UConn vs Michigan (Championship) | Page 7 | The Boneyard

UConn vs Michigan (Championship)

RuffRuff said:
Fairly obvious - we'd get killed if we tried to run with them. We have to numb them like novacane with our offensive sets.
Silas needs to cut Cadeau off at POA, let Ross stick with Yaxel. Yaxel on a bum leg will be more of a shooter than an interior threat. Play Mullins at the 2. AK is going to have a tough guard on Johnson. Hopefully Tarris can run a couple pump fakes and get some early fouls on Mara.

Don't overplay Ball in this one.

They're not 2024, but they're not terribly far off. Probably one of the better teams we've seen alongside that 2024 team. I want to see them in a methodical half court game that means something.
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UConn 2024 would wipe this Michigan team off the floor.
Zona was overrated and flawed and it showed last night
This 2026 UConn team is no where the skill set of 2024 but this Michigan team is not close to 2024 UConn
I appreciate your insight at times but your evaluation of teams like Arizona, UMich and Florida are over the top, in my opinion
I see Michigan closer to 2026 Illini and 2026 UConn should have beaten the Illini by 20 last night had the officiating been more even.
 
gtcam said:
UConn 2024 would wipe this Michigan team off the floor.
Zona was overrated and flawed and it showed last night
This 2026 UConn team is no where the skill set of 2024 but this Michigan team is not close to 2024 UConn
I appreciate your insight at times but your evaluation of teams like Arizona, UMich and Florida are over the top, in my opinion
I see Michigan closer to 2026 Illini and 2026 UConn should have beaten the Illini by 20 last night had the officiating been more even.
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Yeah - we are on very different pages. Was never a fan of this Florida teams backcourt. Not sure how you can argue the other two teams in the F4.

I'm as big of a fan of the 2024 Uconn team as anyone - while I think they are better than this UM team, this UM team has players that Uconn team did not. I do think that team would have beaten this team because they were perfectly built for the system Hurley runs, which is beating teams in this tourney with much less talent. When McKinney is in there at the 2, this team is really talented. They'll have three first round picks in a stacked draft. McKinney a likely first rounder next year.
 
If Yaxel is gimpy, maybe play Alex on him a bit, and have J Stew try to slow down Morez.

Or, if Ross is on the floor, he can deal with Yaxel and Alex can try and contain Morez.

Cadeau is an oddity - he can make a lot of mistakes and it doesn’t always hurt that team the way it should.

Michigan is a beast of a team, but not as good as 99 Duke. Have to play a nearly perfect game with regard to tempo, boards, turnovers, fouls, and hitting shots. Nobody blows them out. They lost by about 7-8 points twice, and one possession once. I think 7-1 in one possession final scores.

I understand the line being 7.5. Hopefully it gets to 9.5! Our team owes us nothing. We know they will be prepared. And, we know they enjoy being counted out. Perfect recipe for a massive upset.
 
RuffRuff said:
Yeah - we are on very different pages. Was never a fan of this Florida teams backcourt. Not sure how you can argue the other two teams in the F4.

I'm as big of a fan of the 2024 Uconn team as anyone - while I think they are better than this UM team, this UM team has players that Uconn team did not. I do think that team would have beaten this team because they were perfectly built for the system Hurley runs, which is beating teams in this tourney with much less talent. When McKinney is in there at the 2, this team is really talented. They'll have three first round picks in a stacked draft. McKinney a likely first rounder next year.
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Castle was ROY, Cam Spencer has carved out a career, Clingan is coming into his own, not to mention Tristen who is lighting up the G League and should be playing, or Alex who shot key pressure shots well.

This Michigan team has no premium picks like Castle or Clingan (Yaxel is projected end of lottery) while Morez is end of round.

Who is the 3rd this year?
 
upstater said:
Castle was ROY, Cam Spencer has carved out a career, Clingan is coming into his own, not to mention Tristen who is lighting up the G League and should be playing, or Alex who shot key pressure shots well.

This Michigan team has no premium picks like Castle or Clingan (Yaxel is projected end of lottery) while Morez is end of round.

Who is the 3rd this year?
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Where do you think that Castle and Clingan would go if they had gone in this draft? Many saying this draft has multiple 1's, that draft had zero and the first pick is a bust.

Mara is a projected first rounder.

I love that team, but have to keep it in perspective.
 
RuffRuff said:
Where do you think that Castle and Clingan would go if they had gone in this draft? Many saying this draft has multiple 1's, that draft had zero and the first pick is a bust.

Mara is a projected first rounder.

I love that team, but have to keep it in perspective.
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Where they were picked has nothing to do with what they’re doing. Two guys are players that teams are building around, and a third is a valuable piece, and that’s just for starters. If Michigan has that from this team in three years, everyone will be surprised. Keep it in perspective, but does perspective always have to be downplaying UConn?
 
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Inyatkin said:
Where they were picked has nothing to do with what they’re doing. Two guys are players that teams are building around, and a third is a valuable piece, and that’s just for starters. If Michigan has that from this team in three years, everyone will be surprised. Keep it in perspective, but does perspective always have to be downplaying UConn?
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I think we just have to embrace it for the mojo at this point.
 
RuffRuff said:
Where do you think that Castle and Clingan would go if they had gone in this draft? Many saying this draft has multiple 1's, that draft had zero and the first pick is a bust.

Mara is a projected first rounder.

I love that team, but have to keep it in perspective.
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They don’t have anyone that’s the quality of prospect that castle and clingan were. Mullins might be the highest draft pick in the championship game.
 
Good luck Huskies! Not really a basketball guy, but I am a fan of Michigan losing at anything. Their fans were insufferable when they won a championship that everyone knew was the product of years long cheating. I can't imagine how bad they will act if they legitimately win one.
 
Of course I hope we win, but if we lose, I'm not going to be distraught and at least hope its not a blowout.

The main reason I want to win is to continue flaggergasting the entire CBB with our success.
 
RuffRuff said:
Where do you think that Castle and Clingan would go if they had gone in this draft? Many saying this draft has multiple 1's, that draft had zero and the first pick is a bust.

Mara is a projected first rounder.

I love that team, but have to keep it in perspective.
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NBA drafts don't yield that many great players. One or two All-Stars per year. If this year's draft yields 3, that makes it a great draft, but it will also mean only 3 players will be at or better than Castle's level.

But what the hell does that have to do with Yaxel and Mara?

You can't credit Yaxel for Petersen or Dybantsa being great prospects. That makes no sense.
 
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RuffRuff said:
Yeah - we are on very different pages. Was never a fan of this Florida teams backcourt. Not sure how you can argue the other two teams in the F4.

I'm as big of a fan of the 2024 Uconn team as anyone - while I think they are better than this UM team, this UM team has players that Uconn team did not. I do think that team would have beaten this team because they were perfectly built for the system Hurley runs, which is beating teams in this tourney with much less talent. When McKinney is in there at the 2, this team is really talented. They'll have three first round picks in a stacked draft. McKinney a likely first rounder next year.
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Whether this is an act, a manufacturered schtick poking fun at the idea that this Michigan team is some generational assembling of talent, or if you really have consumed the kool-aid the talking heads have been distributing and do believe they are similar in dominance to 1990 UNLV or our 2024 tournament team, it doesn't matter as either will provide mojo to our cause.

I can punch a few holes in parts of your argument (and may in a few days), but for the sake of mojo I will leave it at this for now.
 
RuffRuff said:
Where do you think that Castle and Clingan would go if they had gone in this draft? Many saying this draft has multiple 1's, that draft had zero and the first pick is a bust.

Mara is a projected first rounder.

I love that team, but have to keep it in perspective.
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Castle is going to make an all-NBA team before long. He is a top 5 pick in every draft.
 
RuffRuff said:
Where do you think that Castle and Clingan would go if they had gone in this draft? Many saying this draft has multiple 1's, that draft had zero and the first pick is a bust.

Mara is a projected first rounder.

I love that team, but have to keep it in perspective.
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Idk what you’re responding to but if we had castle starting on this team instead of Ross or Ball I’d be feeling pretty good about Monday. No one on Michigan is going in the lottery this year much less the top 7. Knowing what we know about castle now the only guy I’d consider taking over him in this years class is AJ. No way I’m taking DNP, Acuff (can’t play D), or Boozer (Mr bully ball) over Stephon. He’s the third best player on the second best team in the nba and he’s only a sophomore
 
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Most of the P4 teams with slow pace have held Michigan in the 70s or even 60s. That includes some very mediocre teams like PSU and tOSU and Minnesota. So I have high confidence we can slow Michigan down and play in the 60s or 70s.

The games that concern me for prep are the two MSU games and the Tennessee game in this Tourney. Michigan got 90 against both of them. Tennessee was the 14th ranked defense. On paper, that seems a shocking result. I didn't watch that game but I might try to find a replay tonight.

I'm not yet convinced that May is a great coach, or that this Michigan team is as connected as we are. But that's why we play the games.
 
RuffRuff said:
Yeah - we are on very different pages. Was never a fan of this Florida teams backcourt. Not sure how you can argue the other two teams in the F4.

I'm as big of a fan of the 2024 Uconn team as anyone - while I think they are better than this UM team, this UM team has players that Uconn team did not. I do think that team would have beaten this team because they were perfectly built for the system Hurley runs, which is beating teams in this tourney with much less talent. When McKinney is in there at the 2, this team is really talented. They'll have three first round picks in a stacked draft. McKinney a likely first rounder next year.
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There is nobody on this UM team that could touch what Castle, DC, CN and Cam had/have done. Castle would have still been a top 5 pick because the pro scouts see what pure talent the kid has (and he wasn't even considered a top 3 UConn player that season by the press and fans).
DC would be a top 10 pick this draft and if any GM had 1/2 a brain, Cam would have been drafted but in the end it is he who is laughing to the bank. When Newton decides to lose his poor game face he will be a really good pro. The jury is still out on AK but he will succeed in whatever path he takes.

which is beating teams in this tourney with much less talent. You are wrong on this - it's not talent level it's what the make-up is - Hurley builds his teams to win the NCAA tournament. All other coaches build their teams to win their conference tournament, get into the dance and hope that mojo keeps going. The Big East coaches build teams to beat UConn and get to the tournament. UConn fans become critical of UConn players because of familiarity. I would bet that nearly every coach in the NCAA would love to have most any UConn player they have seen playing during this tournament on their team and most would start and/or see plenty of minutes.
 
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more concerned with our own shot making than being able to play well enough defensively to win. Can we score enough, hit enough 3s to win if we hold Mich to 70-75? IMO, our defense is very easily the most disruptive, intense, and connected they will have seen all season.
 
I think UConn is faking Solo Ball’s injury. Two reasons:
  1. We need an excuse to start Jayden Ross against Michigan’s front court. If Hurley just makes that decision and it doesn’t work out, it could come back to bite him. But by saying Ball is injured, you give yourself a pass.
  2. It throws Michigan off their game (which we need to do with a team of that quality). Maybe they don’t expect solo to play that much now and won’t be as locked in on him. Now when he comes off the bench and is good to go, he’ll get better looks.
 
We have to play at our pace and not allow ourselves to get sped up.

We have to limit TOs. UM will punish us in transition.

Our bench has to come ready to play and stay out of foul trouble. Hurley can't put 4 subs and a starter in all at once like he did yesterday.

We have to hit 3s.

We can't go through long scoring droughts.
 
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Ripper32 said:
He brought FAU into a final four. That was established. He definitely is a peer of Hurley, which most coaches can't say.
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I'd say right now in terms of what they've shown, creativity, culture, system it's 1) Hurley 2) May

He should be losing his entire FC this year, will be keeping a close eye on who he picks up in the portal. With their NIL, I'd expect UM to be a top 5 team annually. Only thing holding them back is likely May being lured to the NBA.
 
I’ve given up on pregame analysis. Michigan may very well be the wagon we were in 24’ and it’s hopeless, but it sure seems like we present problems for most teams. They’re too big, too fast etc. It just doesn’t play out that way a lot of times. As with all games between top teams, you have to go into it thinking it’s a 50/50 situation. Yes, Michigan looks great, but we looked like hell a few weeks ago and here we are. Things change week to week and game to game.

The odds are Michigan wins. They have a great team and a great coach. Still, I won’t be surprised if their size etc. turns into a weakness no one saw coming. It just happens sometimes. Games don’t always go as planned.
 
Hoophound said:
I’ve given up on pregame analysis. Michigan may very well be the wagon we were in 24’ and it’s hopeless, but it sure seems like we present problems for most teams. They’re too big, too fast etc. It just doesn’t play out that way a lot of times. As with all games between top teams, you have to go into it thinking it’s a 50/50 situation. Yes, Michigan looks great, but we looked like hell a few weeks ago and here we are. Things change week to week and game to game.

The odds are Michigan wins. They have a great team and a great coach. Still, I won’t be surprised if their size etc. turns into a weakness no one saw coming. It just happens sometimes. Games don’t always go as planned.
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St John's dominated us with the two games at MSG. Even with Hurley's brilliance, he can only do so much. Sometimes match-ups prevail.
 
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