UConn vs Michigan (Championship) | Page 13 | The Boneyard

UConn vs Michigan (Championship)

NickDanger said:
Yes, it was a deliberate strategy, so that means he did not want to make them. He was passing off the backboard
Expand ...

The first play of the game looked like a legit example and it worked well. The second two “examples” I saw were horrible decisions if that’s what he was really trying to do. There was a 10-foot bank shot when the Arizona big never came out to contest so he just blocked out Mara and Arizona got the board. And a wild one off the top of the backboard where Michigan’s bigs weren’t in the paint and I think it ended up in a held ball.

Tarris and AK do sometimes try to shot block, where this could work, but they might be more apt to put a body on someone tonight anyway. Given the putback danger on misses that actually aren’t on purpose.
 
gsmooth said:
It is a statistical oddity. Even in 1999, Duke was the overall #1 seed but I think the NCAA had rule if there were 2 teams with the exact same seed it would come down to a coin flip and the winner of the coin flip got to choose the uniform and UConn won the coin flip and decided to go with the home whites. I remember taking my seat at Tropicana Field to watch that game being surprised UConn was in the home whites while Duke was in the road blue uniforms, but then I remembered in the semifinals that same Final Four Duke was in their road blue uniforms against the #1 seeded Michigan State team.
Expand ...

Correct. Not sure when they started deciding it by highest overall seeds but back then it was by a coin flip.

(Arizona was a higher overall seed than Michigan in this tourney so AZ wore white on Saturday. Not that it helped them.)
 
HCCForever said:
Most people think that UConn needs to keep the game in the 60s. I just listened to Ray on the Dan Patrick show DP and he suggested that UConn should run some since that is the best time to take trailing threes before the defense sets up. And UConn cannot afford any scoring droughts against Michigan.
Expand ...

Just came across the interview and was stunned by Ray's analysis. Last thing we should do is run with Michigan. Our half-court sets will create plenty of open three point opportunities - we just need to hit them.
 
Irvine said:
Just came across the interview and was stunned by Ray's analysis. Last thing we should do is run with Michigan. Our half-court sets will create plenty of open three point opportunities - we just need to hit them.
Expand ...
Exactly, that's just wild stuff from Ray, IMO. We slow it way down, go nuts with our off-ball movement, cuts, etc. and try to grind them down by the under 8.
 
.-.
Chin Diesel said:
First time in a while UConn hasn't been the favorite in a championship. And, I think most of America outside of Connecticut and Ohio will be rooting against UConn. UConn is the establishment team and Michigan is the new flavor.
Expand ...
True, but it may not be as anti-UConn as you think. Beating Duke in the fashion that we did earned us some love from other fan bases
 
Irvine said:
Just came across the interview and was stunned by Ray's analysis. Last thing we should do is run with Michigan. Our half-court sets will create plenty of open three point opportunities - we just need to hit them.
Expand ...
I have met Ray and we actually have a mutual friend at UConn. He is great guy and a smart guy, but I don't agree with him on that. If UConn wants to selectively push the ball up court to get a layup or a wide open 3 where they catch Michigan off guard, okay. An example of this is when AK passed to Mullins for the open corner 3 in the first half against St. John's. But UConn cannot get baited into a fast break tempo game.
 
Last edited:
Chin Diesel said:
First time in a while UConn hasn't been the favorite in a championship. And, I think most of America outside of Connecticut and Ohio will be rooting against UConn. UConn is the establishment team and Michigan is the new flavor.
Expand ...
Times have changed. When I was in St. Petersburg in 1999 for the Final Four the Michigan State fans were coming up to me knowing I was UConn fan and saying "I hope you guys kick Duke's arse" after they had lost to Duke in the semis. During the national championship game, the fans in the Michigan State sections, Ohio State sections, and the general public sections (neutral fans) were all pulling for UConn. They were the sentimental favorite for the country against Duke. After the title game, I had many Michigan State fans and other fans approach me with congratulations and excitement that UConn defeated Duke as if I was on the team and had something to do with it.
 
Rocktheworld said:
Karaban and Mullins constantly running loops around Reed screens all night will be a handful.
Expand ...
Some of the talking heads I’ve listened to have mentioned the possibility of UM employing the same switching strategy that SJ effectively employed against us (in at least 2/3 games) to protect Yaxel and the other bigs from having to do too much chasing. If so what’s the counter for Hurley & Co? Have our guards exploit favorable switches by raining threes and/or driving by them I guess?
 
.-.
connVA said:
Some of the talking heads I’ve listened to have mentioned the possibility of UM employing the same switching strategy that SJ effectively employed against us (in at least 2/3 games) to protect Yaxel and the other bigs from having to do too much chasing. If so what’s the counter for Hurley & Co? Have our guards exploit favorable switches by raining threes and/or driving by them I guess?
Expand ...
I’ve seen our guards do a good job of the little double-back on a screen when theres a switch. Like they bait the switch, then don't actually go all the way over the screen; and the defender who was following them switches off, leaving them open for a shot on the back side of the screener. Especially effective since Mullins and Karaban can both easily hit from well behind the arc. If the new defender steps up to the arc to deny the pass, that opens up a driving/passing lane.

We are going to need to make threes to win. If they want to switch, that could be a way to work around that.
 
connVA said:
Some of the talking heads I’ve listened to have mentioned the possibility of UM employing the same switching strategy that SJ effectively employed against us (in at least 2/3 games) to protect Yaxel and the other bigs from having to do too much chasing. If so what’s the counter for Hurley & Co? Have our guards exploit favorable switches by raining threes and/or driving by them I guess?
Expand ...
Use more slip screens and misdirection. Switching puts an enormous stress on the defense to communicate well. If a smaller player gets switched onto Reed Jr. give him the ball and let him go to work. Mara will be in the middle of the paint to help out an overmatched guard or Yaxel, but that will mean someone from UConn will be open for a 3. UConn has to hit 3s at a good rate tonight. No more of this inconsistent stuff. The Karaban against UCLA and Michigan needs to surface here.

Go out on your shield, UConn.
 
Tenspro2002 said:
I think I'll defer to the championship coach whose methodical attack has squeezed the life out of opponents to the tune of an 18-1 record in the Tournament in the last 4 years, with the 1 loss by 2 points to the eventual champs, over a guy whose best championship run was snuffed out exactly by trying to run with an up-tempo team.
Expand ...
I fully agree with your analysis but can’t fathom why you have to take a shot at Ray Allen to do so. What happened to just saying “I disagree?” You honestly think he had much to do with the strategy Calhoun went with against UCLA (if it even was a strategy as opposed to how the game played out)?
 
businesslawyer said:
I fully agree with your analysis but can’t fathom why you have to take a shot at Ray Allen to do so. What happened to just saying “I disagree?” You honestly think he had much to do with the strategy Calhoun went with against UCLA (if it even was a strategy as opposed to how the game played out)?
Expand ...
Not taking a shot at Ray, nor attributing the UCLA gameplan to him, but he of all people should know better than to try to run with a team that wants to run and does it better than we do.
 
Tenspro2002 said:
Not taking a shot at Ray, nor attributing the UCLA gameplan to him, but he of all people should know better than to try to run with a team that wants to run and does it better than we do.
Expand ...
To be fair, that was a UConn strength that year with KO and Sheffer as dual PGs. You go out playing your game. Makes sense.

That's why it's an odd suggestion for this team: they don't run, so you'd be trying to beat Michigan at Michigan's game and eschewing your own game to do that.
 
.-.
Mr. Hand said:
On the contrary, I hope they call it super tight. For one, we need freedom of movement in this game more than any other this season (maybe St. John's); for two, we should try to get in the bonus early - shooting free throws sure beats shooting over them; for three, our bench is better than theirs. I say let's get Cadeau in foul trouble and see what happens!
Expand ...
It's not a matter of how tight he calls it. The tech Danny got early in the BET (which -- according to Raftery -- Hurley did not say a single word but just threw his hands out in exasperation) shows that Breeding is just itching to give Hurley a tech over barely anything.
 
I know I always bitch about the times, but why the hell is this game at 8:50? It's ridiculous. I took me 6-7 tries before I finally found a place that will be open, and it's brand new. I forgot it was an option until the bartender at a different place (which will close at halftime) told me they'd be open.

The NFL learned a long time ago that ratings go up if you start earlier. 8:00 is the latest this game should start.
 
HuskyHawk said:
I know I always bitch about the times, but why the hell is this game at 8:50? It's ridiculous. I took me 6-7 tries before I finally found a place that will be open, and it's brand new. I forgot it was an option until the bartender at a different place (which will close at halftime) told me they'd be open.

The NFL learned a long time ago that ratings go up if you start earlier. 8:00 is the latest this game should start.
Expand ...
The game will end at the same time as every Monday Night Football game ends.
 
connVA said:
Some of the talking heads I’ve listened to have mentioned the possibility of UM employing the same switching strategy that SJ effectively employed against us (in at least 2/3 games) to protect Yaxel and the other bigs from having to do too much chasing. If so what’s the counter for Hurley & Co? Have our guards exploit favorable switches by raining threes and/or driving by them I guess?
Expand ...
Let them. That’s gonna work with one day of prep? We’ll go to Plan B and they’ll be running into each other.
 
Michigan wears yellow home jerseys don’t they? Yellow teams never win. We beat the yellow team the 2004 final. Also in 2004, was the last time I was in a Dick’s last resort. They have one here in Indy near the stadium so I had to come in and drink a couple Lite’s for the mojo.
 
.-.
You must log in or register to reply here.

Forum statistics

Threads
168,285
Messages
4,561,420
Members
10,455
Latest member
UConnGabby


Top Bottom