Game #1 - Maryland

[Salty Dog]

Lets fuc*ing win this thing !!!!!

 

[ZenConn]

height on perimeter = bad for cole
switchable defense = bad for bouknight

i agree that we likely will need to exploit down low.y

Agree. We're going need to have AJ and possibly play Gaffney to match up against the bigger guards if Cole can't guard. They are going to spread us out, draw Sanogo outside and start posting us down low or a dribble drive. If we can't stop that, it'll be like the St John's game all over again.

If we play tough man and keep the guys in front of us until help comes on the dribble drives, they won't be able to match up with Sanogo on the defensive end and may need to counter with a bigger lineup. It's going to be a gritty game IMO.

 

[AdamaNation]

we really need him at 100%

gaffney running point under the pressure of the tournament would be a complete disaster

Start Dre.

 

[Hankster]

we really need him at 100%

gaffney running point under the pressure of the tournament would be a complete disaster

I have to admit he took a few crazy shots last game. But to say he will be a disaster? I don't think so. Plenty of time for DH to sit him down. Talk to him. Remember Gaff did have a great game dropping 20? Also Bouk and him came in together. He will talk to Gaff also.

 

[MTBingNinja]

Anybody got the time on the game yet?!

7:10 on Saturday

 

[UConnDad]

We were going to be in Md. Saturday anyway. Watching down there is going to be awesome. Packing a dozen Husky T-shirts for the trip.

 

[Umami Zen]

Respect your opponent and control what you can control. You have no control over brackets and future opponents.

Win the game in front of you if you want to play in future games.

 

[Storrsbred]

Maryland has two good guards. Tournament is guard centric. If UConn doesn’t play their “A” game it’s going to be a long evening.

 

[Edward Sargent]

There's a bit of circularity to the rankings.

If a lot of B1G teams are ranked highly, then all the other teams look better by beating them, garner high rankings, lose to other teams who then get inflated rankings, etc.

The B1G will either dominate this Tournament (I'm talking like 6 Sweet 16 and 3-4 Elite 8 teams) or they will be badly exposed. I don't see much middle ground.

I usually pick the B1G to get exposed in my brackets and will probably do so again.

 

[alexd]

Soooo...Maryland. Going back a ways, anybody remember the Terps online poster "Smokefree" with the Steely Dan "Aja" avatar?
He was the world's #1 Jim Calhoun hater and went ballistic on one of the Terrpain forums (I also seem to remember him showing his face here) for months after UConn "$tole" Rudy Gay away from Gary Williams.

 

[billybud]

Maryland was never in the game really, when they lost to Clemson by 16...Clemson hit 5 three pointers in the opening 9 minutes and led by double digits most of the game.

The Terps let the Tigers have open long shots.

Terps shot 33% from three while Clemson shot 45%...but it was TO's that kept Maryland back...six more than the Tigers.

 

[McLovin]

Here are some key stats for the game plan.

Maryland is dead last among teams in the field in offensive rebound percentage (21%).
We are dead last in transition effective field goal percentage (61%)
Maryland shoots the 3 at a 43% rate (8th in the field)
Our non-transition eFG percentage is 42% (2nd in the field)

We win this game if we get defensive rebounds & keep Maryland out of transition. I expect a slow paced game played below the O/U of 130. This is not a game we want to go up tempo. We want an ugly slugfest. We will win by taking away their strength (3 point shooting in the half court) and by exposing their weakness (rebounding).

Edit: We also need to pound the ball inside and use our height. Play inside out basketball and hit a couple of 3s early to get our shooters going. Against Creighton we failed to get our shooters going and this caused us to be cold from deep the entire game. Got to hit a few early 3s, partially to get them to respect the shot and open up lanes, but mostly to keep our offense from becoming stagnant late in the game.

 

[Brochacho]

We won our 2014 7/10 matchup due to our freshman center. Think that will be the key again this year with Sanogo.

 

[Waquoit]

I have a nagging feeling that Maryland fans would be as bad as Sparty if they won more.

 

[Icehawk]

Looking forward to Saturday night!

 

[Palatine]

They beat Illinois back in January. That is impressive.

If they beat Illinois we can beat Illinois.

 

[billybud]

When Maryland:

Shoots FG % of 50% or better...6-0
............FG % of 45% or better...12-2
............FG % below 45%....4-10

OPP FG % of 45% or better....0-8
OPP FG% below 45%.............16-7

3 PT % greater than 35%....11-3
3 PT % less than 35%...........5-9

OPP 3 PT % greater than 35%......4-7
OPP 3 PT % less than 35%...........12-5

 

[billybud]

When Clemson beat Maryland..

The Tigers held the Terps to a FG % of 40%
...a 3 PT % of 33%

 

[CONN78SEJ]

They've got a 6'5" defender who was B1G conference defensive player of the year, Darryl Morsell. He's going to make things difficult for Bouk. Definitely need Cole and the bigs in this first matchup.

All I care about is who will ref this game. If we get favorable refs this game, Morsell has at least three fouls at halftime. If we get the refs we had in the BET, this game will be close.