UConn vs MSU (Sweet 16) | Page 6 | The Boneyard

UConn vs MSU (Sweet 16)

Those guys are idiots. Mullins doesn’t stand in the corner all game. We run our offense to try to get easy Reed looks or open 3s. Mullins is a big part of that process. He touches the ball a lot but his playmaking skills need a lot of work which is why you can’t just run everything through him. Also, he averages more FG attempts per game than Karaban and a whole 1 less than Liam did last year, who no one ever said wasn’t used enough. 🙄
One guy is a Purdue fan, and the one in touch with BM's uncle.
 
I watched the clip. I get what he's saying conceptually but I've gotta question how much he's relying on Mullins's high school highlights for that take. It's not something that's really supported by what we've seen this season.
Agree. “UConn just sticks Braylon in the corner to wait for potential shots” is a wild take if the guy ever watched one UConn game
 
Stanley's last college game was spring 2010. This iteration of the Boneyard launched September 2011.

What he's trying to pass off as his original comments was a weak post hoc attempt at reframing it to not appear completely clueless.
I remember my original comment precisely. I just like fudging with people.
 
You definitely used the phrase “Big East caliber athlete” when describing what he wasn’t. Find that one.

You have some of the words, but my meaning was very different.

And as I showed in the linked post, I was right.
 
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I'd put this in the "What's wrong with Solo Ball" thread but it's locked and I didn't want to start another thread for it.

"He's got to continue to focus on defending, (not) getting lost on the defensive end, doing a better job there, doing a better job on the backboard," Hurley noted. "That'll take his mind off the shooting."

"Just like Braylon was able to get some things to happen (Sunday)," Hurley noted, "I think that's coming for Solo."



The RuffRuff Alternate Access™:

Why UConn's Dan Hurley remains confident in slumping Solo Ball: 'It's coming for Solo'

 
What I remember was our not having our best scorer and them having some big European stiff going Toby Bailey on us.
Goran Suton is the guy you're thinking of. He only had four points against us, but I remember his presence in the game making a big impact as well. Perhaps it was his ability to drag Thabeet out of the paint that helped open driving lanes - my memory is fuzzy as I never had the heart to re-watch it.

(He did go for 17 and 11 against UNC in the national championship, so maybe that's seeping into your memory).
 
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I'd put this in the "What's wrong with Solo Ball" thread but it's locked and I didn't want to start another thread for it.

"He's got to continue to focus on defending, (not) getting lost on the defensive end, doing a better job there, doing a better job on the backboard," Hurley noted. "That'll take his mind off the shooting."

"Just like Braylon was able to get some things to happen (Sunday)," Hurley noted, "I think that's coming for Solo."



The RuffRuff Alternate Access™:

Why UConn's Dan Hurley remains confident in slumping Solo Ball: 'It's coming for Solo'

I feel like Solo has attempted to draw charges a number of times in recent games and has racked up a ton of blocks called. Which I suppose means he's either struggling to get position or predict what the offensive player will do or both. But he's taken himself out of games with a ton of first half foul trouble, and a bunch of those have been blocking calls.
 
Went to State in the dark ages when they practiced Magic, live in CT 30+ years, kid went to UConn, so conflicted a little, wish they were not playing each other.
Hard game to call, somebody is going to get hot and take this over. Hope the stripes let them play, but not too much.
As to the fan bases, the 2009 game was in Detroit (Ford Field 72K fans) so lots of Sparty, but it will come as no surprise that there are some of the original BE fans who have an aversion to the UConn fan base from their experiences in the Garden at the tournament.
I was at the 2012 game, it was shall we say unpleasant to be wearing Green.
But so be it. Lets have at it.
 
Fears may be their best player, but the two big men, Kohler and Cooper, are really the identity of the team. They're the fulcrum of the half-court offense, both in terms of initiating their sets and finishing them. At 6'9, 240 and 6'11, 230, respectively, both are well-equipped physically to perform the critical screening duties that Tom Izzo's offense requires. They're also skilled enough to operate from the high post and run dribble-handoffs on the perimeter. This allows them to quickly reverse the ball and re-load the post until they can create a better angle on the entry pass.

And make no mistake, this offense is designed to feed the post first and foremost. Both big men are fairly efficient on the low block and also pretty adept at finding cutters out of doubles. Pay close attention to Coen Carr - he compensates for his shooting deficiencies (he's only 29% from three) with smart, timely cuts that often result in thunderous dunks. He's among the national leaders in that category for a reason.

Since MSU lacks perimeter creators outside of Fears, it becomes all the more imperative that their big men create crevices with their off-ball screens to simplify reads for their slashers. Carr, Kur Teng, and Jordan Scott are all capable secondary creators who can find the open guy when the defense is scrambling.

On the other end, Izzo has managed to coax just enough rim protection out of the pair to construct a conservative defense based on condensing the floor and cleaning up the glass. Neither Kohler nor Cooper is particularly quick, but they're not laboring, either. Positionally and structurally, the two of them have been sound enough to anchor a top 15 defense. Experience helps there.

Overall, it's pretty much your standard low ceiling, high floor Izzo team. Their half-court offense is effective but not nearly as imaginative as UConn's - most of their alignments start with big men at both elbows, where they'll either flare out to the wing to screen off the ball or continue to the top of the key to set a ball screen. It's probably closer to the flex offense than it is UConn's.

My gut tells me UConn should win this game. They're not a particularly difficult team to prepare for, and from a talent standpoint they're equal at best. I could see them struggling to score in the half-court. Fears generates a lot of his offense in transition, which UConn traditionally has excelled at limiting. Assuming UConn dictates the tempo (which I assume it will), it should choke out most of Sparty's transition opportunities and bottle up Fears to the extent that it's possible.

Izzo's a heck of a coach, but he's far more renowned for his consistency than he is for his ability to topple great teams. I don't know if this UConn team is great, but if they are they should win this game.
 
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I said it in the other preview thread.

It comes down to Transition defense. We can’t be giving up 16+ transition points.

I almost want to sacrifice offensive rebounding and just run everyone back but Tarris on D.
I agree. Make Carr play in the half court.

I am hoping our defense can really lock down in that type of game. Letting Michigan St get out and get easy points will not end well for us.
 
I agree. Make Carr play in the half court.

I am hoping our defense can really lock down in that type of game. Letting Michigan St get out and get easy points will not end well for us.

I agree. Make Carr play in the half court.

I am hoping our defense can really lock down in that type of game. Letting Michigan St get out and get easy points will not end well for us.

Yes. This also means minimizing low percentage threes (off balance, deep) that bounce far off rim and giving them chances to run off rebounds. Need to maintain player balance on defense and sprinting back. Keep Tarris on the boards and have him trail the play on defense. MSU would want to tire him out running back. Although they like to throw lobs too, so watch for that.
 
I just heard Robbie Hummel on Dan Patrick show. He said the key to tonight is toughness. The toughest team will win and UConn will go as far as Tarris can take them. Nothing earth shattering. He also mentioned UConn’s strong guard play snd AK’s winning ways.
 
Agree. “UConn just sticks Braylon in the corner to wait for potential shots” is a wild take if the guy ever watched one UConn game
Kind of like Lappas being surprised that Jayden Ross could shoot during the first two rounds in Philly. Glad these “experts” do their research
 
I feel like Solo has attempted to draw charges a number of times in recent games and has racked up a ton of blocks called. Which I suppose means he's either struggling to get position or predict what the offensive player will do or both. But he's taken himself out of games with a ton of first half foul trouble, and a bunch of those have been blocking calls.
And a few looked like the wrong call, at least to me.
 
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Kind of like Lappas being surprised that Jayden Ross could shoot during the first two rounds in Philly. Glad these “experts” do their research
He said about 8 things that were progressively stupider than the last. Washed up and riding coattails of his past success
 
I feel like Solo has attempted to draw charges a number of times in recent games and has racked up a ton of blocks called. Which I suppose means he's either struggling to get position or predict what the offensive player will do or both. But he's taken himself out of games with a ton of first half foul trouble, and a bunch of those have been blocking calls.
Tbh it's been something he's been doing all season and he never gets the call, he needs to hold his ground/play position and stop flopping trying to draw the charge
 
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