Story of the Game: We Won, or Cincy Lost?

[Tenspro2002]

This was a huge win that will do wonders for our computer profile and, hopefully, our seeding.

The eye test, though, might not be as positive. To the outside observer, it might look less like we played at a top-10 level than that Cincy played horribly.

For what it's worth, the ESPN highlights on Gameday are clearly painting this game as the latter: with Kilpatrick missing shots and committing a charge, and Mick Cronin losing his ; not a single shot of us doing anything positive (besides drawing the aforementioned charge).

To what degree could the abject ugliness of this game detract from the fact that we just beat the #11 team?

 

[mauconnfan]

I think our defense made them look like a normal team but looking at many of the Top 20 I think our guys can do that to many of those also….the Huskies where on their A game on the defensive end all day - fast to the ball, doubling down and still getting back to get a hand in the face of shooters….diving for loose balls and fighting for every inch.

UConn won!

 

[upstater]

This was a huge win that will do wonders for our computer profile and, hopefully, our seeding.

The eye test, though, might not be as positive. To the outside observer, it might look less like we played at a top-10 level than that Cincy played horribly.

For what it's worth, the ESPN highlights on Gameday are clearly painting this game as the latter: with Kilpatrick missing shots and committing a charge, and Mick Cronin losing his ; not a single shot of us doing anything positive (besides drawing the aforementioned charge).

To what degree could the abject ugliness of this game detract from the fact that we just beat the #11 team?

UConn missed a heap of layups. Even Bazz missed an easy layup on a breakaway. Hit 5 of those missed layups and it's a 61-45 game.

Ollie was excited afterward about the defense.

My concern is Shabazz's hand. His shooting % has gone way way down since he hurt his hand.

 

[Walker11]

The perception may be relevant for this news cycle but come seeding time, the committee will see this game as a victory over the #11 team in the land. I worked all day and didn't see the game but it seems like the Huskies didn't exactly play well either. A win is a win.

 

[upstater]

By the way, is there a tendency to downgrade UConn's wins this year?

UConn beat Florida but Florida didn't have Wilbekin and Hill.
UConn beat Florida because they didn't call a travel on Bazz.
UConn squeaked by Indiana, Maryland and BC by 1.
UConn beat Harvard who was missing their two best players.
UConn beat Memphis but the refs gave them that game with a 20 FT differential.
UConn beat Cincy but Cincy had an uncharacteristic game, missing shots.

I've heard analysts say all of these things this year.

Heck, this goes back to the 2011 championship with the win over Butler.

 

[upstater]

The perception may be relevant for this news cycle but come seeding time, the committee will see this game as a victory over the #11 team in the land. I worked all day and didn't see the game but it seems like the Huskies didn't exactly play well either. A win is a win.

I actually thought UConn played pretty well. Great energy all day. They caused turnovers. Rebounded well on defense (lots of bricks by Cincy on offense lead to weird bounds for offensive rebs). Again, the missed layups are a sign of not playing well, but those misses were practically inexplicable. Bazz missed on a breakaway from point blank range all alone. The only concern for UConn today was Bazz's injured hand and his inability to shoot/hit 3s.

 

[Gurleyman]

You can't always put macro significance on to micro events. In two weeks, it's just a top 25 home win on the resume against a team we split two close games with - nothing more, nothing less. Most people watching Gameday are just getting ready for Kansas-Oklahoma State

 

[dsturdy5]

It's pretty simple. People can look at offense and understand it. Shoot ball, score ball. If the player misses, he stinks. Over-simplification? Sure. However that is how many see it. It is much harder to look at how the defense plays and understand its impact on the other team. Cincy, for example, did a great job of playing the passing lane once UConn's ball handlers got below the head of the key. To watch their body positioning and how they used their hands and feet to fence off the options for the ball handler was fun to watch. However, if you are just some guy sitting in a bar or watching a 45 second package on sportscenter, you won't see it/understand it in all likelihood.

 

[UConnSwag11]

UConss defense was great, they had a great strategy and executed it very well... offensively a lot of easy buckets that should have been put in... great game

 

[aceboon]

you are way too caught up in painting these doomsday scenarios for UConn basketball, I couldn't even imagine being a "fan" from your viewpoint, sh_t would probably drive me crazy. When those involved in the selection process goes about UConn's seeding they won't be analyzing some truncated Gameday highlight package, UConn won the game.

 

[UConnDad]

It's pretty simple. People can look at offense and understand it. Shoot ball, score ball. If the player misses, he stinks. Over-simplification? Sure. However that is how many see it. It is much harder to look at how the defense plays and understand its impact on the other team. Cincy, for example, did a great job of playing the passing lane once UConn's ball handlers got below the head of the key. To watch their body positioning and how they used their hands and feet to fence off the options for the ball handler was fun to watch. However, if you are just some guy sitting in a bar or watching a 45 second package on sportscenter, you won't see it/understand it in all likelihood.

Astute game dissection and complex brainstorming can be accomplished while precariously teetering on a barstool!

 

[patrick]

BOTH!

We won therefore cinci lost!

 

[DogMania]

This was a huge win that will do wonders for our computer profile and, hopefully, our seeding.

The eye test, though, might not be as positive. To the outside observer, it might look less like we played at a top-10 level than that Cincy played horribly.

For what it's worth, the ESPN highlights on Gameday are clearly painting this game as the latter: with Kilpatrick missing shots and committing a charge, and Mick Cronin losing his ; not a single shot of us doing anything positive (besides drawing the aforementioned charge).

To what degree could the abject ugliness of this game detract from the fact that we just beat the #11 team?

Part of the reason for the focus on Cincy might be because they were the ranked team and we weren't. With that said, we have not received much respect this entire season.

 

[Robertelamin]

I think a win over the #11 team in March definitely passes the "eye test". I'm not really sure what you are worried about.

 

[djct1999]

the hell with the eye test...........check the box score.

 

[Chin Diesel]

This was a huge win that will do wonders for our computer profile and, hopefully, our seeding.

The eye test, though, might not be as positive. To the outside observer, it might look less like we played at a top-10 level than that Cincy played horribly.

For what it's worth, the ESPN highlights on Gameday are clearly painting this game as the latter: with Kilpatrick missing shots and committing a charge, and Mick Cronin losing his ; not a single shot of us doing anything positive (besides drawing the aforementioned charge).

To what degree could the abject ugliness of this game detract from the fact that we just beat the #11 team?

Cincy was the ranked team and UConn was unranked. The national narrative usually takes the angle of the higher ranked team losing more so than the lower ranked team winning.

Plus Cincy was 2 or 3 games up in the AAC standings.

No biggie.

 

[Milo65]

We won...we need to keep winning. W over a ranked team. Take it and move on.

 

[Waquoit]

They don't give credit for style points.

 

[CTBasketball]

It was a great win, and barring any catastrophe, we should stay out of the 7-10 seed line.

 

[BoatShow]

Unfortunately, the story of the game i going to be Valentine vs Cronin.

 

[willie99]

one thing we've had over the years is a lot of good luck

year after year, teams' shot poorly against us. If they didn't shoot so poorly, we lose

it is what it is

 

[David 76]

We played outstanding defense, they could not score 50. They played good defense but if we shot 50% from 4 feet from the basket and in, we would have scored 60 and won by 15.
It was a mixed bag but none of that should take away from what we did well

 

[ConnEd]

The defensive gameplan and execution were great. They clearly aimed to take Jackson out of the game. Kilpatrick was going to get his points, but it was Jackson's inside contribution in the game @CIN that made the difference in that game. Of course, Jackson's 1st half foul trouble didn't hurt.

 

[tcf15]

Unfortunately, the story of the game i going to be Valentine vs Cronin.

 

[Hoophound]

I liked Ollie's press conference line when discussing our performance. He said "we stood in the middle of the ring". I think that was the best way to describe this game after the SMU disaster. Our guys went and took the game. They threw a lot of shots to the body even though they couldn't connect on most of their knock out attempts. They just battled Holyfield style.

That is a great confidence builder headed into the postseason. It shows them that they can will themselves to victory, something this group has struggled with.