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Message: [QUOTE="bballnut90, post: 5167525, member: 2117"] UCONN reaching a Final Four depends on matchups and health IMO. If Fudd can play consistently and produce against better teams, it improves UCONN's chances greatly. Griffin returning also could make an impact, though I'm unsure whose minutes get chopped since UCONN is immensely deep at the 2/3 spots with Bueckers/Fudd/Cheli/Shade/Griffin all competing for playing time. When looking at regional matchups, I think the two regionals UCONN needs to avoid are South Carolina and UCLA. South Carolina is just bigger and more athletic than the Huskies and isn't a team I'd want to match up with prior to the Final Four. Similar sentiment about UCLA with their 6-7 post and having a slew of good forwards that are 6-3/6-4 plus solid guard play. Notre Dame in a rematch is a winnable game, but it'd be tough with Hidalgo (the likely POY) and Miles playing as well as they are, not to mention Citron/King and Westbeld is back. I think if you can slow down Hidalgo or catch ND on a cool shooting night, UCONN can win. Playing Texas or USC would be an optimal matchup for UCONN though in the regionals. Texas is stacked but still seems like its finding its identity and players are figuring out their roles. For Texas, individual player productivity is all over the place game to game, though this likely will figure itself out over the next couple of months. For USC, they beat UCONN on the road earlier this year, but UCONN was without Fudd and Juju had her best game of the season against a decent opponent. If I'm a betting man, I'd pick UCONN > USC in a rematch. LSU is another team that would be a better matchup for the Huskies. Morrow/Flaujae are a handful but they don't have much height and they don't seem like they've been playing up to their potential this year despite being undefeated. Ohio State, Kansas State and TCU are dark horse teams that could give the Huskies problems if they matchup in the Sweet 16 due to frontcourt play. Maybe not Ohio State as much, but they're a well built team this season and Cambridge has been terrific at PG. Maryland is solid this year but very guard heavy and UCONN has more talented players, so I think they'd be a great 3 seed matchup for UCONN. [/QUOTE]

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