M&M Pose the Question

[DobbsRover2]

Over on ESPNw in their discussion about Tennessee being tested (doesn't the home team rate a headline spot?), Mechelle and Michelle eventually get around to the big question, "Have we seen any team that could potentially derail Connecticut?" Seems that there is a bit of desperate hoping in the voices of M&M on the question, though to be fair they both want the battle for the NC to have some glimmers of a competition while the average non-masochistic UConn fan wants the rest of the Huskies' schedule to be 40 point blowouts and will get crabby if they only win by 22 or so, no matter who they're playing.

The answer by Michelle is, "Not so far." Very astute opener and is just what WCBB experts are paid their megamillions to come up with. Then though, to keep up the spirits of the oppressed masses she adds, but that doesn't mean that there couldn't be teams that in the next three months that could "close the gap," citing Stanford, ND, and Maryland. "But let's see them do it!" she puts in, not necessarily as a wish but more of a "we'll believe it when we see it" attitude, noting that no one is really close at this point and the gap is huge.

And yeah, you can close a gap and still be a couple dozen points behind. Mechelle noted that Baylor and ND had closed the gap in recent seasons, but is not sure a team can do it this season. The one team she does pop up with of course is Tennessee, with the remark "we haven't seen those guys play in a couple seasons."

So we have two leading lights of the WCBB coverage doing their best to work up some drama about the road to the NC. Tough job for them, but when the going gets tough, Husky fans get happy.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Actually Dobbs Michele said Tenn/UConn hadn't been seen "in like forever". Her disappointment in, Duke's performance was pretty severe, saying you can't be a contender for a Nat'l championship and play like that. I thought it was interesting that in asking could another team step up to challenge, the team not in Michele's list in reply was Tennessee. Was that an oversight?

 

[DobbsRover2]

Possibly an oversight, or maybe Michelle is just more confident that teams like Stanford, ND, and MD have a chance of giving UConn a game in March or April since two of them anyway have coaches who can put together good game plans. On the other hand, maybe Michelle just wanted to leave a team for Mechelle to talk up too. Not sure if they kind of get together and scope out the question beforehand and put dibs in for discussion points. Clearly Mechelle wanted to talk about UConn and UTenn again.

 

[HGN]

Other teams like ND, Stanford , and Maryland will certainly get better over the next 2- 3 months, there's no question about it. But the UConn Huskies will be continuing to get better too. Those teams will attempt to 'close the gap' as M&M say. But UConn is not going to be standing still . They will be trying to widen the 'gap'. M&M ask the obvious , who out there can challenge right now ? And the obvious answer is that there are many teams out there that can challenge_ if UConn gets complacent and lose focus. Which I don't think Geno and staff are going to let happen. Duke tried Tuesday night. Other's will try later. So the question really is will UConn stand pat and wait for the challenge . Or will UConn continue to get better and better and widen the gap?

I don't think Geno and staff will allow complaceny to sit in nor let the team lose focus........Thus , I think they will get better and better. They will be challenged but they will prevail.

 

[DobbsRover2]

Complacency is not a word that has been associated with UConn in the last 25 years and gets even more remote now. Only the ever-present unmentionable can make UConn step back.

The reality is though that of all the teams that could give UConn a challenge, only Louisville is definitely on their slate through the rest of the year, with Baylor being a ways off the radar for top teams. The Huskies might go to an NC game (mojo willing) without seeing any of Stanford, ND, MD, and a UTenn pending an upset here or there and #1 seed like Baylor and Stanford going out early like last year. So some teams might be perceived to be able to give UConn a challenge but never get a chance to show if that idea was close to reality.

 

[Icebear]

When Tennessee plays UCONN again someday they will never have played a team that plays every play for 40 minutes at maximum intensity. Every team that plays UCONN notes that difference.

UCONN on the other hand faces teams comparable to Tennessee every year, several times a year. Tennessee has no way to prepare for that difference.

 

[HuskyFan1125]

This really be an interesting weekend for undefeated teams and the 2 in the top 5.

I think Stanford beats Tennessee.
Georgia may get all it can handle at Rutgers.

and Duke has Kentucky.

"Potentially" all three undefeated SEC teams could go down this weekend.

 

[DobbsRover2]

When Tennessee plays UCONN again someday they will never have played a team that plays every play for 40 minutes at maximum intensity. Every team that plays UCONN notes that difference.

UCONN on the other hand faces teams comparable to Tennessee every year, several times a year. Tennessee has no way to prepare for that difference.

I thought the last 23 seconds of the Duke game could have been played with a lot more intensity. Looked like a lot of dribbling, and holding on to the ball, and looking happy. If the Huskies do that against Cal, they're not going to win by 50.

 

[Biff]

I thought the last 23 seconds of the Duke game could have been played with a lot more intensity. Looked like a lot of dribbling, and holding on to the ball, and looking happy. If the Huskies do that against Cal, they're not going to win by 50.

Yup. Nailed it.

 

[Wonkster]

When Tennessee plays UCONN again someday they will never have played a team that plays every play for 40 minutes at maximum intensity. Every team that plays UCONN notes that difference ...

Brings to mind the postgame comment from the Kansas State point guard who characterized UConn's intensity in the NCAA game in Bridgeport as something she had never encountered before in basketball.

 

[Wbbfan1]

Wish they had discussed the other games being played this weekend instead of who can beat UConn.

 

[Buzzyboy]

Other teams like ND, Stanford , and Maryland will certainly get better over the next 2- 3 months, there's no question about it. But the UConn Huskies will be continuing to get better too. Those teams will attempt to 'close the gap' as M&M say. But UConn is not going to be standing still . They will be trying to widen the 'gap'. M&M ask the obvious , who out there can challenge right now ? And the obvious answer is that there are many teams out there that can challenge_ if UConn gets complacent and lose focus. Which I don't think Geno and staff are going to let happen. Duke tried Tuesday night. Other's will try later. So the question really is will UConn stand pat and wait for the challenge . Or will UConn continue to get better and better and widen the gap?

I don't think Geno and staff will allow complaceny to sit in nor let the team lose focus........Thus , I think they will get better and better. They will be challenged but they will prevail.

I still think that no one has a chance in the world to beat UConn if Morgan Tuck and Kia Stokes get over the hump and start playing up to their abilities, game in and game out. Stokes is a monster with so much strength and athletic ability that would really strengthen UConn's already impressive inside game and Morgan can play skillfully anywhere on the court and be a huge asset. Hopefully they'll find that ability to play with confidence consistently by February or March.

 

[huskybill]

Yup. Nailed it.

Biff and DobbsR can clown around all they want' but they are not answering the question. Can UConn get better? Of course not. They are already the best. If they get better, they go downhill as being better is less than being best. But a lot of teams (you know who they are) are good or better now. Thay can get better until they are the best. I think this means that we are at the high point of the season. Sorry, Husky fans.

 

[Ozzie Nelson]

Biff and DobbsR can clown around all they want' but they are not answering the question. Can UConn get better? Of course not. They are already the best. If they get better, they go downhill as being better is less than being best. But a lot of teams (you know who they are) are good or better now. Thay can get better until they are the best. I think this means that we are at the high point of the season. Sorry, Husky fans.

 

[huskybill]

Thanks Oz. I never get tired of seeing my picture on the Boneyard.

 

[DobbsRover2]

Biff and DobbsR can clown around all they want' but they are not answering the question. Can UConn get better? Of course not. They are already the best. If they get better, they go downhill as being better is less than being best. But a lot of teams (you know who they are) are good or better now. Thay can get better until they are the best. I think this means that we are at the high point of the season. Sorry, Husky fans.

Yeah but they're only the best for this year, and when the diaper kid shows up in 12 days everything starts all over again. Haven't you ever heard the expression that what you did last year doesn't matter, that this is a whole new year? So I can't really say that from what I've seen that UConn is the best team in 2014. They haven't won a single game there yet, and until they get the first victory under their belts they're just a bunch of wannabe-NCs.

So check back with me on New Year's Day after the UCF game and I'll tell you if they can get better or whether, baby, they're the best.

 

[TimeWillTell]

Brings to mind the postgame comment from the Kansas State point guard who characterized UConn's intensity in the NCAA game in Bridgeport as something she had never encountered before in basketball.

For those who haven't read it, here's the quote:

Kansas State senior Brittany Chambers certainly will not disagree with Patterson.

“You watch a person on TV and you see they do this and that,’’ Chambers said. “You can scout a team and they do this and that. But to play UConn and the way that they play the entire game, I’ve never played a team like that. We haven’t seen a team that plays like that. We’ve played Baylor three times and we’ve played teams that go hard for 40 minutes. With UConn it’s five players, one unit. If one player makes
a mistake the other four have her back the entire time. That’s what makes them special.’’

 

[MilfordHusky]

I still think that no one has a chance in the world to beat UConn if Morgan Tuck and Kia Stokes get over the hump and start playing up to their abilities, game in and game out. Stokes is a monster with so much strength and athletic ability that would really strengthen UConn's already impressive inside game and Morgan can play skillfully anywhere on the court and be a huge asset. Hopefully they'll find that ability to play with confidence consistently by February or March.

Like most years and most games, the Huskies don't always fire on all cylinders. Typically a few players have off-games. Usually, that is enough to win comfortably. If this team is healthy and everyone brings their A game on the same night, we may be 30 points better than everyone else. Morgan, Kiah, and Saniya may be the most inconsistent, but they are all capable of being very good. The season is still young. I look for all 9 key players to have good seasons.

 

[huskybill]

Yeah but they're only the best for this year, and when the diaper kid shows up in 12 days everything starts all over again. Haven't you ever heard the expression that what you did last year doesn't matter, that this is a whole new year? So I can't really say that from what I've seen that UConn is the best team in 2014. They haven't won a single game there yet, and until they get the first victory under their belts they're just a bunch of wannabe-NCs.

So check back with me on New Year's Day after the UCF game and I'll tell you if they can get better or whether, baby, they're the best.

I'll be too drunk to check with you. Will you be too drunk to answer?

 

[DobbsRover2]

I'll be too drunk to check with you. Will you be too drunk to answer?

Well, very possibly, but I already know the answer and will type it in before the evilly irresistible 50 proof egg nog is put out and lays me low. I think I can manage a click on New Year's Day, or maybe that night.