For those who don't think yesterday was about a matchup problem...

[tzznandrew]

UConn is 5-1 this year against two teams (Memphis and Cincinnati) who are 3-1 against Louisville. Yet UConn is 0-3 against Louisville this year, and 1-9 against Louisville since 2011.

Let's not minimize the decimation of Memphis, or the hard-fought win over Cincy. Those are very good teams. For whatever reason, Louisville just has our number.

Let's go into the tournament wiping away from our memory all the Louisville losses, and pretending they are 26-5. That's a better indication of the team's ability than the three aforementioned losses.

 

[willie99]

thanks, I feel better now

please god, don't put us in Louisville's bracket

 

[Palatine]

I want another shot a L'ville.

 

[willie99]

I want another shot a L'ville.

that's what I was thinking last night, not anymore though

although if we have to meet them in the Final Four, so be it

 

[Senore]

In many ways, UConn has been the template UofL used to make up these current teams. Thabeet, Armstrong and eben Gay and Adrien illustrated what long rim protectors meant in the long run defensively. You guys became our "biggest foe" in conference, the Giant to match up with - 3 Titles says it all - and we followed much the same script. Pitino is always going to have great guards, but his new love affair with bigs (2 or 3 7 footers coming in next season) is a direct result of Thabeet, lol.

I also think the conditioning level was always aimed at some point just beyond what you guys brought, which makes it pretty much as tight and highly-conditioned as people can get. UConn has been instrumental in making us better. More so than any other program.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Really bad match-up in a lot of ways. But UConn has yet to shoot well against Louisville. I credit the D, but against UL UConn has missed a ton of open looks as well. I think it's an intimidation factor, that is similar to UConn's 2011 team, which contested you on every inch of hardwood on their half. It's a system I believe in, as it never lets the offense feel comfortable.

As much as I hate seeing Boat or Bazz just dribbling and surveying the D, they can't do it against Louisville. Pitino doesn't allow it. The steal at the end of the half was a perfect example. Memphis and Cinci play faster, with more slashing to the hoop and that style is less impacted. Strange as it seems, UConn's main weapon is the three point shot. I can't think of too many teams that can put 4 shooters on the floor with several lineups.

 

[boog204]

Really bad match-up in a lot of ways. But UConn has yet to shoot well against Louisville. I credit the D, but against UL UConn has missed a ton of open looks as well. I think it's an intimidation factor, that is similar to UConn's 2011 team, which contested you on every inch of hardwood on their half. It's a system I believe in, as it never lets the offense feel comfortable.

As much as I hate seeing Boat or Bazz just dribbling and surveying the D, they can't do it against Louisville. Pitino doesn't allow it. The steal at the end of the half was a perfect example. Memphis and Cinci play faster, with more slashing to the hoop and that style is less impacted. Strange as it seems, UConn's main weapon is the three point shot. I can't think of too many teams that can put 4 shooters on the floor with several lineups.

One (of many things) that Louisville does out so well defensively is their close outs. Even when we had a "wide open" look yesterday, our shooters would rush b/c they knew the close out was coming. Boat's not a great shooter, but he air balled a wide open 3 b/c it was in his head that a close out was coming fast and aggressively. I also noticed it with DD in the first half where he was rushing. Another thing to consider is that our shooters have relatively slow releases; Giff and DD especially. If they have to rush their set up it's going to throw everything off.

I want nothing to do with Louisville. Their defensive set exposes all of our offensive weaknesses. Bazz and Boat's handle/penetration abilities are in part negated by 'Ville's quickness and physicality. Then their athleticism up front make it even harder for them to finish around the rim. Our lack of ballhandling/passing is exemplified and even when we can get penetration the kick outs to our shooters are partly negated by their close out ability. It was pretty obvious that 'Ville was in our heads and we played so soft for the first 30 minutes or so. By then, the game was already over.

 

[itgoeslike]

Pitino's game plan against UConn was still effective. Although think UConn and KO made inroads in breaking it down. When we dropped the ball into Daniels around the foul line he converted. Daniels had a good game. His dunk exemplified the tenacity that's needed to go deep in the Tourney. We got a lot more open looks this time around, unfortunately our players appeared to be intimidated and/or frustrated and shot poorly (maybe they were simply tired). Brimah was one of the few players that played instinctively and wasn't intimidated. He's going to be really good. Harrell is a game changer for Louisville. I would have liked to see Napier or others go at at Harrell, even if it resulted in some missed shots, to get him into foul trouble early. I think he had 1 personal foul the whole game. That's gives him carte blanche to play aggressively.

 

[hyperthink]

Yeah I thought it was just an off game last week but the huskies will have to play like they did against Florida or Memphis the first time to beat Louisville if they somehow meet them in the tourney. Harrell is just too much. And that defense. Although they seemed to show they could get easy buckets at times it just wasn't enought

 

[itgoeslike]

If we did what we did last night, but shot the ball well when we had the open look, reduced turnovers by a third, and somehow reduced Harrell's minutes we would have been in a position to win. Closer, but no cigar. . .

 

[Kitaman]

I want another shot a L'ville.

Me too.......................................however only in the Championship Game.

 

[Huskygamble19]

Good caption to your avatar "I hate Louisville"

 

[mauconnfan]

Yeah I thought it was just an off game last week but the huskies will have to play like they did against Florida or Memphis the first time to beat Louisville if they somehow meet them in the tourney. Harrell is just too much. And that defense. Although they seemed to show they could get easy buckets at times it just wasn't enought

hyper you need to rub something (don't tell us just rub it) because we need your boy back…….a little MIA lately and we're better when he gets his 8-12 its and make a jumper or 2 and his defense is better when he's scoring……..get it done!

 

[CL82]

I want another shot a L'ville.

Well I have to admit in a lose and go home scenario, I don't. I do think that it is possible for us to be competitive with them though.

 

[hyperthink]

He'll be fine. Although im his biggest supporter I must say he's had a rough couple of games offensively but I must commend him for playing good defense. When he was at gw he was used to getting the ball and getti g plays called for him. Now he has to do it as a 4th sometimes 5th option and has still managed to make a name for himself. Can u imagin scoring 1,000 plus points in three years and then have to watch boatright play recklessly and look u off 80% of the time even though you know ur better??? I mean its hard to score when u can't get a shot. If he was taking 10 a game like boat he would easily give u 12. @mauconnfan

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

Can u imagin scoring 1,000 plus points in three years and then have to watch boatright play recklessly and look u off 80% of the time even though you know ur better??? I mean its hard to score when u can't get a shot. If he was taking 10 a game like boat he would easily give u 12. @mauconnfan

No one expects objectivity from you when it comes to Kromah but putting the fact that he was absolutely MIA against Louisville and Cincy on Boatright doesn't do much for your credibility. (Also, he's not better.)

 

[BugsyCT]

Other than some desperate craving for revenge I don't know why anyone still wants a piece of UofL again after what we witnessed the 1st 3 games. It's just a horrid matchup problem for us.

 

[hyperthink]

No one expects objectivity from you when it comes to Kromah but putting the fact that he was absolutely MIA against Louisville and Cincy on Boatright doesn't do much for your credibility. (Also, he's not better.)

Oh he was MIA for the Louisville game but he played good d on Kilpatrick against cincy. People only focus on offense. Before he started scoring more he was only getting a few points and playing good d. Everybody was satisfied. Now he has a few bad games but still maintains on d. Everybody complains. Didn't you all want Giffey to start anyway?? They went to the conf. Championship what's the big deal. But he is better than boatright. Boat makes good plays but he makes a lot f bad plays too. Ill advised drives to the basket make me cringe. How many selfish plays has he made??? You think bazz like playing with him??? Yea right. He could have so much more assists if he would drive and kick it out to niels or dd more. And on defense he's def not that good. Russ Smith is what he should aim to be and u see he can't guard him at all

 

[caw]

Oh he was MIA for the Louisville game but he played good d on Kilpatrick against cincy. People only focus on offense. Before he started scoring more he was only getting a few points and playing good d. Everybody was satisfied. Now he has a few bad games but still maintains on d. Everybody complains. Didn't you all want Giffey to start anyway?? They went to the conf. Championship what's the big deal. But he is better than boatright. Boat makes good plays but he makes a lot f bad plays too. Ill advised drives to the basket make me cringe. How many selfish plays has he made??? You think bazz like playing with him??? Yea right. He could have so much more assists if he would drive and kick it out to niels or dd more. And on defense he's def not that good. Russ Smith is what he should aim to be and u see he can't guard him at all

First Giffey had the main assignment on Kilpatrick. Kromah did well as the backup.

Second Kromah is not half the player of Boatright and I like Kromah. You are just being silly.

Third yes Boat should (and has the past couple games) drive to dish more. UL is an interesting team because they defend the passing lanes extremely well on the drive. Boat not being able to defend Russ Smith, he did a pretty decent job two f the three games and Smith may just be the second best scorer in college ball.

 

[Inyatkin]

Oh, so we're off the idea that Boatright hates Giffey and now he's killing Kromah. Imagine how many games we'd win if Boatright liked his teammates.

 

[gtcam]

After Saturday- I don't give a rats about lville ever again
f'em and their punk coach

 

[gtcam]

No one expects objectivity from you when it comes to Kromah but putting the fact that he was absolutely MIA against Louisville and Cincy on Boatright doesn't do much for your credibility. (Also, he's not better.)

LK played some stellar D in both games - his O is now MIA

 

[hyperthink]

[quote="caw, post: 884256, member: 56First Giffey had the main assignment on Kilpatrick. Kromah did well as the backup.

Second Kromah is not half the player of Boatright and I like Kromah. You are just being silly.

Third yes Boat should (and has the past couple games) drive to dish more. UL is an interesting team because they defend the passing lanes extremely well on the drive. Boat not being able to defend Russ Smith, he did a pretty decent job two f the three games and Smith may just be the second best scorer in college ball.[/quote]
I think he's better overall thats my opinion. Played Kilpatrick as the starter twice. just not big on Boatright considering all I heard about him before the season. Shooting 38% in the same system from last year??? Come on man

 

[James]

Kromah the worst in bounder of all time . He's going to be useful as he adds another dimension to our defense , but I look for his role to shrink with more minutes to niels.