Awkward feeling of being historic prohibitive favorite. | Page 2 | The Boneyard

Awkward feeling of being historic prohibitive favorite.

I thought we addressed this pre-tourney. The only way to handle this is to lean into it. Yeah, we’re gonna stomp our next two opponents.
 
superjohn said:
There should've been nothing shocking about UConn beating Duke in '99. That was the somewhat rare time Vegas got it completely wrong. They play that game 10 times and UConn wins 6 or 7 of them.
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JC outcoached K. That’s how we won. They probably had more talent, which is what everyone else thought all year.
 
Tenspro2002 said:
If we go on to win, I will have loved being the celebrated favorite who rampaged through the Tournament.

If we lose, I will hate having been hyped to the point that a Final Four season is deemed disappointing.
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the proper mantra, that I will repeat often, is UConn and their fans should ..

Respect all, but fear none.
 
We need to play our best basketball of the season and will have to sacrifice blood so let’s do it.
 
It really doesn’t matter how we feel, but the pressure the players are feeling must be immense. Possibly why we haven’t shot well from deep? But we are so good that it might not matter
 
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Iluvsuebird said:
I have heard others say that. I honestly do not get the take. They have a tall dude who dominates 6'9 guys. We have a tall dude who dominates everyone defensively. Why can't our tall dude negate their tall dude? I am not ready to concede that. Point of fact, I think Edey will have to adjust to the length of DC, and that will not be easy. And if Edey is negated, is anyone going to make the argument that the rest of the squads match up???? I dont see that.
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First- We are DOOOMED. Hypothetically if is there is a match up-Edey historically has not gotten into foul trouble. DC because of his more mobil style of play is more prone to pick up fouls then Edey. I think if he can stay on the floor (key in any game we play) he will do a good job limiting his effectiveness. Unfortunately we have no chance beating Alabama so this conversation is moot.
 
This fanbase somehow combines the most obnoxious fans on earth (tied with Syracuse) with the most woe is me little engine that could guys too.

We've won 5 national titles in 24 years, who in the world thinks that the underdog label fits at all for us?
 
nomar said:
If we and Purdue make it, it will be similar to '99 in that the two obviously best teams all season long (sorry, Houston) are playing for the title.
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That was true a few years ago with Baylor and Gonzaga as well.
 
If it helps, Purdue still has to get by a double digit seed trying to emulate Kemba and Company. Let focus on game tomorrow.
 
ConnHuskBask said:
This fanbase somehow combines the most obnoxious fans on earth (tied with Syracuse) with the most woe is me little engine that could guys too.

We've won 5 national titles in 24 years, who in the world thinks that the underdog label fits at all for us?
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This is very true. In 1999, UConn had all the pressure in the world to get to the Final Four and they and Duke were the only teams to be ranked #1 for every week of that year. In 2004, UConn was the preseason #1. They ended up being one of only a few teams to start the season as #1 and win the championship.

UConn is no cinderella and they are not the little engine that could. As another poster said here, if that is what fans want, go root for another program. It's time for UConn fans, and better yet the players on this team to have this attitude (especially 40 second mark):

 
HuskyHawk said:
That was true a few years ago with Baylor and Gonzaga as well.
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If it's UConn Purdue that's how I view the game, I don't see it as a 50/50 matchup. If Clingan doesn't get taken out of the game by the refs I don't them hanging with us. Clingan can keep Edey somewhat in check even though Edey will still get his and then there's matchup problems for Purdue all over the court.
 
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Luckily for us, UConn is playing a university and a program that is so widely loathed that we should still have the crowd on our side despite being a double digit favorite.
 
c29328 said:
It's pretty clear that UConn's best is much better than everybody else's but that doesn't mean the 3 opponents left can't win. It's a one game tourney and we have shocked the world before ourselves. It is odd being on this side of the pendulum though. I am talking myself down more often then up this week.
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We have 1 hopefully 2 games left to play our best/most complete game of the tournament. I’ve penned karaban as ff mop. He’s bout to go off!!!!
 
I came into this season with low expectations. Not because I didn't think we were any good but because we had literally just won a Natty and nearly all teams have a pullback after a championship year so I told myself nothing that happened this year could possibly be considered disappointing.

I love all the exposure and respect UConn is finally getting but the hype has reached a point that anything short of another championship will likely be seen as a failure and even if we win, many people will shrug their shoulders and say that's what they should have done. I don't like that aspect of it.
 
Kenny11 said:
It really doesn’t matter how we feel, but the pressure the players are feeling must be immense. Possibly why we haven’t shot well from deep? But we are so good that it might not matter
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I was a little worried about pressure in the Elite 8 game. What happens when our offense isn't working? Do we panic? Get off our game and devolve to iso stuff (which our guys aren't suited for)?

No, we just eventually got it going.
 
StllH8L8ner said:
Pretty much my only fear from here on out. They’ve been letting A LOT go but who knows if/when they flip the switch.
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I only fear today is losing to Alabama tomorrow.
 
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We're a wagon, and we have #shortbeds.
 
Oats will have Bama playing loose and cranking up threes. Our ability to run them off the 3 point line and get the long rebounds on missed threes will be critical and limiting second chance points. Hard to imagine them being able to consistently defend our motion offense and attacking offense. Only thing that can stop Donovan from having a huge game is foul trouble.He's been playing with maturity and patience since BET.

This time of year you gotta have healthy respect for any opponent and I'm sure Danny has them focused on the immediate task at hand. Win the game and outhustle your opponent.
 
If it's UConn v Purdue, beyond the players and coaches there's going to be a lot more pressure on Purdue to win, IMHO. UConn already has 5 NCs. They're coming from a league where the storyline is "No Respect", from the vomit rooms to the NCAA botching travel, and Hall getting passed over. Meanwhile Purdue has the 2x POY and the reputation of the entire B1G which hasn't won an NC in a generation. Those will be storylines all day Sunday and Monday, likely surpassing the "UConn Invitational" angle. Will the B1G choke again?
 
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Umami Zen said:
Oats will have Bama playing loose and cranking up threes. Our ability to run them off the 3 point line and get the long rebounds on missed threes will be critical and limiting second chance points. Hard to imagine them being able to consistently defend our motion offense and attacking offense.

This time of year you gotta have healthy respect for any opponent and I'm sure Danny has them focused on the immediate task at hand. Win the game and outhustle your opponent.
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If their missed 3s create long rebounds it's imperative UConn push the break and get open 3s, layups, or dunks off those as Alabama isn't very good at transition defense. By doing this it will also deliver the message to Alabama that there is a price to pay for those missed 3 pointers and it will add more pressure on each of their 3 pt attempts.
 
HuskyHawk said:
That was true a few years ago with Baylor and Gonzaga as well.
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Thought it might finally be Gonzaga's year. Baylor made it clear pretty quickly that wasn't going to happen.
 
StllH8L8ner said:
Pretty much my only fear from here on out. They’ve been letting A LOT go but who knows if/when they flip the switch.
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Edey's going to go right at him. He's really good at drawing fouls. OTOH, DC has been good at staying in games. OTOOH, he ain't faced a 7'4" guy with skill.
 
I mean being the favorite in the final four is better than the alternative
 
nomar said:
Edey's going to go right at him. He's really good at drawing fouls. OTOH, DC has been good at staying in games. OTOOH, he ain't faced a 7'4" guy with skill.
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OTHOOOH, Clingan is more mobile and Edey has never faced anyone with that combination of size and mobility.

We are still doomed though. Let's beat Bama before we worry about Purdue.
 
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