At Long Last- A Connecticut/Tennessee Match-Up?

[Fairfield Fan]

Charlie Creme has just listed Tennessee as a likely 6-seed in Connecticut's bracket.

Bracketology with Charlie Creme

Could it be that after more than a decade (?) of Tennessee's sneering at UConn, denigrating Geno Auriemma, and refusing to schedule Connecticut, Tennessee might be matched up against Connecticut in the NCAA's?

Were it to happen, it would be the game for a birth in the Final Four.

I for one would like to see this happen. It's time for Connecticut to show who's the class of basketball.

 

[oldude]

Charlie Creme has just listed Tennessee as a likely 6-seed in Connecticut's bracket.

Bracketology with Charlie Creme

Could it be that after more than a decade (?) of Tennessee's sneering at UConn, denigrating Geno Auriemma, and refusing to schedule Connecticut, Tennessee might be matched up against Connecticut in the NCAA's?

Were it to happen, it would be the game for a birth in the Final Four.

I for one would like to see this happen. It's time for Connecticut to show who's the class of basketball.

I have tickets for the regionals, and would love to see a Vol-Husky matchup. TN has pulled off some amazing upsets this season, but I'm afraid that a matchup against UConn would likely be their Waterloo.

 

[Huskee11]

I watched the second half of the Tennessee - Mississippi State game yesterday. If you did not know the teams or their records, you would say that Tennessee is by far the better team. MSU was sleep walking through Senior Day, while Tennessee looked more athletic and was scoring in a number of different ways. I did not see much defensive intensity from either team, which is surprising in the case of MSU.

Tennessee appears to rely on individual talent rather than team play, but they have that and it worked yesterday. I understand they have some impressive wins (South Carolina, Notre Dame) but also a number of puzzling losses.

My guess is that their inconsistency will derail them before getting to the Elite Eight, but you never know. Just look at the Final Four last year.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

I vote No. It's sorta an Alamo type thing.

 

[Monte]

Did Uconn ever play Tennessee?

 

[stwainfan]

On selection show we will find out.

 

[Jimbo]

While I was pretty peeved at first when Summitt called off the rivalry, now I couldn't care less whether we ever play them again. We've managed to do pretty well for ourselves without that rivalry. In general, I don't see how UConn has anything to gain at this point by playing Tennessee. If we blow them out, so what? If anything else happens, Tennessee benefits.

In the NCAA Tournament context, I can understand why a UConn fan might want the Huskies to end Tennessee's season, but I always think it's playing with serious fire, mojo-wise, to wish for a tourney matchup against an underachieving team with talent. You never know when that talent is gonna come to play, and when it does, that team is dangerous. And Tennessee hasn't been a bad tournament team the past couple years.

If we do happen to meet again in the NCAAs, then so be it, but I certainly won't be going out of my way to root for that to happen.

 

[drweo]

The outcome of a UConn/Tenn game would depend on a lot of things, of course. The chief one would be which Tenn. team shows up. If the better version of Tenn plays, then it could be a tough game. As many have pointed out, they have a lot of talent on that team, though it is not harnessed/directed consistently. So they could be a tough win rather than a cakewalk.

I read somewhere that after one of their better wins (dont recall which one) the players were chanting "We want UConn!" If they get what they want, I hope it turns out more along the lines of "Be careful what you wish for..."

 

[FanHam]

I've watched Tennessee play several times this season. They seem to have gotten better with each game, to my eye, even though the final scores haven't always been indicative of their play. Mississippi State on the other hand, has not looked great since they lost for the first time this season to South Carolina a few weeks ago.

Tennessee could be a very dangerous team in the post season. I don't have a high regard for the coaching staff but Diamond DeShields is terrific at both ends of the court, the whole team is talented and they're meshing as a unit. You can bet they would be highly motivated in a game against UConn.

 

[Sonny44]

Charlie Creme has just listed Tennessee as a likely 6-seed in Connecticut's bracket.

Bracketology with Charlie Creme

Could it be that after more than a decade (?) of Tennessee's sneering at UConn, denigrating Geno Auriemma, and refusing to schedule Connecticut, Tennessee might be matched up against Connecticut in the NCAA's?

Were it to happen, it would be the game for a birth in the Final Four.

I for one would like to see this happen. It's time for Connecticut to show who's the class of basketball.

I think we showed that about umpteen years ago.

 

[uconnell]

Charlie Creme has just listed Tennessee as a likely 6-seed in Connecticut's bracket.

Bracketology with Charlie Creme

Could it be that after more than a decade (?) of Tennessee's sneering at UConn, denigrating Geno Auriemma, and refusing to schedule Connecticut, Tennessee might be matched up against Connecticut in the NCAA's?

Were it to happen, it would be the game for a birth in the Final Four.

I for one would like to see this happen. It's time for Connecticut to show who's the class of basketball.

Tenn wasn't refusing to play UConn, it was Geno who wouldn't play Tenn until they apologized to Maya and her Mom.
Of course that hasn't happened and so the standoff. I really don't care as we have developed other, better rivalries and so have they, I guess.

 

[TDiNozzo]

I don't see any big deal about playing them... Only Geno and CD are the only ones left in the same positions from 10 years ago...
From reading the other forum... there is a lot of respect for Geno and his coaching success, from a lot of people there.... a few still hate the North as of yet though...so for me , it's like just another game. Actually I would like to get those 2 pts back from Stanford more....

 

[JordyG]

I watched the second half of the Tennessee - Mississippi State game yesterday. If you did not know the teams or their records, you would say that Tennessee is by far the better team. MSU was sleep walking through Senior Day, while Tennessee looked more athletic and was scoring in a number of different ways. I did not see much defensive intensity from either team, which is surprising in the case of MSU.

Tennessee appears to rely on individual talent rather than team play, but they have that and it worked yesterday. I understand they have some impressive wins (South Carolina, Notre Dame) but also a number of puzzling losses.

My guess is that their inconsistency will derail them before getting to the Elite Eight, but you never know. Just look at the Final Four last year.

The problem with teams that play me ball but have that level of talent is they're going to have great games, good games and terrible games. They're going to be inconsistent. I've never seen that type of team win a championship. When it comes to titles at any level in any sport not the best talent, but the best teams win.

 

[LO TRADER]

I watched the second half of the Tennessee - Mississippi State game yesterday. If you did not know the teams or their records, you would say that Tennessee is by far the better team. MSU was sleep walking through Senior Day, while Tennessee looked more athletic and was scoring in a number of different ways. I did not see much defensive intensity from either team, which is surprising in the case of MSU.

Tennessee appears to rely on individual talent rather than team play, but they have that and it worked yesterday. I understand they have some impressive wins (South Carolina, Notre Dame) but also a number of puzzling losses.

My guess is that their inconsistency will derail them before getting to the Elite Eight, but you never know. Just look at the Final Four last year.

I watched this game yesterday. Last year, I attended the OSU vs Tennessee game at OSU in 2016 (OSU lost). Pretty much the same Tennessee players (3 starters are Oregon High School kids

Miss. St. is small, Tennessee is tall & athletic at all positions. Also Tennessee has better shooters. I realize Miss. St. may have had an off game, but Tennessee is 1-year older with same players, who I know are pretty talented. Its just whether or not they understand "TEAM"? I have no doubt Tennessee can destroy the bracket they are placed come tournament time. They have the talent. After watching Miss. State play, it made me wonder about the strength of their conference.

 

[stwainfan]

I watched this game yesterday. Last year, I attended the OSU vs Tennessee game at OSU in 2016 (OSU lost). Pretty much the same Tennessee players (3 starters are Oregon High School kids

Miss. St. is small, Tennessee is tall & athletic at all positions. Also Tennessee has better shooters. I realize Miss. St. may have had an off game, but Tennessee is 1-year older with same players, who I know are pretty talented. Its just whether or not they understand "TEAM"? I have no doubt Tennessee can destroy the bracket they are placed come tournament time. They have the talent. After watching Miss. State play, it made me wonder about the strength of their conference.

Westbrook comes in next year also. I think this years team is a little ahead of last years team.

 

[mag 7]

I would love to see UConn defeat Tenn. It would do my heart good. Also I believe that if they played them 100 times they would defeat them 98 or 99. But 100? The few minutes I have watched the Vols play leads me to believe that they do not have the capacity to play as a team for 40 minutes so all in all I would be pleased to play them... though wary...

 

[Ozimoto]

Mississippi State couldn't keep the plates spinning yesterday...

 

[Zorro]

I for one would like to see this happen. It's time for Connecticut to show who's the class of basketball.

Uhhh...I think maybe we have pretty much, like, done that? (Eye roll.)

 

[CBear01]

Charlie Creme has just listed Tennessee as a likely 6-seed in Connecticut's bracket.

He also had Tennessee in the last projection in the Bridgeport region...

But if I'm not mistaken they were a low seed in the Talahasssee first rounds, and would have needed to get past tough teams to reach UCONN in the Elite 8.

According to the most recent projection they have jumped quite a few seeds (was this after they defeated #3 last night? I think so) and will still need tough wins to reach us again in elite 8. In Bridgeport.

Idk...I'm still going to wait until selection day before I start wondering if I need to buy tix to head back to CT to make such a game...it almost seems Charlie is keeping Tennessee on our side of the bracket to spark something (discussion and anxiety among most) and I'm wondering if they really do belong there. Until then this will only be, as its name suggests, just a projection.

 

[Blueballer]

Creme means nothing. It's just a guess. I don't care if we never play them again. But if it happens it happens.

 

[CL82]

It's time for Connecticut to show who's the class of basketball.

I think a reasonable argument can be made that they have already done that.

 

[CL82]

Tenn wasn't refusing to play UConn, it was Geno who wouldn't play Tenn until they apologized to Maya and her Mom.
Of course that hasn't happened and so the standoff. I really don't care as we have developed other, better rivalries and so have they, I guess.

Mmm not entirely true. Pat cancelled the series and launched a smear campaign again Geno, the university, some players and their parents. Then once the became irrelevant, they wanted to play again. Geno has said that they need acknowledge that their claims were baseless and apologize to the university and the parents and players they wrongly accused prior to resuming the game. Tennessee has declined to do so.

 

[Fairfield Fan]

Mmm not entirely true. Pat cancelled the series and launched a smear campaign again Geno, the university, some players and their parents. Then once the became irrelevant, they wanted to play again. Geno has said that they need acknowledge that their claims were baseless and apologize to the university and the parents and players they wrongly accused prior to resuming the game. Tennessee has declined to do so.

I may be mistaken, but I think the latest word from Geno a couple of years ago was that "No one cares." Everyone, according to him, has moved on. UConn has rivalries with Stanford, with Texas, and others. And no one cares whether Tennessee and UConn play each other.

Words to that effect. If they meet up, however, you can bet that it will be a bitterly fought contest.

 

[DefenseBB]

I am not so sure the animosity still exists with Geno. He's been on record talking about his conversations with Pat her last year of coaching and how they united against the old Penn St coach who had said something completely stupid and he did donate a fair amount of money to her foundation and attended her memorial service. I don't think he would schedule them as he has grown other rivalries and he too has taken the mantel to play anyone anywhere. I am sure though he'd relish the thought of playing them in Bridgeport if that were to happen however...