How important is today's game?

[TouchdownHusky]

Today's game needs to be treated almost like playing for a national championship. First off, it's Syracuse and UConn "hates" the Cuse (that aggravating little nickname used by the SU legions of announcers). Secondly, the Orange is a dirty program that has been like that for years. Third it's a game against an ACC team and those, IMO, are more important than regular season AAC games, to an extent. Fourth, this is yet another opportunity to show the ACC that they took the wrong school in SU and should have gone with the Huskies. Fifth, this is an opportunity to remind ESPN that they are located in Connecticut and should have backed UConn in conference realignment. Finally, it's an opportunity to beat a P5 school - a must in all UConn sports- to show they belong and to mess up ESPN's little "Cuse" coming out party in tomorrow's final.

 

[Tenspro2002]

Less important than yesterday. Losing yesterday would have made it very difficult to secure a Top 3 seed.

Either way, we get another game against a Top 25 team. The SOS work has mostly already been done.

That said, this is still a key game. If yesterday was the most important of the regular season, today's is probably #4 or 5.

 

[Jaker]

It's the only thing that matters today.

 

[TouchdownHusky]

I get the whole Bill Belichek "only focused on the opponent in front of us" approach and that is the right way to go about business. That being said, UConn has been and is always fighting for it's legitimate claim that they should be in a P5 conference. Winning those games, since there is not an abundance of opportunity for that in basketball or football, take on a high level of importance. How big, for instance, would beating Missouri in football have been. How sweet was it to have beaten the SEC Gators and perennial kings, Kentucky for the NC in 2014. Better I think that beating Butler in 2011 in a low ratings TV National Championship game.

 

[intlzncster]

We are playing Syracuse. This might be the most important game of the year. I would like to look down on them for the rest of the year.

 

[intlzncster]

I get the whole Bill Belichek "only focused on the opponent in front of us" approach and that is the right way to go about business. That being said, UConn has been and is always fighting for it's legitimate claim that they should be in a P5 conference. Winning those games, since there is not an abundance of opportunity for that in basketball or football, take on a high level of importance. How big, for instance, would beating Missouri in football have been. How sweet was it to have beaten the SEC Gators and perennial kings, Kentucky for the NC in 2014. Better I think that beating Butler in 2011 in a low ratings TV National Championship game.

The 'most important game is the current one' is by far the best strategy for the coaches and players. But for the fans, we are all over the shop, based on our respective proclivities.

 

[BUConn10]

We are playing Syracuse. This might be the most important game of the year. I would like to look down on them for the rest of the year.

Uhhhh why not do it like the Cuse fans. Do nothing but lose against UConn in all facets of the game, continue to look down on them.

 

[DogMania]

I view this as the next big game, not the biggest. We have some really good OOC games, with current #2 MD coming up soon. That's a biggie as far as future seeding is concerned. The more Ws against our top OOC games the better our resume and the better our seed will be.

Now do I really want this win today against our long time nemesis? H*ll yes!!!!

 

[junglehusky]

Even though we are stuck in the AAC and SU isn't, we don't need this game to prove ourselves, make a statement or anything. We're way past that. UConn is simply more established and nobody, not even Mark Emmert, could change that.

Having said that, bragging rights are on the line for the fanbases, so let's go out there and kick the cr@# out of the orange!

 

[FfldCntyFan]

We are playing Syracuse. This might be the most important game of the year. I would like to look down on them for the rest of the year.

You can't spell SUCK without Syracuse University

I plan on looking down on them for the remainder of my life.

 

[WestHartHusk]

Less important than yesterday. Losing yesterday would have made it very difficult to secure a Top 3 seed.

Either way, we get another game against a Top 25 team. The SOS work has mostly already been done.

That said, this is still a key game. If yesterday was the most important of the regular season, today's is probably #4 or 5.

Cuse is unranked, and will be all year.

 

[TouchdownHusky]

Even though we are stuck in the AAC and SU isn't, we don't need this game to prove ourselves, make a statement or anything. We're way past that. UConn is simply more established and nobody, not even Mark Emmert, could change that.

Having said that, bragging rights are on the line for the fanbases, so let's go out there and kick the cr@# out of the orange!

We need every game against a P5 Conference opponent in every sport till we finally are deemed worthy of being a P5 program.

 

[kemba]

I get the whole Bill Belichek "only focused on the opponent in front of us" approach and that is the right way to go about business. That being said, UConn has been and is always fighting for it's legitimate claim that they should be in a P5 conference. Winning those games, since there is not an abundance of opportunity for that in basketball or football, take on a high level of importance. How big, for instance, would beating Missouri in football have been. How sweet was it to have beaten the SEC Gators and perennial kings, Kentucky for the NC in 2014. Better I think that beating Butler in 2011 in a low ratings TV National Championship game.

Maybe you can make that argument for football. UConn doesn't have anything to prove with basketball. Obviously we didn't get passed over because of the basketball team.

 

[TouchdownHusky]

Maybe you can make that argument for football. UConn doesn't have anything to prove with basketball. Obviously we didn't get passed over because of the basketball team.

Absolutely agree with you, but as Lew Perkins once said about the urgency of taking the invite to join the Big East . . . Ultimately the long term success of the men's & women's basketball (and other programs) will hinge on being in the TV conferences.

 

[TouchdownHusky]

Yeah, no prob. Can't beat Syracuse. That's OK, Sacred Heart is coming up and a win there is just as good. Uh huh!

 

[Tenspro2002]

Now Gonzaga is a must-win if we want to remain ranked and relevant this year. A loss here and we'll struggle to get back into the Top 25 and get a top seed.

 

[intlzncster]

Now Gonzaga is a must-win if we want to remain ranked and relevant this year. A loss here and we'll struggle to get back into the Top 25 and get a top seed.

Not if they beat Maryland.

 

[zls44]

Now Gonzaga is a must-win if we want to remain ranked and relevant this year. A loss here and we'll struggle to get back into the Top 25 and get a top seed.

This is a really dumb statement.

 

[4UConn]

Gentlemen, it's a loss, albeit disappointing, but still a loss in NOVEMBER.

 

[TouchdownHusky]

Not if they beat Maryland.

Beat Maryland? Depends . . . Are Gibbs and Miller gonna play. Is Brimah gonna take the mittens off his hands? Is Adams gonna show up (don't wanna hear he's just a freshman, SU got big production out of a freshman and Adams isn't even being asked to play a major role).

 

[tzznandrew]

Beat Maryland? Depends . . . Are Gibbs and Miller gonna play. Is Brimah gonna take the mittens off his hands? Is Adams gonna show up (don't wanna hear he's just a freshman, SU got big production out of a freshman and Adams isn't even being asked to play a major role).

Right. We're terrible. Got it.

Let's overreact after this game, just like we did after Maine.

 

[TouchdownHusky]

Right. We're terrible. Got it.

Let's overreact after this game, just like we did after Maine.

Of course not. This team had no weaknesses exposed and will probably beat Syracuse when they play again in Febuary. . . Oh wait they don't and may not play again for years to come.

 

[huskyharry]

There are a lot of good teaching opportunities from today's game.
They would have won the game if they had not lost their composure for a five minute stretch in the second half when they got bum rushed.
Sometimes it is good to get kicked in the teeth and burst the ego balloons a bit. This team will be fine.