UConn vs MSU (Sweet 16) | Page 4 | The Boneyard

UConn vs MSU (Sweet 16)

I went to the 2009 Final Four. Nothing is worse than Sparty. Not Duke, not Kentucky, nothing.
I was there too. The only Final Four we have failed to exit as champions.. Worst coaching of Calhoun's tenure at UConn. Thabeet gave the world a preview of what a stiff he'd be in the NBA. Sparty crushed us, deservedly.
 
Must stick with the offense no matter what happens. Our offense is hard to defend and wears defenders out. ISO ball is easy to defend and preserves energy for the defense. Karaban and Mullins need to be down screening for each other off the ball multiple times a possession. We need Ross to play a lot because Demary will wear out if he has to defend Fears for 30+ minutes on a gimpy ankle. We need Demary’s offense on Friday so he can’t wear out or get in foul trouble.

We could really use an above average defensive effort from Reibe too.
 
From an article posted to the MSU Message Board:

<snip>

“They have a complex offense with incredible movement to it,” Izzo said. “And I’m glad we get some days to prepare for that because you’ll need some days to prepare. They got five guys in double figures. They’ve got tremendous experience. It is more of a veteran team.”

Looking back at Michigan State’s exhibition game against UConn, Izzo did not like the way his team handled the physicality on the road. The Huskies came into that game clearly looking to prove that they were the tougher of the two teams.

In an exhibition game where players could not foul out, UConn punched Michigan State in the mouth. Between the physicality and the inability of the Spartans to stop dribble penetration, UConn jumped out to a double-digit lead early and maintained a double-digit lead for most of the game.

“It ended up six or eight, but it wasn’t a six or eight,” Izzo said. “It was a 10, 12-point game, 90 percent of the game. And that’s the way it started, and that’s kind of the way it ended, with a little bit of room in between. We did some good things when we watched the film. We did some bad things.”

It will take more than a few good things from Michigan State to advance to the Elite Eight in the NCAA Tournament for the second straight season.

<snip>

Eh, I have a hard time putting stock in an exhibition where players couldn't foul out. We're not going to be able to defend with the same intensity.
 
Your memory is a bit off. We had really bad guard play and Kalin Lucas and one of their American forwards killed us.
Was he a big doofus with bad hair that could be easily mistaken for a European doofus from a distance? I never revisited this game for a nano second.
 
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Your memory is a bit off. We had really bad guard play and Kalin Lucas and one of their American forwards killed us. We were playing from behind most of the second half, got it close for a second at the end of the game on a ridiculous Stanley tip dunk but then we didn't get back on D and the game was over.
MSU had a good gameplan to basically shut down AJ Price and make someone else beat them, and it worked. Austrie, Robinson, Adrien, and Thabeet weren't "create on your own" types, and Kemba frankly choked in the biggest game of his life to that point (after the best game of his life against Missouri in the Elite 8).

In fact, one of the most under-discussed storylines in 2011 was Kemba'a redemption from that performance.
 
Fears's size should play to our advantage a bit. Malachi will be able to cover him when Silas sits or if they switch off.

We can't get Solo into situations where he's switching onto him. Silas, Malachi, Braylon and Ross should all be able to contain.
I'm thinking Danny might start Malachi for just that reason. Get into him defensively early
 
MSU had a good gameplan to basically shut down AJ Price and make someone else beat them, and it worked. Austrie, Robinson, Adrien, and Thabeet weren't "create on your own" types, and Kemba frankly choked in the biggest game of his life to that point (after the best game of his life against Missouri in the Elite 8).

In fact, one of the most under-discussed storylines in 2011 was Kemba'a redemption from that performance.
Yes. But the game still produced one of/the best dunks in program history

 
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Yes. But the game still produced one of/the best dunks in program history


still boggles my mind to this day why JC still continued to press after this when it was a 1 possession game instead of just playing straight up. MSU got ahead of the press and then got an and 1 on the other end to effectively end the game.
 
Was he a big doofus with bad hair that could be easily mistaken for a European doofus from a distance? I never revisited this game for a nano second.
No, he was a jacked dude from Ohio wearing a mask with short hair named Raymar Morgan.

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Yeah seems unlikely that this is accurate.
Screenshot 2026-03-24 at 12.25.19 PM.png

If true and steady, we aren't all that disadvantaged. I suppose the 2mm over us gives the Duke & Ark's some leverage over a player or the ability to go get one more stud.
 
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UConn coach Dan Hurley is pleading for his fan base to rally together with supporters of St. John's -- for one night -- and root for each other so there is a chance for a fourth game this season between the Big East schools, this time with a spot in the Final Four at stake.

"It will be a live building," Hurley said. "It's probably a little bit early, but obviously, I think we've got to support each other. It's pretty brutal on Twitter, I think, and socials between our fan bases, but I think we have to try to come together Friday night against our opponent so we can have a bloodbath on Sunday."


 
UConn coach Dan Hurley is pleading for his fan base to rally together with supporters of St. John's -- for one night -- and root for each other so there is a chance for a fourth game this season between the Big East schools, this time with a spot in the Final Four at stake.

"It will be a live building," Hurley said. "It's probably a little bit early, but obviously, I think we've got to support each other. It's pretty brutal on Twitter, I think, and socials between our fan bases, but I think we have to try to come together Friday night against our opponent so we can have a bloodbath on Sunday."



Hopefully the two fanbases can find it within themselves to get loud for each other Friday.
 
UConn coach Dan Hurley is pleading for his fan base to rally together with supporters of St. John's -- for one night -- and root for each other so there is a chance for a fourth game this season between the Big East schools, this time with a spot in the Final Four at stake.

"It will be a live building," Hurley said. "It's probably a little bit early, but obviously, I think we've got to support each other. It's pretty brutal on Twitter, I think, and socials between our fan bases, but I think we have to try to come together Friday night against our opponent so we can have a bloodbath on Sunday."


To each their own, I will be treating St Johns/Duke like I did Creighton/San Diego State in 2023
 

This article says, “UConn took down Michigan State in the Final Four” in 2009. I like that version of history by CBS Sports.
That article has been up since yesterday afternoon. They didn't fix it yet? Slackers.
 
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