How dominant will UConn be in 2017-18?

[CocoHusky]

This is what I posted elsewhere:

I'm hardly a worry wart but I find it a little unsettling that UConn has a rematch with a team it demolished by 60 points last year. UConn is the superior team in every respect and can only lose if they play poorly and MSU plays over their heads. Still, redemption from an embarrassing loss is a storyline we see in sports from time to time. Listening a little bit to Vic Schaefer's press conference today it's clear last year's loss still sticks with him and probably his players as well.

Thanks. I would have never though along those lines ( redemption) before the game because Texas had a similar season long mantra regarding UCONN tournament beat down from 2015. When Texas got an opportunity the following year they had only marginally improved. Also understood that Vic came to UCONN and chopped it up with Geno-great move on Vic's part.

 

[SCGamecock]

Oh and let's not forget the pregame prediction thread where nearly everyone said that margin of victory would be the same and the game would be over at halftime. It just goes to show you that you never know when you'll meet your match...

As much as I enjoy reading threads like this.. ...... you just never know.

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

Oh and let's not forget the pregame prediction thread where nearly everyone said that margin of victory would be the same and the game would be over at halftime. It just goes to show you that you never know when you'll meet your match...

SCspur & SCGamecock- - -Hey SoCar guys, don't celebrate too much as the MissSt. Semi game results happen to UCONN once every 4 to 5 years while it happens to the other top competition every season! Such as SoCar!
By-the-way, When was the last time SoCar beat UCONN?

 

[j66kicker]

I love how much respect some UConn fans have for Mississippi State NOW all of a sudden.. I remember when the Huskies beat them by 60 points in the tournament and I was almost laughed off The Boneyard for suggesting that the margin of victory would be MUCH smaller if UConn and Mississippi State met again next year. Fast forward a year and not only was the margin of victory smaller.. but UConn actually ended up losing.
It's amazing how humbling ending up on the losing end just ONCE can be.

Yeah it sucks. Hopefully it doesn't happen again for the next few years.

 

[UConnCat]

I love how much respect some UConn fans have for Mississippi State NOW all of a sudden.. I remember when the Huskies beat them by 60 points in the tournament and I was almost laughed off The Boneyard for suggesting that the margin of victory would be MUCH smaller if UConn and Mississippi State met again next year. Fast forward a year and not only was the margin of victory smaller.. but UConn actually ended up losing.

It's amazing how humbling ending up on the losing end just ONCE can be.

Oh and let's not forget the pregame prediction thread where nearly everyone said that margin of victory would be the same and the game would be over at halftime. It just goes to show you that you never know when you'll meet your match...

If you have spent a lot of time on this board during the past 5 years, and you two clearly qualify, then you are going to find lots of examples of UConn fans being over-confident and lacking humility. That's what happens when you win 4 consecutive championships and 100+ games in a row. I suspect the same would be true of the SC board were it to have UConn's success. That said, there are plenty of posters who were here during the dark years (2005-2007) and later watched Notre Dame eat UConn's lunch for serveral games. So yes, a lot of us do know what it means to lose and a lot of us do know what it means to be humbled and a lot of us do know the folly of being over-confident.

Spare us the lectures.

 

[CocoHusky]

I love how much respect some UConn fans have for Mississippi State NOW all of a sudden.. I remember when the Huskies beat them by 60 points in the tournament and I was almost laughed off The Boneyard for suggesting that the margin of victory would be MUCH smaller if UConn and Mississippi State met again next year. Fast forward a year and not only was the margin of victory smaller.. but UConn actually ended up losing. It's amazing how humbling ending up on the losing end just ONCE can be.

It's also amazing how motivating a loss can be= like 111 in a row.

 

[BroadwayVa]

I love how much respect some UConn fans have for Mississippi State NOW all of a sudden.. I remember when the Huskies beat them by 60 points in the tournament and I was almost laughed off The Boneyard for suggesting that the margin of victory would be MUCH smaller if UConn and Mississippi State met again next year. Fast forward a year and not only was the margin of victory smaller.. but UConn actually ended up losing.

It's amazing how humbling ending up on the losing end just ONCE can be.

I don't know which Uconn was HUMBLED BY THAT LOSS---but whomsoever that may be--he/she is drummed out of the corp
Eating that crow a dozen times was BAD--this seems a bit of piling one.
So to feed your ego--and make you feel good--You were right in 2016--when you suggest a tougher game in 16/17. Ok--now you can move on--
Howsome-ever--That was Stew, Moriah, Tuck, KLS Kia that did ms st in---had that sextet played them again--same results, even a year later--can you not understand WhY the "laughter" (sorry no sound effect on the Boneyard)--.

So I accept your prediction came out to be true--you should have put 10,000 on that game--foolish not to with that level of confidence.
Remember in 1960 that 10k would only be 500---not a big loss but huge win.

 

[SCGamecock]

SCspur & SCGamecock- - -Hey SoCar guys, don't celebrate too much as the MissSt. Semi game results happen to UConn once every 4 to 5 years while it happens to the other top competition every season! Such as SoCar!
By-the-way, When was the last time SoCar beat UConn?

Making an observation is celebrating? Who is celebrating?

Sure, I celebrated the night of.. but then SC won the championship (miraculously according to several of you) and I had an actual reason to celebrate.

Today I'm just stating the obvious.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

I'm not so sure how fortunate SC was last year.
1) Placed out West by the selection committee away from the fan base that led NCAA in attendance.
2) Lost a dominant low post player WNBA 2nd pick for tournament
3) Won the national Championship with a Freshman PG.
4) Beat the team that knocked out UConn (Miss. St.) 3 Times last year by increasing margins each time.

The loss of Coates was not a positive, but missing UConn, Baylor, Maryland, and Notre Dame was. They had the easiest bracket of the #1 seeds, played Quinnipiac in the sweet 16, nearly lost to ASU, and beat a clearly mentally and physically drained Mississippi State team 42 hours after the UConn game.

That might sound like being harsh to South Carolina, but all of it is true. They won, and I'd rather win than not, but that doesn't mean they didn't have a fortunate road ahead of them. The only real difference between them and UConn is ASU played like the inferior team they are the last two possessions of that game.

As for 2013, UConn went through many more good teams that year than SC did this one. Sure Baylor got knocked out on the other side of the bracket but UConn was every bit as good as the Bears by the end of the tournament, if not better.

 

[SCGamecock]

If you have spent a lot of time on this board during the past 5 years, and you two clearly qualify, then you are going to find lots of examples of UConn fans being over-confident and lacking humility. That's what happens when you win 4 consecutive championships and 100+ games in a row. I suspect the same would be true of the SC board were it to have UConn's success. That said, there are plenty of posters who were here during the dark years (2005-2007) and later watched Notre Dame eat UConn's lunch for serveral games. So yes, a lot of us do know what it means to lose and a lot of us do know what it means to be humbled and a lot of us do know the folly of being over-confident.

Spare us the lectures.

You obviously felt targeted by my observation. I specifically said "some UConn fans" to specify that I wasn't making an observation about ALL UConn fans... but since you responded to me maybe this is just an attempt to smackdown a "guest" that's being too loud..

"So yes, a lot of us do know what it means to lose and a lot of us do know what it means to be humbled and a lot of us do know the folly of being over-confident."

Well if that's the case then I think it's obvious I wasn't talking to you when I made my observation.. and you proved that when you also said to Coco..

"I'm hardly a worry wart but I find it a little unsettling that UConn has a rematch with a team it demolished by 60 points last year. UConn is the superior team in every respect and can only lose if they play poorly and MSU plays over their heads. Still, redemption from an embarrassing loss is a storyline we see in sports from time to time. Listening a little bit to Vic Schaefer's press conference today it's clear last year's loss still sticks with him and probably his players as well"

So again.. my post obviously wasn't directed towards you so I'm wondering why you felt the need to be "spared of lectures"... Judging from your posts I wasn't lecturing to you in the first place.

 

[CocoHusky]

The loss of Coates was not a positive, but missing UConn, Baylor, Maryland, and Notre Dame was. They had the easiest bracket of the #1 seeds, played Quinnipiac in the sweet 16, nearly lost to ASU, and beat a clearly mentally and physically drained Mississippi State team 42 hours after the UConn game.

That might sound like being harsh to South Carolina, but all of it is true. They won, and I'd rather win than not, but that doesn't mean they didn't have a fortunate road ahead of them. The only real difference between them and UConn is ASU played like the inferior team they are the last two possessions of that game.

As for 2013, UConn went through many more good teams that year than SC did this one. Sure Baylor got knocked out on the other side of the bracket but UConn was every bit as good as the Bears by the end of the tournament, if not better.

SC Carolina beat Quinnipiac by 42 points pretty much crushing both Cinderella's glass slipper and the pumpkin coach in the process. The committee did not send SC West anticipating them playing Quinnipiac.
After beating Quinnipiac SC beat FSU-that same team that took UCONN to the final possession to open the season. After beating FSU, SC then beat Stanford so both teams had a reason to be mentally and physically exhausted by the Championship game. The road ahead only becomes a road when you beat who is in front of you. When you don't beat who is in front of you, EVERYTHING else becomes what might have been, but wasn't. Something that wasn't is neither fortunate or unfortunate. It JUST WASN"T.

 

[UConnCat]

You obviously felt targeted by my observation. I specifically said "some UConn fans" to specify that I wasn't making an observation about ALL UConn fans... but since you responded to me maybe this is just an attempt to smackdown a "guest" that's being too loud..

"So yes, a lot of us do know what it means to lose and a lot of us do know what it means to be humbled and a lot of us do know the folly of being over-confident."

Well if that's the case then I think it's obvious I wasn't talking to you when I made my observation.. and you proved that when you also said to Coco..

"I'm hardly a worry wart but I find it a little unsettling that UConn has a rematch with a team it demolished by 60 points last year. UConn is the superior team in every respect and can only lose if they play poorly and MSU plays over their heads. Still, redemption from an embarrassing loss is a storyline we see in sports from time to time. Listening a little bit to Vic Schaefer's press conference today it's clear last year's loss still sticks with him and probably his players as well"

So again.. my post obviously wasn't directed towards you so I'm wondering why you felt the need to be "spared of lectures"... Judging from your posts I wasn't lecturing to you in the first place.

No, I did not feel targeted by your post nor does that matter. I was making an observation about the content of your post just like you made an observation about the content of (unspecified) posts on this board. This is a UConn board and there are all types of UConn fans here. Why some, particularly guests, feel a need to root out and shame the most zealous of us is a mystery to me.

 

[SCGamecock]

No, I did not feel targeted by your post nor does that matter. I was making an observation about the content of your post just like you made an observation about the content of (unspecified) posts on this board. This is a UConn board and there are all types of UConn fans here. Why some, particularly guests, feel a need to root out and shame the most zealous of us is a mystery to me.

It shouldn't be a mystery to you when the most zealous of said fanbase typically end up replying to every post that guest posters make. If recalling how I was laughed at and disregarded for making an observation a year ago and relating that to the results of this year's game is rooting out and shaming zealous fans then I'm guilty... sure.

I'll be sure to put "Everybody except UConnCat" as a disclaimer in my future posts so that you won't feel targeted next time.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

After beating FSU, SC then beat Stanford so both teams had a reason to be mentally and physically exhausted by the Championship game.

With all due respect, the Bulldogs defeating UConn in a physically and emotionally draining game, one that was basically their title game, is different than beating the Florida State Seminoles.

Shafer benched William for being out of it mentally. Kinda different than the UConn game.

 

[SCspur]

Making an observation is celebrating? Who is celebrating?

Sure, I celebrated the night of.. but then SC won the championship (miraculously according to several of you) and I had an actual reason to celebrate.

Today I'm just stating the obvious.

I'd like to piggy back off of this lol

 

[SCspur]

With all due respect, the Bulldogs defeating UConn in a physically and emotionally draining game, one that was basically their title game, is different than beating the Florida State Seminoles.

Shafer benched William for being out of it mentally. Kinda different than the UConn game.

I'm not buying the physically and emotionally drained excuse for Ms St., if anything they should have been even more prepared to face SC in the championship(a game that mattered 10x more then the semi) being that they already played two times in the season. Were they drained when they came to Columbia and lost? Or in the SEC tourney championship? No! So in a sense Ms St would have never been up to the task to actually defeat SC. The bulldogs are 0-11 agaisnt SC in the past couple of seasons.

 

[CocoHusky]

I'll be sure to put "Everybody except UConnCat" as a disclaimer in my future posts so that you won't feel targeted next time.

If that's the case can I get a disclaimer too, I just feel like I'm targeted enough in my non-BY life.
This has been a great dialogue, if we can all lighten up a bit it could be even greater.
And can someone wake me up when we find that "typical fan" we keep talking about- I would love to meet him or her.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

Were they drained when they came to Columbia and lost? Or in the SEC tourney championship?

Well, no. They hadn't 42 hours prior beaten a team with a 111-game winning streak as a 22-point underdog. They had just beaten Texas A&M in the SEC tourney and Alabama fours days prior to the other game.

I'm not suggesting SC only beat MSU because of the previous game, just that it made things a lot easier.

 

[intlzncster]

Unstoppable. They might be able to field 4 of 5 First Team AAs. If voting was done properly.

 

[triaddukefan]

 

[Nuyoika]

If SCar didn't win last year it would have been a shame. I'm glad Dawn pulled it out because I was beginning to doubt her abilities. I had SCar picked as one of the teams who could possibly win it all in pre-season ( I didnt even have my beloved Huskies in that list) but they stumbled a bit and didn't pass the eye test enough for me to be sure late in the season. Come March I really didn't have any particular front runner. I gave the Huskies as good a chance as anyone once they proved to me they were far better than I anticipated (I expected a 5 loss maybe E8 year, boy did they prove me wrong). That being said the 2016-2017 Huskies were damn good. MSU was no slouch either they just happened to hit a few bumps at an inopportune time (late in the season), up until then they were a bona fide #1 seed.

 

[CocoHusky]

As for 2013, UConn went through many more good teams that year than SC did this one. Sure Baylor got knocked out on the other side of the bracket but UConn was every bit as good as the Bears by the end of the tournament, if not better.

I'm not so sure about that :
UCONN margin of victory up until 2013 FF. +68 Idaho, +33 Vandy , +26 MD, + 30 Kentucky.
SC margin of victory up until 2017 FF: +50 UNC Ashville, +3 ASU, +42 Quinnipiac, +7 FSU.
2013 Baylor team beat UCONN @Uconn and the only other loss was to Stanford (Neutral site? ) . UCONN did trash Stanford at Stanford but well before facing Baylor (Dec 29 vs. Feb 18)
What would have suddenly made UCONN "as good as Baylor (if not better) by the end of tournament"? UCONN would go on to have 2 more losses after being beaten by Baylor.

 

[meyers7]

If you have spent a lot of time on this board during the past 5 years, and you two clearly qualify, then you are going to find lots of examples of UConn fans being over-confident and lacking humility. That's what happens when you win 4 consecutive championships and 100+ games in a row. I suspect the same would be true of the SC board were it to have UConn's success. That said, there are plenty of posters who were here during the dark years (2005-2007) and later watched Notre Dame eat UConn's lunch for serveral games. So yes, a lot of us do know what it means to lose and a lot of us do know what it means to be humbled and a lot of us do know the folly of being over-confident.

Some of us remember Iowa St 1999. That sucked really, really bad.

 

[SCGamecock]

View attachment 23648

Perfect. LOL.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Some of us remember Iowa St 1999. That sucked really, really bad.

Gag. I'd totally repressed that. For those too young to remember a low lights review.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

I'm not so sure about that :
UConn margin of victory up until 2013 FF. +68 Idaho, +33 Vandy , +26 MD, + 30 Kentucky.
SC margin of victory up until 2017 FF: +50 UNC Ashville, +3 ASU, +42 Quinnipiac, +7 FSU.

South Carolina barely beat a pedestrian ASU team that I would put a bit lower than the Kentucky team UConn throttled. SC beat a good FSU team that's probably in line with the Louisville team UConn crushed. Maryland was a top-15 team UConn defeated. And then there is Notre Dame vs Mississippi State.

What would have suddenly made UConn "as good as Baylor (if not better) by the end of tournament"?

Breanna Stewart's development?

Baylor, UConn, and ND were easily the three best teams in the country going by all the metrics. UConn was close to Baylor prior to the tourney. Stewart going from sometimes impact player/sometimes invisible to just about as good as anyone made UConn great.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Just checked in on the poll results. Yup, that certainly looks like the expectation level that Geno ruefully admits "we created."

 

[BroadwayVa]

Making an observation is celebrating? Who is celebrating?

Sure, I celebrated the night of.. but then SC won the championship (miraculously according to several of you) and I had an actual reason to celebrate.

Today I'm just stating the obvious.

I could SWEAR that your OBSERVATION was a celebration---I suppose onc can see a celebratory observation--
From the first week of games last fall--I never accepted an NC--final four I spoke of often--. There, up to the final 4, there was no guarantee USC or UConn would be among them--hurray for both--MANY on the UConn Side predicted 4 maybe 5 losses--and more than some expected an during the season loss to USC. For more than some Uconn fans this team, without backup players, depth, without a true experience PG, with out a player over 6-3 and two posts 5-11 and 6 -1--even a celebrating USC/Miss fan could see how far this team exceeded it's potential.

If this team was not amazing in what it had accomplished in your view--you don't understand the game. It is fair to gloat on Uconn losses--they are so few these past 5 years--Uconn fans have --believe it or not --been through a few seasons of drought.

When any team get to the final game--per Geno (he's been there so often, he's learned)--it takes luck (the way the teams fall out leading up to the FF) and experience in the FF--and of course top talent. It would appear --all of this fell in the right places for USC this year.

Miss St did not beat the team that beat them by 60---they beat a team --the experts said would not make the FF. Ho-Hum

 

[BroadwayVa]

I'd like to piggy back off of this lol

I thought the mascot for USC was a Gamecock---now you are saying--piggies back???

 

[UConnCat]

It shouldn't be a mystery to you when the most zealous of said fanbase typically end up replying to every post that guest posters make. If recalling how I was laughed at and disregarded for making an observation a year ago and relating that to the results of this year's game is rooting out and shaming zealous fans then I'm guilty... sure.

I'll be sure to put "Everybody except UConnCat" as a disclaimer in my future posts so that you won't feel targeted next time.

As I said, I didn't feel targeted so no disclaimer necessary. I'm just here defending the Boneyard, including the more extreme partisans among us.

"Laughed at and disregarded . . . a year ago?" Hmmm . . . A thick skin and short memory are keys to longevity on the Boneyard.