While I agree that SC is the top team and therefore the most likely team to make it to that final weekend, I have to disagree with two things in your post. First, injury is not the only way for them to miss that final weekend. They could simply get beaten.
Second, they are clearly not the only team that matters! It is certainly conceivable that we could win the championship without ever playing the Gamecocks. After all, it (the tournament) is single elimination, lose and you’re out. As I said, there’s no question they are currently the favorite but there are a lot of games to be played before we come to that final weekend.
Finally, all credit to SC for winning last year, but let’s not pretend they beat anything but a mere shell of UConn in that final. If I were compiling a list of games to show the history of the competition between SC and UConn I would not even include that game.
It would be like Billie Jean King including her “victory” over Bobby Riggs on a list of her most impressive wins. Completely irrelevant and non representative of her true accomplishments. Let’s see what happens this season with (knock on wood) fully healthy teams. I’m not saying they aren’t the favorite but at least they will be actually playing UConn rather than the Little Sisters of the Poor!
I'm ALWAYS interested in the opinions of most of my colleagues in the Boneyard, whether they agree with me or not.
You: "injury is not the only way for them to miss that final weekend. They could simply get beaten."
Of course they could. That goes without saying. But But I don't think so. Like this past tournament, I think SC will be extremely focused and determined to make it to the final four. I reviewed their path to the championship from last year. They got a "well timed" wake up call by losing to Kentucky in the SEC Tournament final. That loss strengthened their determination and resolve.
It's a given that they were not going to lose in the first two rounds. In the third and fourth round games, they beat #5 North Carolina 69-61. That was their closest game. Next, they beat Creighton by 30. In the Final four semi-final game, they beat #1 seed Louisville by by 13. I don't think they or UConn will be seriously challenged until the 4th game of the tournament.
I have more faith in them reaching the final four than you appear to have. It doesn't mean either of us are right or wrong, just that we have a different perspective of the Gamecock's chances of returning to the championship game. We really can't continue this until March, after the tournament brackets are revealed. Then you can share with me which one their 6 likely opponents are going to beat them.
You: "Second, they are clearly not the only team that matters!"
Every team in UConn's tournament bracket matters because they must defeat all six to win the tournament. Again that is a given. There are dynamics in place here I didn't think I had to mention. I'm saying that again this year, SC will probably be the best team UConn may see in the tournament. We won't know that until March. The only way they won't see each other is if one of them loses before their paths would cross.
I wrote my comment assuming that they will see each other again in March, and if they do, UConn had better be ready to play, and Geno has figured out how to beat them. After the tip in the championship game, UConn was less than 40 minutes from winning the championship. They haven't been that close sine 2016. Only one team stopped them from hoisting the trophy......South Carolina.
We lost to them TWICE last year. So THEY are the team I'm focusing on. Of course UConn has to get to the final four, but their long term focus needs to be on the team that knocked them off for the championship. Now, if someone else does UConn's house cleaning for them, so be it. I'm not counting on it. If UConn wins the NC, I don't care who they beat. I can't emphasize that strongly enough.
You will probably disagree with these comments also, that's ok. You're probably not the only poster that does not agree with this take. This IS NOT something we can hash out today. In the meantime, I'm going to stand by this take. We'll have to wait until the final four to see which one of us is right.
