OT: Duke Men's Loss Article vs UConn

[mbr33ct]

Reading this article, the UConn women's basketball team came to mind. Seems like everything said about Duke and it's program, the same can be said about UConn.

I started posting quotes from article here, but decided not to, realized I was quoting just about every paragraphs. So, here's the link you make your own conclusions.

Duke lost to South Carolina because they were too easy to hate

 

[VAMike23]

WRT the article: I would agree that there are lots of people rooting against another NC for the UCONN program, but I would disagree that UCONN has any individual players who personify a modern day "Evil Empire" , even to opposing fans. We have nobody today that struts around the court with the audacity of a Diana Taurasi to garner that particular kind of attention (Doubt we'll ever have another quite like her, either!)

Duke has Grayson Allen - in past years they had Christian Laettner, etc., etc. Not to mention the fact that it's a highly ranked private school $$$$. Etc. It's easy for people to make it "personal" as a result.

We have ..... Napheesa Collier...??? From what I've read, even the opposing fan bases have a high level of respect and admiration for our players. For good reason.

 

[Buzzyboy]

Reading this article, the UConn women's basketball team came to mind. Seems like everything said about Duke and it's program, the same can be said about UConn.

I started posting quotes from article here, but decided not to, realized I was quoting just about every paragraphs. So, here's the link you make your own conclusions.

Duke lost to South Carolina because they were too easy to hate

I think that Duke and North Carolina and Kentucky and a few other schools have such an advantage (and not disadvantage) just stepping on the court against almost anyone. As seen in North Carolina's win over Arkansas, I think consciously or unconsciously, they had a tendency to get the benefits of those "close calls" almost ad infinitum and it's almost shameful. This article suggests that teams coming in have the added inspiration to "slay the dragon" and that's a positive thing but often you find teams fighting the great fight and then shooting themselves in the foot in the latter part of the game by trying to do TOO MUCH. The pressure is typically always on the underdog. UConn continually play their game "against themselves and their ceiling", while always pursuing "perfection"! The only similarity between Duke and the Huskies is that both teams typically get some of the better talent out there but Duke has the added advantage of the perceived benefit of a Duke degree.

 

[tomcat]

Reading this article, the UConn women's basketball team came to mind. Seems like everything said about Duke and it's program, the same can be said about UConn.

I started posting quotes from article here, but decided not to, realized I was quoting just about every paragraphs. So, here's the link you make your own conclusions.

Duke lost to South Carolina because they were too easy to hate

There probably are plenty of people who want to see UConn lose, but it's not because the team has some kind of "Evil Empire" attitude. If Grayson Allen became the personification of all that is wrong with Duke basketball, who would fill that role at UConn, and how would they do it? Which UConn players go around instigating trouble wiht opponents? Which ones try to, literally, trip up opponents? Which ones revel in their reputation as bad guys?

The next time any UConn player does any of those things will be the first time. And that's why, at the end of the day, UConn WCBB and Duke MCBB are not in the same bat. For which we can be eternally grateful.