GAME PREDICTIONS

[Kevin G]

Skylar may have swag, but UCONN is playing like a team on a mission. If we shoot the ball well from 3 then UCONN wins by 5-10 points. If ND focuses on KML (and they will) and the others have trouble hitting shots then ND wins.

 

[feste]

UConn by 9.
What a pity that the tournament doesn't have a re-seeding format for the Final Four. This game ought to be on Tuesday night . . . though the way Walz has Louisville playing, the possibility remains that a Kentucky city on the Ohio River might be the second site for a twin championship in the same year (op. cit, Storrs).

 

[UConnDan97]

UConn by double-digits. She who laughs last laughs best...

 

[Lynx23]

Notre Dame in the Skylar Diggins era has a history of coming up short in the biggest game for all the marbles. I doubt ND would lose to Cal or Louisville, so I'm betting they come up short to UCONN. All the pressure is on ND to win this one and they may very well lilt under it. No score prediction here, though; just a sense that history works against ND in this one.

 

[uconn_nyc]

ND starts every game spotted 10 points (against anyone) by the refs and we need to over-compensate for that. Take those 10 points, add 5 more and UConn wins convincingly!

The pressure is on ND and Diggins not to come up short of a title in her 4 years there (think Dan Marino). Breanna and Kaleena will show the country that they were actually the "Ones to Watch" this year/tourney.

UConn 79 - ND 64

Absolutely!

 

[pppggg]

If Dee Kantner is on the floor I wouldn't count of that.

Let's all prey that she is not on the court. Kelly will have 3 fowls before the openning tap.

 

[Icebear]

With all due respect to Ice, we'll be just fine - Carolyn Peck predicts ND and more than offsets any Mojo Ice may have tinkered with...we're a shoe-in!

I'm going with the idea that the one other time I broke my tradition of not doing predictions earlier in the year I, actually, was closest. I do have to submit , however, that Ms Peck's ND selection is powerful juju indeed ..... for CT.

 

[chrissaran]

Muffit was quoted as saying that Notre Dame played horribly. UConn played some of their worst games against ND. Is Notre Dame going to be that much better? Not likely. Is UConn going to be that much better? More likely. Breanna, MoJeff and Morgan have made great strides. Yes, I know it's the final four, but they're not out there alone. The X factor? Bria, who must stay aggressive on offense and defense. With Moriah handling the ball, there's less pressure on her. UConn 77-72.

 

[winlots]

I like the VAMike's and DaddyChoc's posts for reasons not easy to explain.
We all know that the two teams match up evenly. The best player on the floor plays for Notre Dame. The best player in the previous three meetings between these two teams plays for Notre Dame. UConn has the better players overall and should win. UConn has the more successful coach. So, breaking down the matchups is futile. My prediction, then, will be based upon unSpock-like logic. It will be the guess he made in the fourth movie transporting the whales into the future.

The guess, however, can be explained.
1. Notre Dame is 3-0 against UConn in national semifinals. For UConn to win, something's gotta give.
2. No team in WCBB has beaten an opponent four times in one season. For Notre Dame to defy the odds, something's gotta give.
3. Notre Dame depends highly upon just one freshman, Big East POY, Jewel Lloyd. UConn depends upon three freshman, one of whom is the point guard; A move that had to be made, and it has been successful. However, history has not been kind to freshman point guards. Point all you want to Kristi Tolliver's game against Duke in 2006 and I will counter that argument with her 6-18 shooting performance. For UConn to win with a freshman point guard, something's gotta give.
4. Notre Dame has two first team All Americans, UConn has two first team All Americans. However, UConn's All Americans are front court players, one of whom is playing with a stress fracture. Notre Dame's All Americans are in the backcourt. Games at this level tend to be won in the backcourt. For UConn to overcome Notre Dame's two stellar backcourt All Americans, something's gotta give.
5. UConn has three very significant X factors; Kelly Faris, Bria Hartley, and Morgan Tuck. An outstanding game from two of three X factors, well within the realm of possibility, swings the tide in favor of the Huskies. For Notre Dame to overcome a decided X factor disadvantage, something's gotta give.


In the history of college sports, there has never been a more fortunate/luckier program than Notre Dame. For Notre Dame to even have a chance at the national championship, an improbable series of events had to occur. The most improbable, Baylor's elimination has already occurred. Winning a fourth time against UConn? We will find out tomorrow. This comes down to Notre Dame luck and the Skylar Diggins legacy. A consensus of UConn fans aside, Ms Diggins does not carry the baggage of ill will that the all time leading shot blocker from Baylor has been forced to endure for four years. As the dearly departed Big Dipper from Philadelphia can attest, no one roots for Goliath.
So, based on the incredible luck of the Irish and 3 of 5 above factors favoring Notre Dame, the biggest of which, being their stellar backcourt, Notre Dame wins the national semifinal and runs the table.
Notre Dame 74
Connecticut 67

VAU - one of the all time best posts: detailed, thoughtful, well-reasoned, provocative, balanced and timely. Nonetheless, I think we take em tonight. And, I don't think Diggins is the best player on the floor tonight. ( We WILL need even-handedness from the zebras.) From one of the few who was 5-0 against "Dippy, " as he was known in high school and in the Philly area summer leagues of old: ND won't be 4-0 against Our Girls

 

[Coler]

UConn 70, ND 60

Never thought I'd actually root for UConn, but I dislike Diggins alot....so the lesser of two evils, I suppose.

 

[DaddyChoc]

can we get some "score predictions" people... if you want to give a "game summary" Im sure there's a thread for that.

If you can say "UConn wins by 9" you can say UConn wins 79-70... are you scared to be wrong?

 

[UConnDan97]

can we get some "score predictions" people... if you want to give a "game summary" Im sure there's a thread for that.

If you can say "UConn wins by 9" you can say UConn wins 79-70... are you scared to be wrong?

You do realize that the thread is titled "game predictions" and not "score predictions", right?

(in the spirit of your comment, I'll say UConn 72 - Notre Dame 60, in order to cover my "double digit" prediction)

 

[winlots]

can we get some "score predictions" people... if you want to give a "game summary" Im sure there's a thread for that.

If you can say "UConn wins by 9" you can say UConn wins 79-70... are you scared to be wrong?

DC: well kinda used to bein wrong, and KNOW I can't predict scores - so nope, not really scared of being wrong. Little scared a you mebbe.

 

[DaddyChoc]

You do realize that the thread is titled "game predictions" and not "score predictions", right?

(in the spirit of your comment, I'll say UConn 72 - Notre Dame 60, in order to cover my "double digit" prediction)

haha good point

 

[cuzinvinny]

UCONN can win by fifteen points if they want to and can play a near perfect game. So I think that UCONN will beat ND by five to ten points.

UCONN 75 or 80 to ND's 70

 

[CTyankee]

UC 77 ND 73

 

[GoUconn7961]

All the pressure is on Notre Dame now that Baylor is out. No one in the media is seriously predicting a UCONN win. So, if the Huskies can just go out there and have fun...then it'll be an interesting night.

 

[Laramie]

looks like we'll be playing LV tues! that's my prediction.

 

[triaddukefan]

No dog in this fight, but Heaven help the Boneyard if Notre Dame gets the season sweep.

 

[01Neaggrad02]

Got to show confidence 78-71 today believe in the team. Can't have arrogance but time to dispel the doubters.

I agree with you Ice Bear.. I think 78-71. UCONN... I think KML will hit a number of big threes

 

[Woof 101]

UConn78 ND 63
Our frosh have grown. As Geno says we did not get beat the last two games we lost them. He and the team will be dialed in. UConn = Championships.
Extra motivation now to make sure Louisville does not get a mens and womans championship in the same year as we did...

 

[DaddyChoc]

Got to show confidence 78-71 today believe in the team. Can't have arrogance but time to dispel the doubters.

Ice wins... you da man!

 

[uconnfan68]

81 -61 UCONN
GO HUSKIES
IRA

Great call.