So who do you think will cut down the nets when it's all said and done?

[DogMania]

Now that the regular season is wrapping up, who do you think will cut down the nets when it's all said and done?

As the season started, I thought the teams to beat would be Zona followed by MSU and maybe KU if their young players could mature by season's end. Zona lost a key player and have now fallen back into the upper part of the pack, still capable of winning it all, though I don't think they will. MSU started out surprisingly good, since they are historically average in the early part of most seasons, but then has had a horrible stretch after losing a couple of key players to injuries. I think they've gotten them both back but have struggled to integrat them into the lineup. They have lost 6 out of their last 11 games after starting out 18-1. They've been unable to win back-to-back games during this downward spiral, but had a nice home win against a ranked Iowa team. If they find a way to carry this over to their B1G tournament and either win it or make it to the championship game, they might get back into the conversation as to one of the favorites to cut down the nets. You can usually count on Izzo to get his team into -4, which I think might turn out to be their high water mark if they string a few wins together over the next week.

But after watching UF a few times now, such as their first half demolition of the young UK team whose wheels have begun to fall off during the past few weeks. The Gators look like the most complete team going into the post season. As noted in my prior post, it could turn out that our Huskies are one of just 2 teams to beat them this season and are the last one to do so.

As for our chances of winning it all, as much as I like our team, they have too many vulnerabilities (problems rebounding, lack of scoring in the post, lack of size at the perimeter, scoring reliance predominantly on a 2 to 3 players, to name a few) that at least one of these will likely bite them in the ass somewhere along the way. I wish that I could make a statement like I did about the Kemba led team before the 2011 BET began, that our Huskies have the talent to run 11 straight, but as I just stated this team has too many vulnerabilities. We would need some favorable match-ups (avoid big athletic front-courts and/or big athletic back-courts) to avoid such a fate, though I would never say that's out of the question.

So what are the teams that you think have the best shot at cutting down the nets?

 

[Bryan Lord]

Syracuse is a stone cold lock.




















To lose to Vermont.

 

[Tenspro2002]

Florida and Arizona. They've been consistently dominant all season, and nobody else is on their level (save maybe WSU, but nobody really knows how good they are).

This season reminds me of 2005, where Illinois and UNC were on a collision course all season.

Of course, I also felt the same way about Ohio State and Kansas in 2011, and we all know how that turned out.

 

[DogMania]

Syracuse is a stone cold lock.


To lose to Vermont.

Got a small chuckle out of that one. A couple weeks ago, I thought SU was part of the conversation, and still do to some degree. They have talent and it's very hard for teams that haven't played them before to adjust to their zone, especially if it's the 2nd game of the pair.

But history tells us, that teams that are led by a Freshman PG usually get picked off along the way. It's just a matter of what game the wunderkind freshman PG decides to shoot his team right out of the tournament. I won't bother naming some, but I'm sure we could come up with a long list of ones that chucked up far too many shots and made far too many mistakes while their teammates increasingly got pissed and frustrated as the game slipped out of reach, wishing they got their hands on the ball more often. Okay, I'll name one. Brandon Knight killed his UK team, especially late in that F-4 (or was it E-8?) game against Kemba and our Huskies.

On the flip side, teams led by an experienced upperclassman PG often go deep into the tournament, so maybe Bazz will take UConn deeper than their seeding will dictate. How deep, it's hard to predict.

 

[Tenspro2002]

Of course, as soon as this thread is posted, Florida completely implodes and lets Kentucky back into the game.

 

[jleves]

I have three different takes on this - 1) who do I think can win it all and 2) who of the teams that have a shot do I not want to win it all and 3) who I wouldn't mind winning (if it isn't UConn)

Who do I think will win it all (this has changed a lot today):
Florida (way to go out on a limb)
*I would have AZ here but there were kind of exposed today
*I would have UNC here but they are getting worked by Duke right now
Louisville
Wisconsin
Michigan
Syracuse
Arizona
Virginia
UNC
Duke
Witchita St
Nova

Who in order do I not to win it all:
Syracuse
Florida (don't want them to get to three)
Louisville (back to back would suck and they would get to three in the modern era - 64+ teams - and 4 overall)
Duke
UNC
Arizona
Michigan
Nova

Of those in the list who I wouldn't mind winning:
Wisconsin
Witchita St
Virginia

 

[Chief00]

Fl, certainly not us and that's knowing you are never as bad as you appear after a huge loss.

 

[BoatShow]

I'd love to see the Florida-Arizona matchup.

 

[Lefty2one]

Once Ashley got hurt it kinda took Zona out of contention IMO. Kinda like us with Dyson in '09. Sure, they could still make the FF but I don't think they can win it all.

Florida has to be the choice right now, they're offense can be a little frightening to watch at times but their D, experience and smarts all fit the bill of a traditional champ. I'm looking forward to seeing how Wichita State and Virginia do.

 

[BoatShow]

Syracuse is a stone cold lock.




















To lose to Vermont.

Technically didn't they already cut down the nets after beating Duke?

 

[Senore]

Louisville.

I hope it's either Louisville, Wichita State or Florida. Or you guys or even Nova. All are senior-heavy teams and it would make all the bullshit-artist writers ignore what should be supreme embarrassment for their slavish love affair with freshmen this year.

 

[patrick]

UCONN!

 

[zls44]

Embiid is going to California to see a back specialist. Possibly crushing news for Kansas...but it'll be fun watching Wiggins try for fifty every game out!

 

[Jaker]

the SHOCKERS.............



If UConn does not.

 

[Jaker]

And don't worry about Cuse, they are a 2 man team. The first bad game Fair has in the tourney and they will get bounced. I doubt they win 2 games and make the sweet 16.

 

[UCweCONN]

North Carolina. They are playing very relaxed. They weathered the early season adversity and are the second hottest team in America besides Wichita State. Wichita State's competition had been so weak this season and they will fall after winning a couple NBA tourney games. As for Florida, anyone else think the result of a second match up with UCONN would be very different than the first?

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

Florida and Arizona. They've been consistently dominant all season, and nobody else is on their level (save maybe WSU, but nobody really knows how good they are).

You posted this a couple hours after Arizona went up to Oregon and lost?

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

North Carolina. They are playing very relaxed. They weathered the early season adversity and are the second hottest team in America besides Wichita State. Wichita State's competition had been so weak this season and they will fall after winning a couple NBA tourney games. As for Florida, anyone else think the result of a second match up with UCONN would be very different than the first?

I don't see it with Carolina. That was a nice little streak they were on but, the home win over Duke aside, they weren't really beating anyone who's any good. I get that they have those early season wins over MSU, Louisville, etc. but at some point they're going to have to make a jump shot or two and I really just can't get behind Roy winning it all with a team that, by Carolina standards, is not all that talented.

Now that I've said that, I'm sure they'll win.

 

[CAHUSKY]

You posted this a couple hours after Arizona went up to Oregon and lost?

They lost on Oregons home court. Tourney games are played on neutral courts for the most part. Arizona thrashes them on a neutral court

 

[bobbygt]

Jeez- Jleves nailed it every which way but loose!

 

[huskyharry]

It may be a complete surprise. Arizona has looked very beatable since they lost their power forward, Kansas has been very up and down, MSU looked great in beating IU but then promptly lost to OSU, who had just lost to IU. UNC had several close games recently before Dook handled them easily. Virginia had looked strong but then were handled by Maryland (although Md did allow them to crawl back and force OT and Md is likely better than they were against UConn, as their PG is now healthy), Florida has also had several close games against weak teams, albeit on the road. Wichita State has looked good but there closest competition since November has been a USF caliber team. They will get a #1 seed but I would not be shocked to see them go out against the #8/9 winner...as they did to Gonzaga last year...just because they have become accustomed to weak competition. Wisconsin looked great early on then looked to be exposed as a bad team during their 5 game losing streak, then looked good again then lost today to a bubblicious Nebraska team. I thought New Mexico looked pretty tough when they clobbered SDSU at UNM but then they just lost at SDSU. SDSU is offensively challenged but scrappy but looked very weak up to the UNM game as their PG Thames, was in a slump. Kentucky has looked awful, but maybe if their players do a better job of substituting themselves (since the Squid either can't be bothered or is afraid of offending players in that regard) and calling their own plays in crunch-time their size could make them a tough match-up.

Nova has looked good in some games but got rolled twice by Creighton, who themselves have played poorly of late.

 

[Danzz]

Nova

 

[mauconnfan]

Florida or Lousiville……..Florida can beat anyone while LVille needs match ups to swing the right way……..

Kansas is one of the top 3 talents but inconsistencies will kill them but if they get to the FF it could be them. Same with Zona………

Dark-horses: Iowa State and Creighton

 

[DarthGrumpy]

It’s the NCAA, Duke will win it because it’s Duke and the NCAA. They will have 8 losses after the season and ACC playoffs are done and will get the 1 seed East with their first two games in Raleigh (UNC will play there, too) and then advance to MSG, where they have a large alumni network. The top 4 seed in the East will be 1) Duke, 2) Villanova, 3) Cincinnati, and 4) Kentucky, all of whom Duke can beat. UConn on the other hand will make it to the American final, also have 8 losses, and will be the 8 seed in the South where UConn would then have to play the 1 seed Florida in the 2nd round in Orlando. Yuck.

Realistically, Florida is the team to beat right now. Don’t underestimate Wichita State; but, they will eventually run into a B1G or XII team that has been grinding out wins against good competition each game and be run down. Look for Duke in the Final 4 with Florida, Kansas and a surprise team from the B1G (Wisconsin, Michigan or Michigan St, with State favored if they can get healthy). Florida wins it.

 

[Palatine]

I'm in denial about this.

I say the Huskies until they are eliminated.