Texas and Duke

[jibsey]

Texas winning games by 35 and Duke by 50 and unless Boat goes off we may have lost to Bryant. We had to take these games when they were available but I would have preferred to see one in Jan and one in Feb. KO has his work cut out.

 

[RipCity]

Neither of those teams will have faced a defense like ours before the play us. Who knows how they'll react to it? Don't write us off because we didn't score 100 points.

 

[Bryan Lord]

Barnes will out coach KO as if he were a small child. Gonna be painful to watch.

 

[selles]

Texas winning games by 35 and Duke by 50 and unless Boat goes off we may have lost to Bryant. We had to take these games when they were available but I would have preferred to see one in Jan and one in Feb. KO has his work cut out.

Well, we're not playing for the 2014 championship - we already won that. We're trying to challenge ourselves and get better so we can win the 2015 championship. Playing two quality teams will definitely help speed the learning process.

Besides, the next time I'm scared by Duke's margin of victory in November will be the first.

 

[CallMeBruce]

Barnes will out coach KO as if he were a small child. Gonna be painful to watch.

This is one of those situations where I can't tell if someone is being sarcastic or just trolling.

 

[uconnell]

You talkin about Barnes, Rick Barnes?

 

[Bryan Lord]

Texas, duke, Florida, Stanford. I would sign for 2-2 in a heart beat. 3-1 would be amazing.

 

[Dooley]

I just don't see Texas coming into The Capitol and leaving with a W. I expect our D to be absolutely relentless that day in a high profile game on campus. I don't think Texas will be able to handle it.

 

[upstater]

Watching Texas, they are built like Kentucky.

UConn can outquick them, but will they? Boatright yes, but UConn needs Purvis, Hamilton and Cassell to be decisive.

Texas is tall at the guards even, never mind the bigs, but I wonder about their team speed. The worry for UConn is that it might be swallowed up by length. Is UConn ready to break down a big opponent with quickness? This early in the season?

 

[Penfield]

KO should call Barnes and Coach K tomorrow to concede. We are so DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMEEEEEEEED.

 

[Bryan Lord]

KO should call Barnes and Coach K tomorrow to concede. We are so DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMEEEEEEEED.

KO lacks the class to concede, SMH!

 

[jibsey]

It's funny but a guy like Nolan who hasn't shown anything yet this year will stand up in games like this because he has been there. I saw flashes of defense the other day that should give those teams trouble.

 

[CTBasketball]

I wonder if they'll throw a zone at us.

 

[Palatine]

Let's see how we play on Thursday. We have already seen progress from the first to the second half of game one. And we still haven't seen the entire squad on the sideline.

 

[Matrim55]

We've got a good chance against anyone this year, but Duke is freaking legit. Their ball-movement is spectacular, which makes their offense very, very tough to handle. And their defense is much better than in recent years, as is their depth and athleticism.

We'll need to get Okafor into early foul trouble, Facey will have to be monstrous on the boards, and Boat will have to play like its the title game.

 

[HailUConn]

Texas winning games by 35 and Duke by 50 and unless Boat goes off we may have lost to Bryant. We had to take these games when they were available but I would have preferred to see one in Jan and one in Feb. KO has his work cut out.

I can see this can be a good thing. It may give KO time and opportunities to observe the team's weakness and holes which would otherwise be not exposed.

 

[Yankees32123]

Watching Texas, they are built like Kentucky.

UConn can outquick them, but will they? Boatright yes, but UConn needs Purvis, Hamilton and Cassell to be decisive.

Texas is tall at the guards even, never mind the bigs, but I wonder about their team speed. The worry for UConn is that it might be swallowed up by length. Is UConn ready to break down a big opponent with quickness? This early in the season?

We have big guards this year. Cassell, Samuel, & Purv are 6'4", 6'3", 6'4" respectively, and with D-Ham playing the 3 at 6'7", we have a pretty traditional NBA-type lineup with length. I don't see size mismatches being a problem. We are just as long and much quicker than Texas. I can't wait to see Brimah go up against Myles Turner. Two long, athletic shot-blocking 7 footers going head to head in a college game will be so fun to watch.

We're going to need Phil and Lubin to be really physical with Cameron Ridley. That is the mismatch that I am most worried about.

 

[Kitaman]

It ain't like we have never lost a game before and we surely fear no one.

Just sayin.....

 

[UConnSwag11]

We've got a good chance against anyone this year, but Duke is freaking legit. Their ball-movement is spectacular, which makes their offense very, very tough to handle. And their defense is much better than in recent years, as is their depth and athleticism.

We'll need to get Okafor into early foul trouble, Facey will have to be monstrous on the boards, and Boat will have to play like its the title game.

pick and rolls, get the switch and let boat go to work

 

[August_West]

pick and rolls, get the switch and let boat go to work

K ain't Jamie Dixon, you would hope he would've learned better after El Amin abused Brand on pick and roll switches in 99 NC title game

 

[hoophuskee]

Texas winning games by 35 and Duke by 50 and unless Boat goes off we may have lost to Bryant. We had to take these games when they were available but I would have preferred to see one in Jan and one in Feb. KO has his work cut out.

Why is this relevant? Last year barely beat St Joes and the game before that we got blown off the court. Then what happened?

Yeah the sky is falling. If Boat didn't step up. Last year if Brimah didn't step up then Napier then Boat then Daniels. Justthink if they all didn't step up we wouldn't have even made the NIT.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

Why is this relevant? Last year barely beat St Joes and the game before that we got blown off the court. Then what happened?

Yeah the sky is falling. If Boat didn't step up. Last year if Brimah didn't step up then Napier then Boat then Daniels. Justthink if they all didn't step up we wouldn't have even made the NIT.

Sort of an overreaction. I don't think he said the sky is falling, just that he'd rather play those teams later in the season. I think they are going to have their work cut out for them against Duke. That's not a crazy position to take. Doesn't mean they can't win. Okafor is going to be a problem but who knows if they have anyone who can contain Boatright.

 

[J-dog]

Well, we're not playing for the 2014 championship - we already won that. We're trying to challenge ourselves and get better so we can win the 2015 championship. Playing two quality teams will definitely help speed the learning process.

Besides, the next time I'm scared by Duke's margin of victory in November will be the first.

K must have been picked on by bullies as a youth. He loves to pile-on lesser opponents to show his superiority...

Of course when the Tourney rolls around & his team takes punch to the face, they tend to fold, just like a common bully.

 

[hoophuskee]

Sort of an overreaction. I don't think he said the sky is falling, just that he'd rather play those teams later in the season. I think they are going to have their work cut out for them against Duke. That's not a crazy position to take. Doesn't mean they can't win. Okafor is going to be a problem but who knows if they have anyone who can contain Boatright.

I think the overeaction came from the OP identifying "point differential" as some key stat after 1 game. Then adding if Boat doesn't go off." It's just this type of "we're doomed" mentaility that cracks me up. IF IF IF. Sure you say "they (UCONN) will have their work cut out for them." Sure but it's not science to suggest "we'll have our work cut out for us" vs any top ten teams - when don't you have your work cut out for you vs such high level teams? Anyhow, they will have manyy games this year "they will have their work cut out for them" I get it- You (ie. The OP) don't want to see them play a top team this early as they aren't playing their best. Yet we were playing real good before we faced L-ville last year, weren't we? But to use "pt differential" and then state we were fortunate to win because our best player - among the best guards in the country-- went off vs Bryant is just too over-the-top.

I agree we need to play better - but please let's not overstate this by then sugessting we were fortunate a guy like Boat went off vs Bryant. You talk about a stacked deck broiled in negativity - you got it with that 1st post.

 

[tzznandrew]

K must have been picked on by bullies as a youth. He loves to pile-on lesser opponents to show his superiority...

Of course when the Tourney rolls around & his team takes punch to the face, they tend to fold, just like a common bully.

They have lost early recently, but they have a title in 2010 and an E8 in 2012...so it's not all been bad. And he has 4 titles and many many Final Fours, so his teams have survived better than most coaches out there.