I'm always nervous when UConn is in the Final Four. Invariably, the only teams left standing this time of year are (1) really good, (2) playing really well, or (3) both of those things. Any opponent who makes it this far is worth respecting. Sure, UConn has the best team and will almost certainly need to have an off night for someone else to beat them, but crazy things can still happen in March and April. For example, once upon a time UConn had the nation's two best players and still managed to score a grand total of 12 points in the first half of a national championship game. Why? Because sometimes crazy things happen. That particular thing wasn't crazy enough in the end to cost UConn the game, but still. I take nothing for granted when it comes to UConn winning in the Final Four. Also, I especially want this year's championship for Stewie, Moriah, and Morgan, so I'm probably a little more nervous than normal.
However, I'm not particularly concerned about the fact that the teams are unfamiliar with one another. If anything, I think that factor works to UConn's advantage. But Oregon State strikes me as a smart, tough, physical team that won't quit easily, and if they hit enough outside shots and grab enough rebounds (both of which they're capable of doing), they could prove to be a major headache. As I said in another thread, I do think that Oregon State has more things to worry about in terms of matchups than UConn does. But I cannot treat this game, or any game this time of year, as a foregone conclusion.