Our Bracket and UCLA | Page 3 | The Boneyard

Our Bracket and UCLA

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Bills Fan said:
At this point I would hope to avoid UCLA at any cost. I just read the CBS draft projection and it is kind of scary. Azzi is projected at number 3 but the concerning part is that UCLA has 4 of the top 9 draftee projections. Betts, Rice, Kneepkens (sp?) and Jaquia (sp?). That's a lot of talent and experience. Even with Sarah as a likely number 1, pushing everyone down one place, it doesn't take away from the fact that UCLA is loaded with both talent and experience. (Sidepoint, they will have big problems next year, probably falling into the middle, or lower, of the Big Ten)
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Their “experience” includes being shellacked by Our UConn Huskies in the Final Four last year. Bring them or anyone on! I must that I can’t agree more with the sentiment expressed by some BYers on this thread that it is unfair and wrong that the # 1 and # 2 over-all seeds etc. aren’t bracketed to play the #7 and # 8 overall seeds etc. due to conference affiliation. Thats just ridiculous to literally punish high seeded teams and rewarding lower seeded ones based upon the perceived strength of their conferences when to be fair and correct it should be seeded and bracketed straight up by the true seedings.
 
Bills Fan said:
At this point I would hope to avoid UCLA at any cost. I just read the CBS draft projection and it is kind of scary. Azzi is projected at number 3 but the concerning part is that UCLA has 4 of the top 9 draftee projections. Betts, Rice, Kneepkens (sp?) and Jaquia (sp?). That's a lot of talent and experience. Even with Sarah as a likely number 1, pushing everyone down one place, it doesn't take away from the fact that UCLA is loaded with both talent and experience. (Sidepoint, they will have big problems next year, probably falling into the middle, or lower, of the Big Ten)
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There are more pertinent datapoints than that:
  • UConn has more and better scorers than UCLA;
  • UConn has more and better facilitators than UCLA;
  • On the supposed dominant “archetypes” (disruptor UConn vs glass crusher UCLA), UConn’s seems to be more reliable;
  • UCLA’s vulnerability to disruption was exposed early by TX; turnover differential (and the resultant FGA differential) was the key difference in UCLA’s loss &1 to TX;
  • Close still seems to be concerned with this as she had the Top 7 (and three key ball handlers) still playing practically the entire 4th quarter against Iowa &2 in the Big Ten Finals, when Iowa conceded the game, closing the game with a misleading 29-9 fourth quarter;
  • As a senior-laden team, Close chose to rely on a Top 6 (now Top 7 with Sienna Betts); for the regular season, Close has played 107 rotations vs 158 rotations for UConn;
  • Above portends to UConn’s rotations (and bench) being a little-bit more developed;
  • I don’t know if UCLA is prepared for UConn’s relentless defense &0, but Geno and CD will sure harp on UCLA’s rebounding guards;
  • &0 UConn’s opponents counteract UConn’s relentless defense by substituting much more frequently and with more bodies (not quite TN but trending there); endurance is a key UConn prioritized skill as Blanca attests.
UConn | Torvik Schedule
UCLA | Torvik Schedule
 
H Dog said:
Their “experience” includes being shellacked by Our UConn Huskies in the Final Four last year. Bring them or anyone on! I must that I can’t agree more with the sentiment expressed by some BYers on this thread that it is unfair and wrong that the # 1 and # 2 over-all seeds etc. aren’t bracketed to play the #7 and # 8 overall seeds etc. due to conference affiliation. Thats just ridiculous to literally punish high seeded teams and rewarding lower seeded ones based upon the perceived strength of their conferences when to be fair and correct it should be seeded and bracketed straight up by the true seedings.
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So, which is it? "Bring on anyone" ? Or, "it is unfair and wrong" ? 🤣
 
If you read my original post we will have Vandy or LSU as our #2 seed. That will happen. Fair or unfair. The 3 and 4 #1 seeds (Texas and SC) will get a combo of Duke, Iowa or probably Baylor).
 
BRS24 said:
IMO players' success in college is not directly translatable to the pros. I wouldn't worry about it until we see them in the tourney.
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I'm not worried about it, but being a top nine draft choice, certainly is a strong indication of how good you are and having four of the top nine is surely an indication of the skill level of a team.
 
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GoUconn7961 said:
The fans are the only ones who care about the brackets. Teams play the cards they’re dealt. The goal is to win the games and get the prize.
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Not true. Teams and coaches do care about seeds. Fatigue sets in when a team plays hard to the last second in a semi-final game. From my perspective, recent years' March Madness brackets have been set to give SC and LSU easier Elite 8 and Final 4 matchups than UConn has had.
 
There's such thing as "perfect seeding" as long as the schedules for each team are unequal.
The NET equation isn't perfect either.
Next folks will complain that the refs aren't perfect.
Maybe one team plays on a basketball court that's tilted in their favor, or only they know about a bump on the court?
 
southie said:
So, which is it? "Bring on anyone" ? Or, "it is unfair and wrong" ? 🤣
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Well…. it’s both, those are 2 different topics and thoughts lol. Bring on UCLA or anybody but to be fair to everyone each year the selection committee should bracket it straight regardless of conference affiliation.
 
H Dog said:
Well…. it’s both, those are 2 different topics and thoughts lol. Bring on UCLA or anybody but to be fair to everyone each year the selection committee should bracket it straight regardless of conference affiliation.
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I'll copy/paste what I posted on Thursday in this thread:

a big reason that intra-conference matchups try to be avoided is because many years ago UConn and Rutgers played each other 3 times in the Big East, and then were matched up in the Elite 8 round which UConn also won to advance to the Final Four.

Then, the same thing happened between Baylor and Texas A&M in the Big 12 with Baylor winning the 3 conference games and A&M pulling off the upset in the Elite 8 to advance to their first Final Four and eventually win the national title.

Right or wrong, there are reasons why such rules were put in place. Conversely, women's volleyball and softball don't have rules avoiding intra-conference pairings at the Sweet 16 and Elite 8 rounds; the committees lets the seeds fall where they may and use an S-curve; and, not surprisingly, many coaches and fans want them to follow the same intra-conference rules which basketball employs. You just can't make everyone happy.
 
We recently saw how LSU won a NC as a #3 seed which shows that folks shouldn't only be concerned about the #2 seeds & which of them the #1's are expected to play.
There will always be some potential for upsets because the seedings aren't perfect nor are they predictions.
For example, I have doubts about SCar making it to the Final Four this year.
 
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The Deuce said:
Not true. Teams and coaches do care about seeds. Fatigue sets in when a team plays hard to the last second in a semi-final game. From my perspective, recent years' March Madness brackets have been set to give SC and LSU easier Elite 8 and Final 4 matchups than UConn has had.
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I stand by my post. You play the cards you’re dealt w/o complaint.
 
I think speed is what UCONN has that UCLA can't match, if UCLA can slow down game they have a chance. IMO, they don't have the guard speed to match UCONN when Blanca is in game. Yes in that scenario, UCLA will have the height advantage in the middle, but the guards have to have the time and the sets to get it inside. I don't see that happening. Historically Sereh and Jana have played Betts well.
 
Personally, I hope UCLA is “awarded” the number one overall seeding. Would that be an entirely unwarranted slap in the face to UConn? Of course, but it would only serve to put a chip on their shoulders and give them more incentive. I am indifferent as to how that might affect their potential schedule of opponents. If UConn brings it’s A game, they win all six games against any, including UCLA, by double digits!
 
Bigpetunia said:
Personally, I hope UCLA is “awarded” the number one overall seeding. Would that be an entirely unwarranted slap in the face to UConn? Of course, but it would only serve to put a chip on their shoulders and give them more incentive. I am indifferent as to how that might affect their potential schedule of opponents. If UConn brings it’s A game, they win all six games against any, including UCLA, by double digits!
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Some teams need something external to get motivated like “a chip on their shoulders.” UConn doesn’t. As Geno points out, “We don’t teach effort at UConn.”

Whatever UConn is seeded, it won’t make the least bit of difference to any potential opponent. They will all be facing the toughest team they have faced all year long once they take the court against the Huskies.
 
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