Post Game Thread - Thank You, Alex, Tarris, and Malachi

[kobebeanbryant]

So this is what doomed feels like.

Congrats to U of M...

(*For the sake of sportsmanship. Literally had them beat. So many evils had to collectively pull all the strings just to barely defeat lil ol' nutmeg state. Proud of the team!!!!!!)

Also congrats to all the vegas bettors, (aka some of you on here, i guarantee), the big ten, fans of silent generation & vietnam war era washed up bluebloods such as Kentucky, (HA just kidding, shoutout Texas-El Paso moving on up a league. That's probably like uconn getting to the big ten for their world; Im a conference realignment obsessive & hiatused gameday haiku poet, i think i know what im talking about here)

...on your 2026 [shared] national championship.


A) Call the feds. All "jokes" aside.
Was that a new foul added mid game?
Never heard the hooky term until tonight or just didn't notice uconn ever called for it before.

Okay i see what people mean by scripted now.


To the soft of sight, perhaps not. Señior ballz anywhere? Rolling rock? No? Anyone?
(Insert car wash myth or lost gimmick here). Those are dead. It doesn't help anymore. "Millennial" "humor".

Blatantly humbled by the powers that be on the biggest stage, the final stage.

This was a message.

Against the original perennial underdog in ncaa men's retcon. Almost a humiliation ritual. Hard work aint enough as if we didn't know. But they didn't deserve to go out like this.

Cardiac Kemba-like comeback 26'?
Yeah... ixnay the emba-k backcome-ay.
I either butchered that or killed it.
Also had slight heartburn.

"Hold my rolling rock",
says that one pro whistler... "and my beer."

The discrepancy was discrepping.
People lie. Numbers never lie.


B) I am superstitious as hell but the bball gods can only help so much. I wore the same uconn tshirt all tourney. Unwashed since. I don't sweat, its fine. Hit some extra threes tonight & uconn wins by 4. What if this, what if that.
What if Mcneeley...

Lucky for these pig pen & deep south derpy conferences, eh?
And the other two leagues that look stupid now.

[ AyCeeCee featuring OG WAC 12 ditchers, Stanford & son. Or the Big welp conference, now with ThE UNciviLized, mac essential/original, Central FLoriduh? Who dey, dat one Meercat school that hasn't been good since a leprechaun went to Westweird?

Or, how bout dem Southern Meth U Little ponys?
They pay to play there. Sold their soul to join a fallen league that's a unc-duke package deal poach away from near death, or group of 5 designation. What the helly?
Im serious, theorists... who's wife or husband did uconn... nevermind. Eyes wide shut.]

C) Back to the future... witnessing that last Husky hunger/Fight to the foe til the end, in that final minute, made me shed tears.
Watching them claw back in the spirit of their coach, the program. The state.
The helplessness seeing Karaban sprint for the ball as i catch 2.9 seconds left.
This was the toughest watch ever in sports for me, that ending.
Never wanted them to experience this trauma. Worst nightmare finally came true for the program. It just felt wrong, i don't know.

But at least gamblers are happy! Get some help.
I like chuck but not during his tourney coverage. Its weird he dislikes uconn. Or roots to see them lose. is this product anymore?
Am i weird for just caring about this for free??
Or weird for other reasons... Why can't it be both?

Michigan fans will be onto scrimmage football on a dry, cornfed, droopy, see you next Tuesday this month. I like Dusty... but not like this. Makeshift mercs and outlaw programs are in now. The real villains. Powqer 4's.

All this villain projection by the media towards Coach Hurley is reverse psychology. Dan Hurley has every right to be passionate, & honestly i think he needs to take it further at this point. What a leader. Legend. I would full speed running headbutt my remaining family tree in a single file line if he asked me to, from Honolulu to Hartford. Hated doesn't equal villain.
More like...misunderstood.


D) ...So what is mojo anymore?
Everything is different now. Is that stuff relevant to the superstition anymore? The Husky lore?
We are in an alternate reality now.
Those 2026 champions uconn tshirts landed somewhere.
There's no clear answers and it's; quiet.

After the clouds, the sun.
After the clouds, the sun.

I love the state motto.
The awareness & that there will be weathering times of sorts, better days than this will return. This too shall pass.
It's gonna sting until redeemed.

Let the big hoopla enjoy their paid-for run for now. Quarter century drought over. Is it really more meaningful for them than it is for uconn?
Hellq no. Not even close. UCONN identifies as the present day champion of champions.
Its just different.
That's what makes this hurt so much.

Until there is equal revenue chance for UConn money wise, a punchers chance may not be enough anymore. Which is crazy to think after barely losing by 6 points. I see why so many great coaches retired these last few years. They weren't scared, they saw the writing on the wall.
And we/they still made it to the end to make it clear, we/they belong. WE know THEY belong. Win or lose. But hoping all this "not a uconn fit" stuff isn't because they cant pay for top talent at this rate. Trust in Coach Hurley absolutely. But he needs the budget too.

The connection i have with my birth state is because of these programs. I am proud to have been born in the constitution state. That sounds historic. I didn't grow up there much, but I care for there very much. Because of these teams. Im invested. My favorite team bar none. I don't even like the pros. & No offense Sun devils.


E) #7 is still for the taking & beyond.
Third all time and not a dime back since 1999.
I understand the fight in the dog now, more than ever. No team in sports is richer in character development with every obstacle thrown at them in my eyes. Nothing handed to them.
All the bs politics involved.
You don't let them decide when you've had enough. You show them that enough isn't a term you even acknowledge.
I am beyond invested for the rest of my life.

They could 3 peat into 2030 & Coach Hurley will still bring this game up. The lone men's title game loss in school history, on his watch. A scar. If in the right place, scars can be cool.
And they always tell a story.

Oh... & Its ON now.

And for that im excited.
This is all new, all different.
Mourn the end of an era, salute those players, & embrace the blessings as we all witness this new chapter & journey to #7 ahead!!!!!!
Coach Hurley will NEVER want his guys to experience this pain again. I am so sorry.

Enter soft reboot...

& After the clouds, the sun

chapiwvlaug?

 

[Donyell 360]

Besides the obvious foul discrepancy, I thought the game came down to the point guards. I think many of us felt that was one position we had the advantage in, but it played out just the opposite. A lot of that had to do with the way the game was officiated, but at the end of the day, both PG's needed to adjust to how the game was being officiated and Cadeau did a better job than Demary at adjusting. Not that Demary played a bad game, he just got outplayed by Cadeau. However, I do have to also add that Malachi Smith was outstanding as a backup. I had zero confidence in his ability to help us in any way coming into the tournament but he proved me wrong. So thankful we had him. It was almost enough to win a championship which in itself says a lot about this team. If they had pulled it off it would have been one of the most amazing redemption stories of the season. I am man enough to admit when I am wrong. We make 2 of those missed 3's in that 0-8 stretch in the second half and this might have turned out differently.

 

[Donyell 360]

They called no foul at all, much less a flagrant. You’re allowed to 2 hand shove in the back.

That's what you call a flagrant no call. And disappointing the announcers didn't pick up on it or talk about it.

 

[HCCForever]

Besides the obvious foul discrepancy, I thought the game came down to the point guards. I think many of us felt that was one position we had the advantage in, but it played out just the opposite. A lot of that had to do with the way the game was officiated, but at the end of the day, both PG's needed to adjust to how the game was being officiated and Cadeau did a better job than Demary at adjusting. Not that Demary played a bad game, he just got outplayed by Cadeau. However, I do have to also add that Malachi Smith was outstanding as a backup. I had zero confidence in his ability to help us in any way coming into the tournament but he proved me wrong. So thankful we had him. It was almost enough to win a championship which in itself says a lot about this team. If they had pulled it off it would have been one of the most amazing redemption stories of the season. I am man enough to admit when I am wrong. We make 2 of those missed 3's in that 0-8 stretch in the second half and this might have turned out differently.

You just reminded me of that great basket by Malachi in the first half. The shot clock was winding down and he squeezed through two defenders to make the two points.

 

[ctbro1999]

They called no foul at all, much less a flagrant. You’re allowed to 2 hand shove in the back.

*Michigan is allowed to 2 hand shove in the back.

 

[DogMania]

I totally agree. Cadeau is they type of player you hate…unless he is on your team then you love him and call it basketball IQ.

No. I've been anoid constantly watching the way he plays. He constantly tries to draw fake fouls and draws at least 1 each game. I wouldn't want that on my team. He floats a lot on D, though to his credit makes some nice defensive plays from time to time. He also sees the floor well and fits some passes in tight spaces.

Don't get me wrong. He's a talented college PG. I just wouldn't want him on my team.

 

[uconnfan68]

Cadeau sucks and we will never hear about that guy again once he leaves college.

NBA won't put up with his flops.

 

[temery]

chapiwvlaug?

He died.

 

[Bomber36]

I see nothing….nothing.

 

[Donyell 360]

You just reminded me of that great basket by Malachi in the first half. The shot clock was winding down and he squeezed through two defenders to make the two points.

Yeah that was a shocker. I wondered if he took 3 steps on that play but no one on the broadcast questioned it. One thing I've noticed over the season, the national broadcasters were much more enamored with Smith than the local one who saw his struggles. I'd listen to them praise "the best backup point guard in America" and wonder what they were seeing that I wasn't seeing. But there was definitely something there to admire. I think I am just particularly hard on point guards, expecting them to be perfect more than other positions.

Did you notice in the game Grant Hill talk about how Michigan struggled with Cadeau on the bench? Imagine how the game would have flipped if Cadeau spent as much time on the bench as Demary.

 

[Irvine]

The stats clearly played to our strengths and style. We outrebounded Michigan, limited them to just two fast-break points, and finished with more threes and assists. In the end, though, our shooting struggles were the difference.

Listened to a lot of commentary about the game, and I agree with the analysis that Michigan's length and switches led to our poor shooting - we rushed many of them or were fearful of having shots blocked. So have to give Michigan credit there.

 

[ctbro1999]

Listened to a lot of commentary about the game, and I agree with the analysis that Michigan's length and switches led to our poor shooting - we rushed many of them or were fearful of having shots blocked. So have to give Michigan credit there.

Especially Reed. He was getting his shot up quicker to not give Mara time to block his shot, but unfortunately many of his quickie shots fell short.

 

[HCCForever]

I listened to Dusty May on the Dan Patrick show this morning. I give him props for recognizing that UConn's defense played a part in their shooting woes last night. Commentors like Chuck last night only talked about how badly Michigan played while crediting Michigan with their great defense affecting UConn's shooting.

 

[Iluvsuebird]

So proud of these boys. We were objectively playing against 8 the entire game. Temery, I am not complaining, just stating a fact. But look, Michigan was the better team. The difference in this game was their size and length. Our defense was phenomenal. But those second chance tip ins killed us. And their defense did what I thought could not happen: they neutralized our offense for 40 minutes. I am proud to be a Husky. Love these guys.

 

[HooperScooper]

I take back what I said about not being too upset. Couldn't sleep much last night. My stomach hurts right now. We're not used to the Huskies losing in the final. Now I know what it's like to be a Duke fan. Yuck.

 

[TroyHall98]

24 team beats this Michigan team by double digits

04 also annihilates this Michigan team.

 

[John]

Through my lifelong friends. They've made many connections over the years with the program. This is the first time I've really gotten to experience it all and my appreciation for the program is even higher than I thought possible.

Some cool things are happening behind the scenes and we will see some people brought back into the family. Got to talk to Boat, Polley, and Oriakhi.

2014 team never truly got enough credit and that will change.

unfortunately the 2014 narrative got sidetracked with the subsequent coaching drama.

 

[tuvent08]

Is that photo of the Michigan player holding a "We Shocked the World" sign real or AI? If real, I am surprised to learn that "the world" has a population of zero people.

 

[UCFan1513]

Is that photo of the Michigan player holding a "We Shocked the World" sign real or AI? If real, I am surprised to learn that "the world" has a population of zero people.

It's real. And agree lol

 

[uconn_jack]

I don’t think we can talk about Cadeau’s foul baiting like we didn’t watch both Kemba and Shabazz carry us to a championship with that skill.

They were great at selling reach ins and contact with their head jerk, but Cadeau is a flopper and borderline dirty.

 

[CL82]

I wanted AK to knock down that 3 so badly. If they had brought it to 1 there...who knows.

Yeah, it was kind of weird. Of course I want the team to win because… I want the team to win, but I also wanted Alex to go out without regrets and playing a good game. He did that. It isn't the national championship, but it takes the sting out of falling just short. As consolation prizes go, not the worst.

 

[uconn_jack]

In real time I kept thinking we were getting hosed but plays happen so quickly at my age its sometimes hard to pick up details. But I just got up and started reading the posts and watching some of the videos posted I'm getting sick to my stomach.

Yes, a few stuck in my head, especially the ones they played replays on and even the announcers called out. This morning people are posting everywhere all the other ridiculous ones that were just brushed off during the game and were just as egregious. It really was a s-show of bad and let's say "unfair" officiating.