In the first two days, all 16 teams hosting the initial sub-regionals advanced. In most cases, the games were not close, although LSU got a real scare.
For the round of 32 games, there were two major Sunday upsets. Creighton played a good game and shot the lights out in the first half, led after the first 20 minutes, and in a shocker defeated Iowa 64-62 after falling behind by 4 late in the 4th quarter. I was at a concert of the Brothers Four and missed the second shocker, South Dakota over Baylor. The results of these two games should make the runs of South Carolina and Louisville pretty easy to the Final Four.
Mondays games. In the Bridgeport bracket both NC State and Notre Dame looked extremely strong and the Irish could easily win when they meet. Belmont and Princeton just came up short, but #6 seed Ohio State beat #3 LSU, not a surprise after the team’s narrow escape against Jackson State on Saturday. Five teams in the round of 64 and 32 defeated squads hosting the first two rounds, only two being real surprises (Creighton and South Dakota).
Back to our main subject, UConn basketball. What I was afraid of occurred, the Belmont-Tennessee game went long with multiple reviews to determine who should get the ball and to get the time clock right. Belmont misses on the foul line near the end probably cost them the game. Thus, ESPN didn’t get to the game until less than four minutes to play in the 1st quarter. Score 11-7 when game UConn came on. Unfortunately, what I was concerned about with UCF, its physical play, discombobulated the Huskies. Sloppy play, too many fouls, and the team seemingly losing their cool. Although the team was up 3 at halftime, the Huskies did not look like a FF squad, although UCF makes its opponents look bad.
What can we conclude after the Huskies emerged with a tough 52-47 victory. Several players underperformed, no one had an outstanding game, although Williams and Fudd had decent ones, the team shot poorly, again too many missed layups (total 2 of 12 by one published report), no offense from the bigs, bad fouls, generally tentative play, and UConn was out often out hustled. In addition, Paige has not totally recovered from her injury and her play shows it. The defense was excellent, but the offense needs to get in gear. The team was up by 12 in the fourth quarter and not only could not put UCF away, but coughed up most of the lead and had UCF’s foul shooting hadn’t been so bad, UConn would have lost. An ugly game.
UConn’s travails have been similar to those of South Carolina who has also had problems on offense, but it is a much bigger, stronger, and more talented team than South Florida.
If the results of the first two games are in any way indicative, it will be very surprising if the team gets to the FF and a loss in the next game would not be shocking, although an extremely disappointing ending to a difficult season. The Huskies did, however, survive (barely) and advanced.
For the round of 32 games, there were two major Sunday upsets. Creighton played a good game and shot the lights out in the first half, led after the first 20 minutes, and in a shocker defeated Iowa 64-62 after falling behind by 4 late in the 4th quarter. I was at a concert of the Brothers Four and missed the second shocker, South Dakota over Baylor. The results of these two games should make the runs of South Carolina and Louisville pretty easy to the Final Four.
Mondays games. In the Bridgeport bracket both NC State and Notre Dame looked extremely strong and the Irish could easily win when they meet. Belmont and Princeton just came up short, but #6 seed Ohio State beat #3 LSU, not a surprise after the team’s narrow escape against Jackson State on Saturday. Five teams in the round of 64 and 32 defeated squads hosting the first two rounds, only two being real surprises (Creighton and South Dakota).
Back to our main subject, UConn basketball. What I was afraid of occurred, the Belmont-Tennessee game went long with multiple reviews to determine who should get the ball and to get the time clock right. Belmont misses on the foul line near the end probably cost them the game. Thus, ESPN didn’t get to the game until less than four minutes to play in the 1st quarter. Score 11-7 when game UConn came on. Unfortunately, what I was concerned about with UCF, its physical play, discombobulated the Huskies. Sloppy play, too many fouls, and the team seemingly losing their cool. Although the team was up 3 at halftime, the Huskies did not look like a FF squad, although UCF makes its opponents look bad.
What can we conclude after the Huskies emerged with a tough 52-47 victory. Several players underperformed, no one had an outstanding game, although Williams and Fudd had decent ones, the team shot poorly, again too many missed layups (total 2 of 12 by one published report), no offense from the bigs, bad fouls, generally tentative play, and UConn was out often out hustled. In addition, Paige has not totally recovered from her injury and her play shows it. The defense was excellent, but the offense needs to get in gear. The team was up by 12 in the fourth quarter and not only could not put UCF away, but coughed up most of the lead and had UCF’s foul shooting hadn’t been so bad, UConn would have lost. An ugly game.
UConn’s travails have been similar to those of South Carolina who has also had problems on offense, but it is a much bigger, stronger, and more talented team than South Florida.
If the results of the first two games are in any way indicative, it will be very surprising if the team gets to the FF and a loss in the next game would not be shocking, although an extremely disappointing ending to a difficult season. The Huskies did, however, survive (barely) and advanced.
