January" instead of "November" in my reply to your post. You proclaimed in NOVEMBER that you were CONVINCED ucon would win it all. And now, you are apparently attempting to warn people about judging ucon too early.
B) Do you understand the difference between "convinced they'll win it all" and "could win it all"?

i probably jokingly said convinced due to the gravity of the point I was making

 

[RMH44]

Well, they may not be the "best duo" but they are certainly down there with the last guards I'd like Syracuse to face.

Siva and Smith
Napier and Boatrite

Small, quick guards that caused trouble.


If you guys really think that anything before mid January truly reflects a teams potential/talent then... I don't know.

The new hand checking rules have neutered most of Uconn's and L'ville's defensive pressure. Russ Smith has openly said that the new rules hurt their press.

It's about time the rules committee took the "saddles" off of ball handlers...it ruined the game.

 

[LennX6]

I wouldn't have predicted their run in 2011 either. It's all about matchups, we all know this.

I watched that game on my laptop in the library of the university I was studying abroad at in Australia, and have never come closer to flipping a table over and sprinting around in a complete rage.

One of the worst games in the history of college basketball.

I did take solace, that even though UConn won, they did it the most pathetic, gruesome, ugliest way ever to win a title.

 

[Forloveoforange]

I did take solace, that even though UConn won, they did it the most pathetic, gruesome, ugliest way ever to win a title.

I thought that was how Louisville won last year. Smith and Pitino unashamedly pretty much admit that with the "new" rules that they wouldn't have had such success last year. Its too bad. It kind of took the fun out of being in the final four knowing that Louisville was around the corner.

 

[CaptainJ]

It kind of took the fun out of being in the final four knowing that Louisville was around the corner.

Not for me. I remember being up on them before their run, and saw it as a chance at redemption. After witnessing the gruesome injury and thinking of their lack of depth, I think if the refs got the Triche call right there was a decent chance we win it all last year. I may have misunderstood your post, but I'm still sticking by mine!

 

[Bornorange]

I thought it was Dickie or Katz or Gottlieb.

 

[jncuse]

I can see them making a fluky Shabazz chucking run to MSG in march... in the nit.

 

[jncuse]

I did not see a line yet, but I am certain mighty uconn will be the dog at smu tomorrow .

 

[gilardino]

On yet another final 4. I dislike the program but they win in March

 

[adk(roc)CUSE]

Wish we knew how to win in March like UConn.