UConn vs MSU (Sweet 16)

[Marat]

To start things off, it will be a competitive battle. UConn needs to absolutely limit the turnovers in this one and go with what has been working - rebound and play tough defense.

We played them in the preseason game in Hartford. Tarris Reed and Braylon Mullins did NOT play. UConn controlled the game . Looking at the stats, Solo was way off on threes (1-7) but managed to score 18 points. We will need him to attack the basket like before and shoot the mid range pull ups instead of the long bombs.


Go Huskies !

 

[boog204]

Great matchup between two pretty similar teams. We have to limit the unforced errors/turnovers and come out with some energy. MSU does not beat itself and is obviously very well coached.

 

[Aaron1995]

As a UConn grad (1995) living in Michigan for the past 30 years and married to a MSU Spartan this will be fun. Unfortunately I’ve been to much more Spartan games over the past 30 years. I generally root for the Spartans in the Big 10. Michigan fans are insufferable. However, when the Huskies play the Spartans I hate everything green and white.

 

[CL82]

Very similar teams:

 

[Marat]

Hurley needs to gameplan to cut off the head of their snake - Fears. He had 16 assists vs LVille, and had 11 assists vs NDSt.

When we played earlier he had just 6 assists.

 

[TroyHall98]

The game starts and ends with how Silas and Malachi defend Fears. We have one of the better defensive backcourts so I have some guarded (no pun intended) optimism here. They also have size on the wings which makes having Jaylen available huge.

 

[Travelman6]

All time they've played each other 8 times (6 neutral) with the series tied 4-4. MSU has won the last two games, 64-60 in 2021 and that 20 point drubbing in 2017. They got UConn in 09 but Huskies got revenge 5 years later with two regular season wins in between including 2010 maui. This is a rubber match of sorts, best of 9 and march madness best of 3 too as they're tied 1-1 in the tourney. UConn beat them soundly in 1999 in the first ever match between the two teams and they turned around and did the same to UConn a year later. 5 of 8 games decided by single digits.

So pretty decent history the past 27 years.

 

[Umami Zen]

Gotta clean up our unforced errors (TOs) with the ball and match their energy. Team D/help D/boards. Have to believe Tarris will be up for this game. Familiar with the opponent.

 

[aceboon]

It needs to be drilled over and over into our guys that they have to stay home on Fears' pumpfakes and foul grifting. Alot of times he's not even looking to actually score or make the basket, just to draw the foul. Malachi/Silas/Ross and whoever gets matched on him when they continue to concede switches can't bite.

 

[Marat]

It needs to be drilled over and over into our guys that they have to stay home on Fears' pumpfakes and foul grifting. Alot of times he's not even looking to actually score or make the basket, just to draw the foul. Malachi/Silas/Ross and whoever gets matched on him when they continue to concede switches can't bite.

This is especially important for Ross as he tends to jump on the fakes. He didn't do that vs UCLA though which was good.

 

[TroyHall98]

The game starts and ends with how Silas and Malachi defend Fears. We have one of the better defensive backcourts so I have some guarded (no pun intended) optimism here. They also have size on the wings which makes having Jaylen available huge.

Just saw a stat that MSU averages a little less than 12 turnovers a game. This could help negate some of our turnovers.

 

[Umami Zen]

Bilodeau was injured after playing 11 minutes in UCLA win vs Mich St. in quarterfinals game. UCLA's guards did some serious damage vs Mich St. guards. A healthier Silas and a steady Malachi should keep Fears busy on D.

 

[Travelman6]

Bilodeau was injured after playing 11 minutes in UCLA win vs Mich St. in quarterfinals game. UCLA's guards did some serious damage vs Mich St. guards. A healthier Silas and a steady Malachi should keep Fears busy on D.

As long as fears doesn't try to cheap shot one of their crotches which is a legit fear and every time izzo turns a blind eye to that nonsense he becomes less respectable.

 

[boog204]

Hurley needs to gameplan to cut off the head of their snake - Fears. He had 16 assists vs LVille, and had 11 assists vs NDSt.

When we played earlier he had just 6 assists.

Healthy Silas would be enormous here…

 

[Tenspro2002]

It needs to be drilled over and over into our guys that they have to stay home on Fears' pumpfakes and foul grifting. Alot of times he's not even looking to actually score or make the basket, just to draw the foul. Malachi/Silas/Ross and whoever gets matched on him when they continue to concede switches can't bite.

Not great. Ross is a good overall defender but really bad about going for fakes.

 

[husky98]

As a UConn grad (1995) living in Michigan for the past 30 years and married to a MSU Spartan this will be fun. Unfortunately I’ve been to much more Spartan games over the past 30 years. I generally root for the Spartans in the Big 10. Michigan fans are insufferable. However, when the Huskies play the Spartans I hate everything green and white.

Ha! Excellent.

 

[RuffRuff]

Great matchup between two pretty similar teams. We have to limit the unforced errors/turnovers and come out with some energy. MSU does not beat itself and is obviously very well coached.

The metrics are wildly similar.

 

[Umami Zen]

MSU game would be a great time for a healthy Stewart to return and give us some tough D/Boards for 15 minutes. Slow down Carr and make him work hard for his buckets/rebounds..

 

[Punkbo]

The 2014 NCAA Tournament game at MSG had unbelievable energy. One of the many great memories for UConn basketball.

 

[buckley503]

Son is a sophomore at State so watched a lot of their games. Just a pretend basketball guys 2 cents:

• Kohler and Cooper are big and will clog up things for Reed. Kick outs for the open shot will be huge.
• Ward and Teng are sneaky good contributors off the bench and need to be accounted for when they are in the game.
• With their back up point guard out, Fears plays a lot so wearing him down or foul trouble would be nice.

Otherwise, expect a pretty evenly matched game that I see will be a bunch of spurts but hopefully the good guys have a few more.

Also, have to deal with a hockey game against Sparty on Thursday so, as much as I love him, I hope he is miserable come Saturday morning.

 

[caw]

MSU is obviously good and with that pre-season game played the teams do know each other a bit. Though IIRC Reed and Mullins didn't play in that scrimmage and MSU has gelled a bit since then.

Feels like another game UConn will need Ross to play well in. He is probably the only healthy wing player UConn has that can match their 2-3 athleticism (OK nobody can match Carr's raw athleticism).

 

[Ctedgeman]

Anybody know which side of the scorers table UConn is on? Considering going to DC for this one. When I went to one of our Georgetown games they were on the left as the visitor (if looking from behind the bench). Does that mean they'd be on the right as the higher seed?

 

[Donyell 360]

It needs to be drilled over and over into our guys that they have to stay home on Fears' pumpfakes and foul grifting. Alot of times he's not even looking to actually score or make the basket, just to draw the foul. Malachi/Silas/Ross and whoever gets matched on him when they continue to concede switches can't bite.

That is concerning because this team has a hard time defending without fouling.

 

[Waquoit]

I went to the 2009 Final Four. Nothing is worse than Sparty. Not Duke, not Kentucky, nothing.

 

[Kemba15]

FWIW, the line opened last night at MSU -1.5 and is now UConn -2.5. So a 4 point swing already. Could be public bettors, or sharps, or a mix. But interesting nonetheless

 

[aceboon]

I was expecting the writer to pick MSU after the write-up

March Madness Sweet 16 set: Picks, matchups and what to watch after wild opening weekend

The Sweet 16 is set after a wild opening weekend of March Madness. Here's a full breakdown of every matchup, with early picks, analysis and predictions.

www.cbssports.com

No. 3 Michigan State vs. No. 2​

Tarris Reed Jr. is not on Zach Edey's level, but I wonder if Michigan State could pull out its old game plan from the Edey days for this one. Like Purdue, UConn runs all these dangerous, flowery actions often as a disguise to create leverage for its big man (Reed in this instance) to dominate on the low block without a help defender in the same zip code.

Michigan State might be fine with that. Carson Cooper is one of the best 5-man defenders in college basketball. He's strong, mobile and smart after spending four years in the Michigan State program. The Spartans could switch everything on the perimeter -- usually the best way to handle UConn's intricate offense -- and rely on Cooper to hold up against Reed in a one-on-one tussle.


If Cooper is winning his fair share of battles inside and Michigan State can force UConn into playing late-clock basketball, it's a win. The Huskies cannot beat Michigan State without 3s dropping against a Spartans defense that loads the paint, cuts off driving lanes and sprints back out to contest 3s. The problem? UConn just hasn't shot the basketball all that well in a while. This is a very dangerous 3-point shooting team on paper, but UConn has made double-digit treys just once in the past nine games.

It might need nine or 10 to get on the right side of this one, and it will also need Silas Demary Jr. to play like an All-Big East defender against Jeremy Fears Jr., who can get into the paint at will and could build a tent at the free-throw line against a UConn defense that fouls a ton.

Michigan State will win this game if it plays clean. That's been an issue at times, though. The Spartans have a 17% turnover rate against top-50 teams, and this UConn defense is aggressive, handsy and will try to heat up the supporting cast.


The pick: UConn

 

[Inyatkin]

I was expecting the writer to pick MSU after the write-up

March Madness Sweet 16 set: Picks, matchups and what to watch after wild opening weekend

The Sweet 16 is set after a wild opening weekend of March Madness. Here's a full breakdown of every matchup, with early picks, analysis and predictions.

www.cbssports.com

No. 3 Michigan State vs. No. 2​

Tarris Reed Jr. is not on Zach Edey's level, but I wonder if Michigan State could pull out its old game plan from the Edey days for this one. Like Purdue, UConn runs all these dangerous, flowery actions often as a disguise to create leverage for its big man (Reed in this instance) to dominate on the low block without a help defender in the same zip code.

Michigan State might be fine with that. Carson Cooper is one of the best 5-man defenders in college basketball. He's strong, mobile and smart after spending four years in the Michigan State program. The Spartans could switch everything on the perimeter -- usually the best way to handle UConn's intricate offense -- and rely on Cooper to hold up against Reed in a one-on-one tussle.


If Cooper is winning his fair share of battles inside and Michigan State can force UConn into playing late-clock basketball, it's a win. The Huskies cannot beat Michigan State without 3s dropping against a Spartans defense that loads the paint, cuts off driving lanes and sprints back out to contest 3s. The problem? UConn just hasn't shot the basketball all that well in a while. This is a very dangerous 3-point shooting team on paper, but UConn has made double-digit treys just once in the past nine games.

It might need nine or 10 to get on the right side of this one, and it will also need Silas Demary Jr. to play like an All-Big East defender against Jeremy Fears Jr., who can get into the paint at will and could build a tent at the free-throw line against a UConn defense that fouls a ton.

Michigan State will win this game if it plays clean. That's been an issue at times, though. The Spartans have a 17% turnover rate against top-50 teams, and this UConn defense is aggressive, handsy and will try to heat up the supporting cast.


The pick: UConn

He basically says MSU is better at this, this, and this, but UConn will win. OK?

 

[FfldCntyFan]

I was expecting the writer to pick MSU after the write-up

March Madness Sweet 16 set: Picks, matchups and what to watch after wild opening weekend

The Sweet 16 is set after a wild opening weekend of March Madness. Here's a full breakdown of every matchup, with early picks, analysis and predictions.

www.cbssports.com

No. 3 Michigan State vs. No. 2​

Tarris Reed Jr. is not on Zach Edey's level, but I wonder if Michigan State could pull out its old game plan from the Edey days for this one. Like Purdue, UConn runs all these dangerous, flowery actions often as a disguise to create leverage for its big man (Reed in this instance) to dominate on the low block without a help defender in the same zip code.

Michigan State might be fine with that. Carson Cooper is one of the best 5-man defenders in college basketball. He's strong, mobile and smart after spending four years in the Michigan State program. The Spartans could switch everything on the perimeter -- usually the best way to handle UConn's intricate offense -- and rely on Cooper to hold up against Reed in a one-on-one tussle.


If Cooper is winning his fair share of battles inside and Michigan State can force UConn into playing late-clock basketball, it's a win. The Huskies cannot beat Michigan State without 3s dropping against a Spartans defense that loads the paint, cuts off driving lanes and sprints back out to contest 3s. The problem? UConn just hasn't shot the basketball all that well in a while. This is a very dangerous 3-point shooting team on paper, but UConn has made double-digit treys just once in the past nine games.

It might need nine or 10 to get on the right side of this one, and it will also need Silas Demary Jr. to play like an All-Big East defender against Jeremy Fears Jr., who can get into the paint at will and could build a tent at the free-throw line against a UConn defense that fouls a ton.

Michigan State will win this game if it plays clean. That's been an issue at times, though. The Spartans have a 17% turnover rate against top-50 teams, and this UConn defense is aggressive, handsy and will try to heat up the supporting cast.


The pick: UConn

Flowery?

 

[imno1]

MSU game would be a great time for a healthy Stewart to return and give us some tough D/Boards for 15 minutes. Slow down Carr and make him work hard for his buckets/rebounds..

With the way Karaban and Ross are playing in this tournament I just can’t see where those 15 minutes come from. Alex ain’t sitting for more than a couple minutes at most unless we are up big. And Jayden deserves at least 22 -25

 

[RuffRuff]

Most UConn Tourney Meets

1. Duke – 5 meetings
2. Kentucky – 4 meetings
3. Florida – 4 meetings
4. Michigan State – 3 meetings