An interesting article about how we almost lost to St. Joe's

[tzznandrew]

http://www.cbssports.com/collegebas...as-one-rebound-away-from-killing-uconns-story

Some cool and classy quotes from Martelli:
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"They played better in their second, third and fourth [tournament] games than they did against us," Martelli said. "But we played better longer than Nova, Iowa State and Michigan State did against them. I think the fact that we had older guys, that we had a short bench. These guys knew and were confident in their abilities. It was a really special game to be a part of."

[...]

"Even as I sit here today, I don't feel like we lost. They won the game," Martelli said. "What they've done, in my opinion, is they've broken this down into a possession game, not a run game."
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[aceboon]

Norlander tried to paint it as UConn coming into the tourney as a sputtering team. I know the national media isn't following the team all that closely like that but both losses were to Louisville, and anybody with eyes can see this group is spooked by them. In b/w those losses to Louisville were a blowout victory over Memphis on their home court and a win against Cincy where UConn controlled the majority of the 2nd half. Based on those two efforts I was feeling really good about this team coming into the tourney.

 

[upstater]

CBS, with Parrish, Norlander, Borzello, Dodd, and the Fluke Guy, are going to write as many articles as possibly chipping away at UConn. Every single top team skirts by in the tourney with a close victory.

 

[aceboon]

CBS, with Parrish, Norlander, Borzello, Dodd, and the Fluke Guy, are going to write as many articles as possibly chipping away at UConn. Every single top team skirts by in the tourney with a close victory.

look at all the qualifiers he put on the run, Nova was the "perfect matchup", homecourt advantage vs Iowa State without Niang, yet Niang's injury or the game being played at MSG didn't stop all those CBS guys from picking Iowa State to win beforehand. This is the same guy who wrote last year that the best UConn could hope for in the post conference realignment world was to be the Gonzaga of the East, Gonzaga doesn't even make it out of the first weekend these days, let alone championship games.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Maybe St. Joe's should have gotten that rebound. Maybe Tate George should have knocked the ball down court instead of trying to catch it. Maybe someone on Missouri should have slowed down Tyus Edny. Maybe Donyell should have hit a free throw.

It's the Tournament and S%$* happens. I like the "what if" of Panacevic's 4th foul a lot better than I like the other "what if's".

 

[champs99and04]

St. Joe's - UConn should be remembered as one of the games of the tournament. I think Martelli is being overly modest, UConn did play well in that game, St. Joe's just played over their head and it resulted in an extremely high quality game.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

St. Joe's - UConn should be remembered as one of the games of the tournament. I think Martelli is being overly modest, UConn did play well in that game, St. Joe's just played over their head and it resulted in an extremely high quality game.

I agree on this point. St. Joe's played a great game.

 

[TheChamps990411]

Norlander tried to paint it as UConn coming into the tourney as a sputtering team. I know the national media isn't following the team all that closely like that but both losses were to Louisville, and anybody with eyes can see this group is spooked by them. In b/w those losses to Louisville were a blowout victory over Memphis on their home court and a win against Cincy where UConn controlled the majority of the 2nd half. Based on those two efforts I was feeling really good about this team coming into the tourney.

And when we beat UK itll be about how freshmen arent ready for the big lights. im sooo tired of the crap im seeing from so man directions trying to downplay uconn. Cant wait to see what is said when we cut down the nets.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

Maybe St. Joe's should have gotten that rebound. Maybe Tate George should have knocked the ball down court instead of trying to catch it. Maybe someone on Missouri should have slowed down Tyus Edny. Maybe Donyell should have hit a free throw.

It's the Tournament and S%$ happens. I like the "what if" of Panacevic's 4th foul a lot better than I like the other "what if's".

Please don't mention Donyell and free throws, my hand (from punching a TV, a door, a table, and 2 walls) and my liver (drank a bottle of vodka solo) are still in pain from that loss.

 

[BlueMAB]

St. Joe's played really well. It seemed like every bounce went their way, and every shot was falling.

But we are lucky. We are the luckiest, flukiest team to ever fluke our way into a few lucky wins. I just hope we have 40 flukey more minutes left in our tanks.

 

[HuskyBballFan]

Norlander tried to paint it as UConn coming into the tourney as a sputtering team. I know the national media isn't following the team all that closely like that but both losses were to Louisville, and anybody with eyes can see this group is spooked by them. In b/w those losses to Louisville were a blowout victory over Memphis on their home court and a win against Cincy where UConn controlled the majority of the 2nd half. Based on those two efforts I was feeling really good about this team coming into the tourney.

Yup. I've seen it written several places that Uconn "got blown out in the conference tournament." We did, but it was the championship game of the conference tournament. And we didn't exactly have an easy draw to get there.

 

[SubbaBub]

In other news, the Titanic almost made it to New York.

 

[djct1999]

Really? This is a storyline for UConn? Really? Its not like Kentucky had to hit two lucky 3s at the end of TWO games to advance.

 

[Adios]

Really? This is a storyline for UConn? Really? Its not like Kentucky had to hit two lucky 3s at the end of TWO games to advance.

DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMED!

 

[BoatShow]

Witcita st and Wisconsin also had shots almost go down AFTER UK has hit last second shots.

Really? This is a storyline for UConn? Really? Its not like Kentucky had to hit two lucky 3s at the end of TWO games to advance.

 

[boba]

There was this team, UCLA, who was about to lose in the second round. Fortunately for them they got a coast to coast from Tyus Edney and they went on. The toughest team they faced in the tournament? UConn team featuring Ray Allen and some guy named Kevin Ollie.
Yeah, you don't win without a little bit of luck, but you also don't win unless you have a great set of testiculos, and well we have the Senhor in or corner.

 

[upstater]

St. Joe's - UConn should be remembered as one of the games of the tournament. I think Martelli is being overly modest, UConn did play well in that game, St. Joe's just played over their head and it resulted in an extremely high quality game.

The best player UConn has faced during the tournament was St. Joe's shooting guard. It's a shame his name escapes me, but he was unstoppable.

 

[Marat]

The best player UConn has faced during the tournament was St. Joe's shooting guard. It's a shame his name escapes me, but he was unstoppable.

Galloway

 

[willie99]

did they do a story about how UK almost lost the last 4 games?

no wait, that's a sign of toughness

 

[tzznandrew]

The best player UConn has faced during the tournament was St. Joe's shooting guard. It's a shame his name escapes me, but he was unstoppable.

Langston Galloway absolutely abused our guards. He was strong, and it took us switching Kromah onto him to make any dent in his production. Also, he was shooting unbelievably.

I'm not getting all upset about this article. I mean, Martelli seems to be giving us all the credit in the world, and if message boards and ESPN culture were around in 1995, we'd have heard even more about the Tyus Edny last second shot.

It is what it is. We go out and win tonight (which we can't do, we are doomed) and people will shut up. Maybe not this year, but eventually. People no longer complain about the Butler game. UConn won. No one cares how or why, they just know we have 3 titles.

 

[Pudge]

Martelli proved himself, to me, as a really solid coach. That was a good gameplan & Langston Galloway was unbelievable.

Caliendo!!

I am calling out a fellow Boneyarder ... as I remember him sputtering that Kevin Ollie was getting outcoached 3/4 of the way thru the St. Joe's game. NOPE. We face solid teams & this one played great. Probably as good as they can play with a solid gameplan from a veteran coach. KO did some subtle things that took advantage of the fact that they really only had 5 guys. He saw that coming. And, when we were at Winning Time ... we did have a good shot. That was coaching - friends. We faced a team that played us well & had the chance for a victory. Our coach got us to where we could win.

KO said he was bringing a banner back to Gampel at the last home game this year. I giggled. That guy is so impressive. And, I was a supporter and dreamer that OUR UConn legacy had legs. It does.

 

[IMind]

Speaking of St. Joe's, on my way into work today, I pulled up behind a car with a UConn window sticker and a St. Joe's license plate. Seemed like good mojo to me.

 

[Tenspro2002]

It is mind-blowing to think about the difference in narrative about our program between where we are today, vs. if we had lost to St. Joe's less than 3 weeks ago.

Had we lost, it would have concluded a third straight season outside the spotlight and raised additional questions about our ability to claim national relevance under Ollie and in the AAC.

As it is, we've not only further established our blue-blood credibility, but also done so at a tenuous time in our history and demonstrated to the media, to recruits, and to power-conference bigwigs that we're as strong as ever in the post-Calhoun, post-CR era. Additionally, Ollie has established himself a legitimate, major-program coach who can win big games.

All because of a timely putback and free throw shooting.

 

[intlzncster]

As it is, we've not only further established our blue-blood credibility, but also done so at a tenuous time in our history and demonstrated to the media, to recruits, and to power-conference bigwigs that we're as strong as ever in the post-Calhoun, post-CR era. Additionally, Ollie has established himself a legitimate, major-program coach who can win big games.

Was it you who said Ollie couldn't win big games (as underdogs) pre tournament? Might have been walker11.

 

[Tenspro2002]

Was it you who said Ollie couldn't win big games (as underdogs) pre tournament? Might have been walker11.

Definitely wasn't me. But had we lost, it's a point that could have been propagated by our detractors in the media (or on this board).