"Easy Path" | Page 2 | The Boneyard

"Easy Path"

upstater said:
The tournament exposes conferences more than it does teams. Purdue for instance was a product of its conference.

Dauster is the one who asked the best question when people say the path was easy: "What team did you need them to play to convince yourself they were legit?"

No answer. If you say Alabaa, UConn played them. Houston was a shell of itself at the end. Kansas maybe is the only team that would have been interesting. Too bad Kansas lost to a team UConn annihilated.
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I think UConn would've handled Kansas. Kansas had KJ Adams, a good player, starting at center. He is basically a small forward. Sanogo against him, like Shaq says, "BBQ chicken" feasting.
 
It was an odd year.

Because it's not like the top teams (seeded) lost by a hot perfect shooting night by a lower seed. They got trounced.

Like I felt like Miami could beat Houston 4-2 in a best of 7 series.

But outside of the Big East teams, I think a few teams would have given UConn a game.

I think they got favorable matchups in terms of getting teams they could smoke.

Which is not to say they wouldn't have won regardless. But it's a little disengenous to say they would have wiped the floor with all 63 teams.
 
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tedsdrunk said:
Everyone trying to discredit us seconds after the win. We literally beat Bama. I genuinely think even if it had been a harder game the result would have been the same given a rematch.

Get over it, pundits. We won.
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Still not giving the trophy back.
 
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We had an easy path because all the other teams sucked and we didn't. (I'm very happy we didn't have to play Kansas that was the one team I wanted to avoid going into Selection Sunday)
 
Leebo said:
Yeah, I mean, who knows what would have happened if they had faced, say the overall #1 seed Alabama. No one knows...
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But Kansas, Marquette, among others would have given them a game.

I also think Miami was happy to be there and didn't being their A game.
 
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jontaejones said:
But Kansas, Marquette, among others would have given them a game.

I also think Miami was happy to be there and didn't being their A game.
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Kansas, no I don't think so. They didn't match up well with UConn at all. Marquette definitely. Although UConn matches up well with Marquette, too, Marquette beat UConn in the BET. But usually teams from the same conference can't meet until the Elite 8, although this year Providence and Marquette could've met in the Sweet 16
 
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We would have welcomed the opportunity to see what we could do against Kansas. Unfortunately the jaybirds didn't hold up their end of the bargain. If the path we took was so easy, Kansas should have taken it. They'd have back to back titles today.

I will say this, if Hawkins ordered a cheeseburger instead of calamari, we would have won each final four game by an additional 10-12 points. I think an argument can be made that the two best teams we faced were in Vegas, they just lost some luster because we smoked them. Either could have beaten most teams in this tournament, but somehow we were lucky because they couldn't handle us.

This trophy is every bit as valuable as any prior trophy handed out to any school at the end if this tournament, well at least the ones that the schools were allowed to keep.

Enjoy the victory and ignore the hate.
 
jontaejones said:
But Kansas, Marquette, among others would have given them a game.
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X with Freemantle, Creighton. That’s the list of teams that I think could have bothered UConn in the tournament. Marquette is 50/50 and UConn was on it’s A game defensively all tournament, I don’t think Marquette gets that rematch.

KU had depth and size issues, Bama already got blasted once, UCLA didn’t have the fire power or depth. Purdue would have needed a perfect shooting night. Don’t think Houston or Texas had the horses to stop Sanogo.
 
jontaejones said:
It was an odd year.

Because it's not like the top teams (seeded) lost by a hot perfect shooting night by a lower seed. They got trounced.

Like I felt like Miami could beat Houston 4-2 in a best of 7 series.

But outside of the Big East teams, I think a few teams would have given UConn a game.

I think they got favorable matchups in terms of getting teams they could smoke.

Which is not to say they wouldn't have won regardless. But it's a little disengenous to say they would have wiped the floor with all 63 teams.
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What teams would've given UConn a game?

And what Big East teams would give UConn a game -- with tourney refereeing and not BE refs?
 
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Going in, the West looked like the bracket with the highest-metric teams. UConn was shipped out West instead of earning a 3-seed. Here's how Kenpom closed the season yesterday:

Screenshot_20230404-092703.png
We held the #1 offense to 58 points, and scored 76 against the #4 defense.
 
I’m on Michigan football boards and they’re super impressed with our overall title runs over the past 25 years. With the caveat of we play nobody in most of these championship games.

Oh well.
 
upstater said:
What teams would've given UConn a game?

And what Big East teams would give UConn a game -- with tourney refereeing and not BE refs?
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So you guys would have smoked all 63 teams?

That's the Uconn fan base I know!!
 
How a bracket is set up is beyond any teams control.

If Purdue can't take care of business, that is on them. Same with Houston etc. UConn plays whoever wins, simple as that. If its so easy, where in the world was Purdue? Duke? Virginia? Kansas? etc. Hmmm, ask them how easy it was!
 
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Travelman32 said:
How a bracket is set up is beyond any teams control.

If Purdue can't take care of business, that is on them. Same with Houston etc. UConn plays whoever wins, simple as that. If its so easy, where in the world was Purdue? Duke? Virginia? Kansas? etc. Hmmm, ask them how easy it was!
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In the tourney, you become who you beat.

When a 16 beats a 1, they then presume the match up path of the 1.

In the end, it evens out. Usually in the Sweet 16 round.

You only ever play who is left there to play. And the presumption is always that you are playing the best in your bracket.

They may not have seemed to be the best when the bracket was populated by the committee. But they are presumably the best when you face them.

And, again, it is largely sorted out to the point that everything is pretty even by the second weekend.
 
jontaejones said:
But Kansas, Marquette, among others would have given them a game.

I also think Miami was happy to be there and didn't being their A game.
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That's way off base. Miami had a great deal of confidence that they would win it all and rightfully so they played really well. Miami players were crying after the game on the sidelines during the UConn. But yes, let's stick to the narrative of them being happy to be at the Final Four and not wanting more, SMH.
 
UCfor3 said:
I seldom if ever go on other teams message boards. Decided to take a quick tour after the Miami game and now this one. Just curious of the various perceptions. No posting, just reading. Went to Syracuse, Providence, Duke, Kentucky. BY FAR, the most complimentary fanbase is Kentucky on Rupp Rafters. The other 3, not that I care much, are mostly haters minus a few exceptions.
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Had never viewed the Kentucky board so I checked it out. Most still don't consider UConn a Blue Blood because we don't have a 70+ year record of winning but some certainly feel we are. They really despise Cal more than I ever could have imagined and respect Hurley. Going so far as saying UConn was the best coached team in all of the NCAA. Kind of like we are new $ and they are old $.
 
gsmooth said:
That's way off base. Miami had a great deal of confidence that they would win it all and rightfully so they played really well. Miami players were crying after the game on the sidelines during the UConn. But yes, let's stick to the narrative of them being happy to be at the Final Four and not wanting more, SMH.
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It happens. The final 4 is the goalpost 1st. Several coaches have said it including Wright

I mean don't get me wrong. I think u would have beat them Miami with their A game anyway but they looked lethargic. SDSU OTOH definitely came to play and u guys beat them down. Gonzaga wanted it bad too.
 
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