Tough Schedule Ahead

[PalPa]

Three out of four of our final games are against the 2, 3, and 4 teams in our conference. That is about as tough a schedule as we could have. Good luck to the Huskies and play hard.

 

[triaddukefan]

 

[PalPa]

View attachment 8560

It's true. That really is our schedule.

 

[Jim]

Yup, tough sledding for the next two games on the road -- no snow.

 

[DobbsRover2]

The SOS of those last four games is the only thing that is giving UConn a fighting chance in brain-dead RPI. If they can somehow win them all, the Huskies will actually finish ahead of USCar, but still in the #6 spot behind Tennessee, Baylor, Notre Dame, Maryland, and Iowa, all clearly superior teams to UConn. Looks like the Huskies could get an esteemed #2 seed if they take care of business and USCar, Louisville, Oregon State, and Duke don't do anything unexpected. A #3 seed would really bite.

 

[cabbie191]

The SOS of those last four games is the only thing that is giving UConn a fighting chance in brain-dead RPI. If they can somehow win them all, the Huskies will actually finish ahead of USCar, but still in the #6 spot behind Tennessee, Baylor, Notre Dame, Maryland, and Iowa, all clearly superior teams to UConn. Looks like the Huskies could get an esteemed #2 seed if they take care of business and USCar, Louisville, Oregon State, and Duke don't do anything unexpected. A #3 seed would really bite.

Do I detect a sense of sarcasm?

 

[Adesmar123]

Three out of four of our final games are against the 2, 3, and 4 teams in our conference. That is about as tough a schedule as we could have. Good luck to the Huskies and play hard.

I'm thinking they have a good shot at winning two of them. One is a toss up and one they will be huge under dogs. But if they give 110%, play one game at a time, remember there is no I in team, step up to the plate, and not pull any punches, its a slam dunk.

 

[DobbsRover2]

Do I detect a sense of sarcasm?

Only if you have that Sarcasm Detector turned up to max. We should remember that only a short time ago the Predicted RPI index was projecting UConn to lose the final regular season game at USF. And sorry for USCar fans, but it has UTenn winning the game on Monday because of its crushingly great RPI score.

Just going by what the experts say, and what the Selection Committee points to whenever it needs a reason for doing something totally stupid.

 

[HoopsFan21]

Who cares about how strong or not strong our schedule is? We're getting a #1 seed and we're the best team in the country by a mile.

 

[PalPa]

In the first of the road games-vs #2 Tulsa- UCONN is up 58-23 at halftime. I think there is a better than 50% chance of winning this one.

 

[EricLA]

Who cares about how strong or not strong our schedule is? We're getting a #1 seed and we're the best team in the country by a mile.

Agreed. But I think some of the posters are saying things tongue-in-cheek. In fairness, IMHO, the AAC might get 3 teams into the dance. Temple is playing much better after a disastrous start to the season and their win over Tulane might have knocked them out. But at 19-7, they have a decent record and they will probably end the year 21-8. A deep run in the AACT might get them a bid. Then again, I might be wearing AAC colored glasses...

 

[ndmb]

Agreed. But I think some of the posters are saying things tongue-in-cheek. In fairness, IMHO, the AAC might get 3 teams into the dance. Temple is playing much better after a disastrous start to the season and their win over Tulane might have knocked them out. But at 19-7, they have a decent record and they will probably end the year 21-8. A deep run in the AACT might get them a bid. Then again, I might be wearing AAC colored glasses...

The loss against Temple hurts a lot. My guess is that they don't have a great shot unless they lock up the three seed in the AAC tournament (to avoid UConn in the semi-finals) and beat USF.

 

[UConn990411]

There's nothing tough about it.

 

[Aluminny69]

There's nothing tough about it.

 

[Adesmar123]

I think they won even though they were overmatched because they gave 110%, played one game at a time, remembered there is no I in team, stepped up to the plate, and didn't pull any punches,they slammed dunked.

But next game they are 20 point underdogs.

 

[mr006]

Three out of four of our final games are against the 2, 3, and 4 teams in our conference. That is about as tough a schedule as we could have. Good luck to the Huskies and play hard.

A sad commentary indeed. A couple years ago, that might have meant a loss or at least sweating out a close win. This year, it means in all likelihood, one of those opponents will be in the NIT. BTW, our roughest stretch was actually in December (at ND, DePaul, and Duke in a 5 game stretch).

 

[DobbsRover2]

A sad commentary indeed. A couple years ago, that might have meant a loss or at least sweating out a close win. This year, it means in all likelihood, one of those opponents will be in the NIT. BTW, our roughest stretch was actually in December (at ND, DePaul, and Duke in a 5 game stretch).

That's only because UConn hadn't put everything together yet. The season is a learning process, and once things fall together for UConn they usually start moving like an all-crushing machine. And when does that happen? Why of course during the second half of the year during conference season. But year after year since 1995 it's the same old tired complaint, the Big East is terrible, the AAC is terrible, the Huskies' conference margin is too huge, even though if they were playing a ND\Duke or USC\Tennessee or Maryland or Baylor or Oregon State, the margin would be 25 or 30 or 40 or up. So of course they have their "roughest stretch" earlier in the year before things have gelled.

Tonyc, help out here. Tell the newbies why a 46 point conference win is par for the course and why the sky is not falling.

 

[mr006]

That's only because UConn hadn't put everything together yet. The season is a learning process, and once things fall together for UConn they usually start moving like an all-crushing machine. And when does that happen? Why of course during the second half of the year during conference season. But year after year since 1995 it's the same old tired complaint, the Big East is terrible, the AAC is terrible, the Huskies' conference margin is too huge (a-e-i-o-u-and-sometimes-y, if you guys get the drift), even though if they were playing a ND\Duke or USC\Tennessee or Maryland or Baylor or Oregon State, the margin would be 25 or 30 or 40 or up. So of course they have their "roughest stretch" earlier in the year before things have gelled.

Playing the #2, #25, and #10 teams (at the time, anyway) is a lot more challenging than the 2-4 in the AAC, any time of the year. Was a time when the #2, #10, and #25 teams and our conference's 2-4 were one and the same, but as has been lamented ad naseum (myself included), that was then, and this is now. I will try to limit my repeating of this sentiment, but it's not easy.... And you are correct, once they get going, the challenges are few and far between. Such is our cross to bear, I guess, the price of excellence...

 

[DobbsRover2]

Playing the #2, #25, and #10 teams (at the time, anyway) is a lot more challenging than the 2-4 in the AAC, any time of the year. Was a time when the #2, #10, and #25 teams and our conference's 2-4 were one and the same, but as has been lamented ad naseum (myself included), that was then, and this is now. I will try to limit my repeating of this sentiment, but it's not easy.... And you are correct, once they get going, the challenges are few and far between. Such is our cross to bear, I guess, the price of excellence...

Oh I get you. Back in 2002 I was also in a tizzy because BY posters were saying that even though the team was pretty good, that last five games against Seton Hall, Syracuse, Providence, Rutgers, and West Virginia was a big obstacle for the Huskies since they were winning those games by 44.2 points, and that the team couldn't be prepared for the rigors of the Tournament with such a piddle-poor slate to finish with.

UConn may be doomed with their weak end-of-year slate (though it does include a top 20 team unlike in 2002), but I retain a modicum of hope that the tough practices and their will to win will allow them to do decently well in the Tourney.

 

[mr006]

Oh I get you. Back in 2002 I was also in a tizzy because BY posters were saying that even though the team was pretty good, that last five games against Seton Hall, Syracuse, Providence, Rutgers, and West Virginia was a big obstacle for the Huskies since they were winning those games by 44.2 points, and that the team couldn't be prepared for the rigors of the Tournament with such a piddle-poor slate to finish with.

UConn may be doomed with their weak end-of-year slate (though it does include a top 20 team unlike in 2002), but I retain a modicum of hope that the tough practices and their will to win will allow them to do decently well in the Tourney.

Although they play the rest of the way against the best the AAC has to offer , they also play against one of the top coaches in Geno - as you noted, every day in practice, and every game. And he's one tough opponent .