It's hard to beat a team 3 times in one season?

[Orangemen]

The source of this theory is the NFL, and frankly, for them, it makes sense.

In the NFL, the only time you play a team 3 times is if you meet in the playoffs. And if you're playing a team in the playoffs, they are more than likely a pretty good team. So in reality, what it means is that it's hard to beat good teams 3 times in one season.

UConn is not a very good team. Great talent, yes. Good team? They're the 9th place BE team.

Beating teams 3 times in a season in college ball is not rare. South Florida just did it yesterday.

If we were playing PC again, would everyone here be worried about beating them 3 times in one season?

Heck, in baseball, teams win 3 games in one weekend against other teams all the time.

Different sports, different dynamics.

We may lose to UConn (though probably not), but it would have nothing to do with the fact that it's our 3rd game against them.

 

[pfister1]

Agree...third time should not be an issue, based on that alone.

We also have the advantage, and I see it as an advantage although not a huge one, that UConn will be playing for its third consecutive day.

Our disadvantage is that they have their backs against the wall with respect to the NCAA tournament. They are probably in at this point, but if I were them I would feel a whole lot more comfortable if they put today's game in the win column. We on the other hand are playing for pride only...hopefully that means enough for our guys.

 

[Orange Barrel]

Agree. Completely overblown statement. I suspect we"ll hear it about 7,000 times in the next few hours.

 

[AccuRater]

The source of this theory is the NFL, and frankly, for them, it makes sense.

In the NFL, the only time you play a team 3 times is if you meet in the playoffs. And if you're playing a team in the playoffs, they are more than likely a pretty good team. So in reality, what it means is that it's hard to beat good teams 3 times in one season.

UConn is not a very good team. Great talent, yes. Good team? They're the 9th place BE team.

Beating teams 3 times in a season in college ball is not rare. South Florida just did it yesterday.

If we were playing PC again, would everyone here be worried about beating them 3 times in one season?

Heck, in baseball, teams win 3 games in one weekend against other teams all the time.

Different sports, different dynamics.

We may lose to UConn (though probably not), but it would have nothing to do with the fact that it's our 3rd game against them.

Yep, it's hard to beat a good team 3 times in one season. But it's a lot easier if you have already beaten them twice. Then you only have to beat them once. That's not so hard.

 

[RF2044]

Completely agree. Truism logic at its worst.

If you're a better team, then you should beat the other team no matter how many times you play. 3 out of 3. 5 out of 5. 10 out of 10.

.

Let's Go Orange!!!

 

[Sgt Cuse]

Agree...third time should not be an issue, based on that alone.

We also have the advantage, and I see it as an advantage although not a huge one, that UConn will be playing for its third consecutive day.

Our disadvantage is that they have their backs against the wall with respect to the NCAA tournament. They are probably in at this point, but if I were them I would feel a whole lot more comfortable if they put today's game in the win column. We on the other hand are playing for pride only...hopefully that means enough for our guys.

I disagree about UConn feeling their backs are to the wall. They know they are in. We know they are in. Two of their competitors WV and SHU both lost yesterday. UConn is in.

UConn does have the slight disadvantage of playing their third game in three days. I hope JB subs early and often. Maybe throwing in a little press with the subs. Make UConns legs come into play.

As for the harder to win the third time, that has never made sense to me. What is harder the third time? I always thought that was a made up statement to help hype the game. Most people would otherwise give even greater odds for the team that has won before to win again, thats what makes the most sense. Especially in a matchup situation like Basketball. I know in our championship year I was glad to see we weren't playing UConn again in the NCAAT. And the year we saw Prov for the third time in the FF I was very comfortable. They have never clearly explained to me the disadvantage the third time has for the winner of the first two.

 

[TinyManInside]

We beat Georgetown 3 times in 2002-03, our national championship season, with the 3rd win coming in the quarterfinals of the BE tourney. We have the opportunity to do the exact same thing this year, in the same spot, against our biggest rival.* Another parallel with the 2002-03 team would be the fact that was the last SU team to go through a full season avoiding back-to-back losses, just like this year...

Mason



*sorry Hoyas, you haven't been consistently good enough over the last 2 decades for me to think of you as SU's biggest rival.

 

[TinyManInside]

Georgetown/Villanova 1985 is also a source of the "hard to beat a team 3 times in one season" mantra.

 

[Orange Barrel]

Georgetown/Villanova 1985 is also a source of the "hard to beat a team 3 times in one season" mantra.

Forgot that one. Probably the source.

 

[mike32768]

Yep, it's hard to beat a good team 3 times in one season. But it's a lot easier if you have already beaten them twice. Then you only have to beat them once. That's not so hard.

Goodness, someone who understands (at least a little) probability! I love it.