What is with the love for Alabama?

[BlueDogs]

Can we first try and get by Maryland before worrying about Alabama.

 

[Samoo]

Nominee for dumbest post ever

That's not even the dumbest post by shizzle.

 

[CTMike]

Yeah, and you’re a brain surgeon.

Wait, let me explain that to you.....that’s called sarcasm.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

We beat them in 2004 so OBVIOUSLY they don’t stand a chance this year

 

[Deadrody]

I'm confused. We play Maryland. Don't tempt the mojo

 

[evmore]

They have never won anything in March. Their most storied success was in the 80s when they reached the Sweet 16 a couple of times. 2004 was the most impressive performance-they got to the Elite 8 where they lost to us. Since 1991, they have only reached the second weekend once. I get that this program has a good coach and has had a good season but traditionally they choke. I love them as a #2 seed for us. Same thing goes for Texas because Shaka Smart hasn't done anything since VCU and the program hasn't done anything in a dozen years in March (2008-Elite 8). The only teams in our bracket that I don't consider soft are Michigan because they had some success this decade and Michigan State.
I am so glad we don't have the likes of UNC, Wisconsin, Syracuse (hate to say it), Michigan State (wouldn't meet until Sweet 16), Michigan, Villanova, Oregon, Kansas, or even Duke or Kentucky in our bracket. Those are teams that more often that not are consistent-they meet or exceed their seed expectation.

Looking at the 1 seeds only Gonzaga and Michigan have had some success deep in the tournament lately. Baylor and Illinois are what I consider soft (underachievers). Same goes for Houston and Alabama.

This year is setting up for a lower seed to win and it better be us.

Have you watched anything this year? Bama plays extremely hard and has a couple of 2021 draft picks, plus they manhandled LSU this weekend to win the SEC, so i'd have to say they are probably the strongest 2. Nothing soft about them. That said, we can beat them.. IF James plays up to his level & Tyler Phommachanh is hitting his 3's & Cole, Tyrese, and Whaley all play well. A lot of 'if's' but it can be done.. How we play against the Terps will say a lot about our chances against Bama.

The Big12 is the best conference in NCAA basketball, so, to say that the guy who just won that conf tournament hasn't done anything since VCU is a little misguided. Also, having to play Baylor, TTech, and OK St will toughen any team up.

Syracuse is TRASH. If the whine ass Boheim wasn't their coach this same team would be playing the NIT. They don't deserve to dance but since when has that mattered with Syracuse.? They epitomize 'soft' by playing a zone.

But keep those hot takes coming!

 

[Excalibur]

shizzle in 2019: "What's with all the love for Texas Tech? They have no history!"

 

[Hey Adrien!]

Alabama's record w/ Jordan Bruner playing: 17-4.

Between Bruner, Jordan Reese and James Rojas, Alabama has three athletic bigs who have recently played 80% of their minutes at the 5.

Why does that matter? Having three capable rotational bigs playing between 8-15 minutes each game allows them to go 100% when their on the court and make use of their fouls to give.

Do I think Sanogo et al. can bully Alabama inside? Yes, but Alabama isn't reliant on just one guy to protect inside, so it'll be a tall task.

Here's the good news: Alabama is only 245th in offensive boards preventing and UConn is 6th in offensive boards...a missed shot could provide some of our best offense.

I feel good about beating Maryland and I'm looking forward to a potential matchup with Bama.

 

[tzznandrew]

Anyone excited to play Alabama is nuts.

The best team we beat is a 6 seed.

The best teams we played are 5 seeds.

Generally speaking, that doesn't bode well. Take care of Maryland—no easy task since we only have beaten 1 team seeded higher than them all year—and then we'll see what happens against a very very good Alabama team.

 

[HuskyHawk]

They have never won anything in March. Their most storied success was in the 80s when they reached the Sweet 16 a couple of times. 2004 was the most impressive performance-they got to the Elite 8 where they lost to us. Since 1991, they have only reached the second weekend once. I get that this program has a good coach and has had a good season but traditionally they choke. I love them as a #2 seed for us. Same thing goes for Texas because Shaka Smart hasn't done anything since VCU and the program hasn't done anything in a dozen years in March (2008-Elite 8). The only teams in our bracket that I don't consider soft are Michigan because they had some success this decade and Michigan State.
I am so glad we don't have the likes of UNC, Wisconsin, Syracuse (hate to say it), Michigan State (wouldn't meet until Sweet 16), Michigan, Villanova, Oregon, Kansas, or even Duke or Kentucky in our bracket. Those are teams that more often that not are consistent-they meet or exceed their seed expectation.

Looking at the 1 seeds only Gonzaga and Michigan have had some success deep in the tournament lately. Baylor and Illinois are what I consider soft (underachievers). Same goes for Houston and Alabama.

This year is setting up for a lower seed to win and it better be us.

The past is irrelevant. I am sure people scoffed about 1999 UConn as well. Alabama is good. People who aren't seeing the change in college hoops aren't paying attention. The football schools are going all in on hoops. The SEC used to stink outside of UK and Florida, now it is a very strong and deep league. Whatever success any school had in the past came with a different team and a different roster than they have this season, and so is completely irrelevant.

 

[August_West]

Don’t throw stones in glass houses? Let he who is without sin cast the first stone?

Maybe don’t lob around “dumbest post” titles when your post history is there for all to see? Lol

Yeah but you gotta admit shizzles post is in hall of fame of dumb posts.

 

[storrsroars]

They have never won anything in March...

I'm imagining an Alabama fan in the late 90s posting the same thing about UConn.

 

[ScuderiaDiU]

just glad cuse didnt pull the trigger and hire oats before he left buffalo

Oh Jesus...no kidding!!! On the flip side, maybe we missed the boat too. I like Hurley but Nate Oats is really damn impressive! This guy is going to win multiple championships.

 

[superjohn]

Oh Jesus...no kidding!!! On the flip side, maybe we missed the boat too. I like Hurley but Nate Oats is really damn impressive! This guy is going to win multiple championships.

Considering the only active college coaches with multiple championships are K, Roy, Wright, and Pitino the chances Nate Oats will have multiple championships is really slim.

 

[BleedHuskyBlu]

Man hate to read bad takes like this. I wouldn't be shocked to see Alabama run us out of the gym and beat us by +20. They can shoot and when they are on it could get ugly.

 

[UConn Esq]

This post has bad juju written all over it.

 

[Rocktheworld]

iawardyounopoints.flv

 

[Kitaman]

Damn, I'm must be getting too old for this Board. So Alabama is the fan focus now?

I thought our next game is against Maryland on Saturday.

 

[QDOG5]

plus they manhandled LSU this weekend to win the SEC,

80-79 Bama over LSU and the tigers had two good looks at the end. Manhandled?

 

[Bonehead]

@shizzle787 hant been right about anything since 2016.

 

[olehead]

Gotta get by Maryland. Which everyone obviously agrees with.

I'm very content being forgotten by the experts. Not going to go into specifics, but I think getting out of the spotlight could be good for us. Not sure we've handled it great.

Agreed!

 

[InTheRed]

I would rather play Bama who is a #2 than a Duke or Kentucky (if they were good this year) seeded anywhere between a 2-10 seed. Program culture matters. That's why schools like Purdue do well in the regular season and choke in March all the time.

Virginia "choked" as a 1 seed to a 16 seed and then won the title the next year. Choking when the players change so much from year to year is not a thing.

 

[uconnric]

They’re good.

This is not that hard.

Apparently it is hard for some on this board.

 

[XLCenterFan]

80-79 Bama over LSU and the tigers had two good looks at the end. Manhandled?

Was thinking the same thing. The better word would have been annihilated.

 

[mauconnfan]

Alabama is very good. Athletic, can shoot it from Deep, can defend and Oats has them playing at a high level on both ends. Primo is a tough loss if he is out but they are pretty deep.

Key is getting by the Terrapins first anyway. Morsel will be pumped up for Bouk, James has his chance.