UConn vs Michigan (Championship)

[Mr. French]

Just chiming in to add it's astounding how more than half of the thread for the national championship game is about who goes higher in a hypothetical draft between Yaxel and a guy who played for us a couple years ago. Lol.

RuffRuff-ization of the Boneyard.

Dude is obnoxious.

 

[Mr. French]

Breeding makes me a bit nervous, not gonna lie. We can’t be getting tick tack foul trouble.

 

[uconnblueinky]

 

[DCKembaFan]

Word is the Michigan crowd there is much thinner than expected.

Thinner by number or individual girth?

 

[JustbrewitMan]

When Stew is not impaired yes. This is not the same Stewart as pre injury and he hasn’t had a lot of game action. Stewart played 7 minutes against Illinois and 5 minutes against Duke. There was a reason for that. And Reibe is playing very little who played 7 minutes against Duke and 5 minutes against Illinois.
I understand why everyone is picking Michigan, they have 9 starters.
When Hurley has gone to the bench to rest our starters it has been disastrous losing momentum. We need to somehow reverse that to hang in this game, and if we do this could surprise the world.

You might be surprised to find out that our bench guys have generally sustained our momentum throughout the tourney. Won't bore you with the metrics, but Ross/Smith/Reibe/Stewart in various combos with 1-2 starters has not been the disaster you seem to think it is.

 

[MexicoHusky]

Last Thursday I was buying a fuel additive here in Mexico. Mexico gas is sometimes lesser quality and some recommend an engine cleaner additive on occasion. I read that Chevron Techron Concentrate Plus Fuel System Cleaner is the best option. But the local Autozone I went to did not carry it. The best available option was Lucas Oil Deep Cleaner Additive. I bought it. Seems like its working ok. I'm taking it as a good sign.

 

[JustbrewitMan]

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.

We have selectively pushed pace throughout the tourney. I expect we'll do the same tonight when it's there.

We got Solo a great open look/make from 3 in the Illinois game when Silas pushed pace, and in the Duke game, Braylon had 2 wide open transition 3's.

 

[HCCForever]

You might be surprised to find out that our bench guys have generally sustained our momentum throughout the tourney. Won't bore you with the metrics, but Ross/Smith/Reibe/Stewart in various combos with 1-2 starters has not been the disaster you seem to think it is.

They did a pretty good job against Illinois in the second half as I recall. The subs plus Ball had an eleven-point lead before the starters returned around the eight-minute mark.

 

[gsmooth]

We need to be ready for Cadeau's intentional misses off the backboard that are actually passes

Are people really saying that? I don't think they are intentional misses, but I do think he is putting up shots going downhill on the pick and roll action knowing there is good chance Mara or Morez Johnson are in good position to get the offensive rebound.

 

[HCCForever]

We have selectively pushed pace throughout the tourney. I expect we'll do the same tonight when it's there.

We got Solo a great open look/make from 3 in the Illinois game when Silas pushed pace, and in the Duke game, Braylon had 2 wide open transition 3's.

Here is a link to the game that Ray referenced. It caught UNLV off guard. UConn would need to shoot well above their average though. IU UNLV 1987 FF Semifinal

 

[Hurlees4hed]

Are people really saying that? I don't think they are intentional misses, but I do think he is putting up shots going downhill on the pick and roll action knowing there is good chance Mara or Morez Johnson are in good position to get the offensive rebound.

I agree and was being a bit tongue in cheek. We will have to do a good job limiting second chances like always though.

 

[Mr. Hand]

Breeding makes me a bit nervous, not gonna lie. We can’t be getting tick tack foul trouble.

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!

 

[noelle]

Are people really saying that? I don't think they are intentional misses, but I do think he is putting up shots going downhill on the pick and roll action knowing there is good chance Mara or Morez Johnson are in good position to get the offensive rebound.

he probably wanted to make the shots but dusty may did say that was their way of getting the ball to the bigs

 

[jibsey]

You might be surprised to find out that our bench guys have generally sustained our momentum throughout the tourney. Won't bore you with the metrics, but Ross/Smith/Reibe/Stewart in various combos with 1-2 starters has not been the disaster you seem to think it is.

Last 2 games I referenced Duke/Illinois, but yeah they need to be what they have been prior to those games and give us something.

 

[Waquoit]

I think we’re due to have the threes start to fall. That’ll put Michigan on the back foot.

 

[CL82]

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!

Just don't want it to be called close on drives and be the thunder dome on off ball contact.

 

[BugsyCT]

Looks like it's the road blues for us tonight - first time for everything. We beat Duke in 'em so it's still good mojo for us.

 

[Mr. French]

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!

Gotta just hope it’s called both ways, that’s my concern. They’re big and physical so I worry they get away with a lot of contact and that makes it tough for us to finish.

 

[Chin Diesel]

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.

 

[UCTitleTown]

Are people really saying that? I don't think they are intentional misses, but I do think he is putting up shots going downhill on the pick and roll action knowing there is good chance Mara or Morez Johnson are in good position to get the offensive rebound.

Cadeau does a lot of no-look passes even just running basic offense. Our guys need to be ready for that. Battle of the All-Tournament Hair Team: Cadeau vs Ball.

 

[UconnU]

I wonder what Penn State did differently to Michigan.

 

[gsmooth]

Looks like it's the road blues for us tonight - first time for everything. We beat Duke in 'em so it's still good mojo for us.

It's interesting I thought about that after they defeated Illinois that UConn would be wearing their road uniform for the first time in a national championship game.

 

[storrsroars]

Breeding makes me a bit nervous, not gonna lie

Lucky for you, most of us understand the context of this statement.

 

[BugsyCT]

It's interesting I thought about that after they defeated Illinois that UConn would be wearing their road uniform for the first time in a national championship game.

It's really a statistical oddity considering the seeds we've been in championship games.

1999 - 1 seed vs 1 Duke (won the coin flip)
2004 - 2 seed vs 3 Ga Tech
2011 - 3 seed vs 8 Butler
2014 - 7 seed vs 8 Kentucky
2023 - 4 seed vs 5 SDSU
2024 - 1 seed vs 1 Purdue (we were the #1 overall seed)

 

[NickDanger]

Are people really saying that? I don't think they are intentional misses, but I do think he is putting up shots going downhill on the pick and roll action knowing there is good chance Mara or Morez Johnson are in good position to get the offensive rebound.

Not only are people saying that, it was a deliberate strategy to get the ball past Arizona's big man.

 

[NickDanger]

he probably wanted to make the shots but dusty may did say that was their way of getting the ball to the bigs

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

 

[gsmooth]

It's really a statistical oddity considering the seeds we've been in championship games.

1999 - 1 seed vs 1 Duke (won the coin flip)
2004 - 2 seed vs 3 Ga Tech
2011 - 3 seed vs 8 Butler
2014 - 7 seed vs 8 Kentucky
2023 - 4 seed vs 5 SDSU
2024 - 1 seed vs 1 Purdue (we were the #1 overall seed)

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.

 

[HW611]

Not only are people saying that, it was a deliberate strategy to get the ball past Arizona's big man.

It’s interesting that a pretty common basketball play has been blown up like this.

Yes, on pick and rolls the big usually has an offensive rebounding advantage because the defensive big is drawn out to cover a potential layup from the guard. It’s why bigs are usually coached to roll hard no matter what and the guard attacks the big as aggressively as possible. Because even if the guard misses, the big is in position for an offensive board. He doesn’t purposefully miss, it’s just a backup option for if it happens.

It’s honestly simple basketball stuff. But I think anything that generates something outside of a 3 these days seems like rocket science in today’s analytically driven basketball.

 

[RitzLuce1]

I still can’t get over Breeding working this game. Doesn’t seem to be an accident. Almost feels like an insurance policy.

 

[gsmooth]

Not only are people saying that, it was a deliberate strategy to get the ball past Arizona's big man.

Sure, but Cadeau wasn't deliberately missing the shots. The message to Cadeau was "shoot the ball (with the intention of making the shot) off the PnR going downhill. If you miss don't worry, our guys will be in good position to get the offensive rebound, but make sure you shoot. Don't turn down the shot."

It’s interesting that a pretty common basketball play has been blown up like this.

Yes, on pick and rolls the big usually has an offensive rebounding advantage because the defensive big is drawn out to cover a potential layup from the guard. It’s why bigs are usually coached to roll hard no matter what and the guard attacks the big as aggressively as possible. Because even if the guard misses, the big is in position for an offensive board. He doesn’t purposefully miss, it’s just a backup option for if it happens.

It’s honestly simple basketball stuff. But I think anything that generates something outside of a 3 these days seems like rocket science in today’s analytically driven basketball.

Bingo. It goes to what I wrote above in bold.