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

UConn vs Michigan (Championship)

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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:
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?
 
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.
 
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.
 
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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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
Hurley joked around that he may need some of the '24 team to defeat Michigan.
 
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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.
 
Lafayette said:
Indeed pace will be key. Run them through the offensive sets and get us some open 3s on double pin downs etc.

They have one PG in Cadeau and he wasn’t amazing at UNC and can be limited by Silas. If Cadeau gets winded or into foul trouble they have no PG.

Mara plays like a 42 year old Edey. He can get winded just hustling down court. Slower reflexes mean foul trouble.

Targeting Cadeau and Mara will be key. That and pace. Good matchups.
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Cadeau is listed at 6’1…which means he’s prob 5’11+. Mal should be able to play him even and Silas should have a significant size advantage. Can he back him down
 
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Ripper32 said:
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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We also beat them by 30 once - one game formats, anything can happen.

Win or lose, very proud of what this team accomplished and excited to see what Hurley spins up for Monday. I'm sure it will be good, and the better team that day prevails. Hurley has a chance to become legend with a win.
 
Ripper32 said:
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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Exactly. Thats why we might blow them out.
 
Can an out of conference team defend what we do for 40 minutes while retaining legs sufficient to make jumpers late in the second half? I think not.
Arizona had a dumb plan last night. They thought they could outscore Michigan. They could not. And neither can we. But Danny Hurley would never try that. We are running our sets for 40 minutes. We are making 23 have to run after Alex with an injured leg. And we are not going to allow the crazy number of open 3’s that zona allowed last night. I think we win this game, with a full roster. I just saw that Solo is questionable, we need everybody!!!
 
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