Wil the next 2 games determine their post-season fate?

[DogMania]

Having two in a row at home, against a struggling DePaul team and hot Marquette team, gives them a shot at building some critical momentum.

If they can get their BE record to 7-7 and begin to feel good about themselves, it is not crazy to think they can finish this 6 game stretch 5-1 or 4-2. This is not a prediction, but another one of my "Why Not?!?!" crazy statements. Heck, it worked last season.

There are few different ways this team could accomplish this, but IMO, they must win the next 2 games to muster the momentum they need to finish strong. I just don't think staring this stretch 1-1 will get it done, even though Marquette is on a big time roll now, sitting in 2nd place in the BE. If they can finish 10-8 in the BE, winning 5 out of the last 6 games, they'll play themselves right off the bubble and strongly back into the field of 68. A .500 record in conference play might get them in, but might require at least 1 BET win to make sure they vault over enough fellow BE conference members to get an invitation. The overall D1 field is not very good this year, so maybe it won't take as much to get in as I'm making it out to be. Nevertheless, they have to finish these last 6 games on an uptick since the committee often takes into account how a team finishes their last 8 to 10 games. Right now we are mired in a 1-6 slide over our last 7 games and just 3 out of our last 11. They gotta start filling in a bunch of Ws over the last 6 games if they want a shot at defending their NC. I think they are capable of doing this if they can get their head' right, and a 2 game winning streak will go a long way making this happen.

 

[dpross]

Talent-wise, UConn should be a 10 pt favorite against Marquette. Reality-wise, UConn should be a 5 pt dog, even at home. Assuming we get through Depaul unscathed, the Marquette game should be a good one. And I agree, it is probably the most critical of the upcoming stretch (assuming they beat Depaul, of course).

 

[djct1999]

any team that loses to depaul at home is not tournament worthy....

 

[sparky]

These games are important to their tourney hopes, unless we are looking at another "perfect storm". We palyed well against Cuse but lost MO when Drummond went out. It actually looked like we knew what we were doining against the zone.

 

[bobbygt]

These games are important to their tourney hopes, unless we are looking at another "perfect storm". We palyed well against Cuse but lost MO when Drummond went out. It actually looked like we knew what we were doining against the zone.

I'd even say that the guys looked really good together. They seemed like a team again.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Talent-wise, UConn should be a 10 pt favorite against Marquette. Reality-wise, UConn should be a 5 pt dog, even at home. Assuming we get through Depaul unscathed, the Marquette game should be a good one. And I agree, it is probably the most critical of the upcoming stretch (assuming they beat Depaul, of course).

Johnson Odom and Crowder are better college players than anyone on UConn. Marquette is a very good team that has a tendency to stay in games they should win easily because of Buzz Williams.

 

[djct1999]

yeah, ok......... thats all johnson odom and crowder will be....college players. at uconn, we produce pros.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

yeah, ok......... thats all johnson odom and crowder will be....college players. at uconn, we produce pros.

1) are you really talking trash about the #2 team in the league's talent?

2) Johnson Odom may be the most athletic guard in the conference. You clearly have never seen Marquette play.

 

[businesslawyer]

Johnson Odom and Crowder are better college players than anyone on UConn. Marquette is a very good team that has a tendency to stay in games they should win easily because of Buzz Williams.

Criticizing Buzz Williams as a coach, base on what he has accomplished, is just bizarre.

 

[RS9999X]

Two wins and the pressure is off. They can play .500 ball the last 4 and win 1 in the tourney and sleep well.

As a 10 seed they could beat a 7 in the NCAA. Doubt they get past a 2 seed. That's about the size of it Look at the bright side: as an 11 or 12-seed they could get a play-in game.

Marquette is beatable by UConn. Drummond needs to be healthy and win the boards. I hate to say the game will be won beyond the arc but it could be. When Marquette craps out on the road and misses the tres they lose. Let them get into a groove from the perimeter and its over.

 

[DogMania]

1) are you really talking trash about the #2 team in the league's talent?

2) Johnson Odom may be the most athletic guard in the conference. You clearly have never seen Marquette play.

I agree, that was a really dumb statement by djct. Marquette is a very good team with two very good players who will likely play for pay in the League soon. When it's all said and done, this UConn team has a good chance of getting more of its players into the league, but who the h*ll cares. Winning this Saturday is all we should be caring about.

I hope our young team can begin to put it all together. They will have to do it a tad longer than they did against SU to beat Marquette.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Criticizing Buzz Williams as a coach, base on what he has accomplished, is just bizarre.

You clearly haven't watched Marquette either. They have a very, very good team. Williams is clearly a tremendous recruiter that gets his players to play hard, if not always smart. They have some serious issues in putting inferior teams away, and Williams has a tendency to blow games he should win late. What exactly has Marquette accomplished? Williams inherited a program in great shape and has more or less maintained that level, which is respectable, but some perspective should be maintained. It's not like he inherited Rutgers or South Florida and brought them to a Final Four.

 

[DogMania]

Criticizing Buzz Williams as a coach, base on what he has accomplished, is just bizarre.

This thread has a few head-scratchers in it, this being one of them. Buzz is a heck of a coach. I feel like I get to watch both hoops and The Three Stooges at the same time. Not that he coaches like Curly but sure as heck looks like him. Woooo-woooo-woooo-wooooo! But I digress.

 

[RayRay34]

I agree, that was a really dumb statement by djct. Marquette is a very good team with two very good players who will likely play for pay in the League soon. When it's all said and done, this UConn team has a good chance of getting more of its players into the league, but who the h*ll cares. Winning this Saturday is all we should be caring about.

I hope our young team can begin to put it all together. They will have to do it a tad longer than they did against SU to beat Marquette.

They need to win Wed. first! Let's not get ahead of ourselves... that could end up being the end of the season if this team is looking past DePaul already. They have to win that one first, then worry about Marquette.

 

[HuskyBballFan]

yeah, ok......... thats all johnson odom and crowder will be....college players. at uconn, we produce pros.

I think we all agree that Lamb and Drummond will have better pro careers than DJO/Crowder.

But how exactly will that help us on Saturday?

 

[Kitaman]

We are vulnerable and reeling right now, so its about winning one game at a time with this team, no matter the opponent. These opponents won't resemble their usual selves when playing UConn.

 

[RuffRuff]

This is a fascinating 6 game stretch when in terms of understanding this teams make up, in particular under Blaney/Ollie. The Cuse game was encouraging and it will be interesting to see if they build off it. There is no game left on the schedule that they can't win and are in desperation mode. So the deviation on whether they will see L's or W's at a point is all about intangibles and if they have gutts. Do they rise to the occasion and figure it out now with senses heightened? I actually like how the schedule/desperation shapes up to gain some momentum into the post season, in particular if Calhoun comes back. Ie. NY Giants. There is no room for another flat performance, win or lose. Let's see what your made of boys.

 

[DogMania]

They need to win Wed. first! Let's not get ahead of ourselves... that could end up being the end of the season if this team is looking past DePaul already. They have to win that one first, then worry about Marquette.

I always find it strange when someone tells fans to not get ahead of ourselves. It's not like I'm out there on the floor with our guys! I'm not counting the DePaul game as a win in the first place. My point was simply this team needs to win both games to kick the mojo in their favor. I just think heading back out on the road with a loss in either game and a 6-8 BE Conference record would be devastating emotionally, and something I just don't think they will recover from. They haven't won back-to-back games since January 14th and that string would continue for well over a month if they don't win these two next games.

Now could they go on and win 3 of the following 4 or sweeping all 4 after going 1-1? Well mathematically yes! We do have to keep in mind that last years team limped right up to the end of the season before it went on it's epic 11 game run, but that team had a bunch of signature wins throughout the season and had Kemba Walker.

This team needs something good to happen to them now to boost their confidence. If not now, I just don't see it happening to this group, but as always, I'd love to see them prove me wrong. I just have a sense based on the SU game that if this team can muster up some big ones over the next two games, they'll begin to go on a roll. I'm not saying they'll win out, but going 4-2 or even 5-1 are within their grasp.

 

[djct1999]

No matter how poorly Uconn has played of late, to think that Johnson-Odom and more specifically Crowder are "way better" than anyone on our team is simply ridiculous. Most importantly, Marquette has no frontcourt. If we can establish Drummond likd we did early in the second half on Sat., there is simply no one who could stop him. Secondly, Marquette is very streaky and can be taken out of their game. If Uconn steps up there perimeter defense and keeps Marquettes open looks to a minimum, I am not sure how Marquette will get their points. I am not a gambling man, but I suspect that come Sat. morning, UConn will be a 3pt favorite.

 

[kobebeanbryant]

No matter how poorly Uconn has played of late, to think that Johnson-Odom and more specifically Crowder are "way better" than anyone on our team is simply ridiculous.

I love when someone uses quotes and then completely misquotes someone. Exhibit A above.

The post you are referring to said the following: "Johnson Odom and Crowder are better college players than anyone on UConn". Not "way better", and also qualified with "better college players".

I'm not sure if I totally agree, but given the way we have played, I can see where the OP is coming from, especially with Johnson-Odom.

 

[bobbygt]

No matter how poorly Uconn has played of late, to think that Johnson-Odom and more specifically Crowder are "way better" than anyone on our team is simply ridiculous. Most importantly, Marquette has no frontcourt. If we can establish Drummond likd we did early in the second half on Sat., there is simply no one who could stop him. Secondly, Marquette is very streaky and can be taken out of their game. If Uconn steps up there perimeter defense and keeps Marquettes open looks to a minimum, I am not sure how Marquette will get their points. I am not a gambling man, but I suspect that come Sat. morning, UConn will be a 3pt favorite.

That's the key, but that's also the biggest question mark.

Which AD/AO will show up?

Marquette has about the same size as Notre Dame, and we all know that ND outrebounded uconn last time out.

Crowder is very strong and deceptively bigger than he actually is (think Adrien).

The big guys have to play tough and if they do, they could dominate.

 

[businesslawyer]

You clearly haven't watched Marquette either. They have a very, very good team. Williams is clearly a tremendous recruiter that gets his players to play hard, if not always smart. They have some serious issues in putting inferior teams away, and Williams has a tendency to blow games he should win late. What exactly has Marquette accomplished? Williams inherited a program in great shape and has more or less maintained that level, which is respectable, but some perspective should be maintained. It's not like he inherited Rutgers or South Florida and brought them to a Final Four.

You caught me -- I've never watched Marquette play. Great argument.

 

[RS9999X]

There was some bonehead clock managment last year Nelson. This year the 17 point lead lost to Georgetown is the only bad game out of 5 losses.

 

[tzznandrew]

Williams clearly is not a great "game" coach. Far too many bonehead plays. A couple of years ago they blew a game against a team in the tourney (Missouri) all based on strange calls and poor game management.

I like Buzz. You can get to a Final Four with Buzz perhaps. I don't think you're winning a title with him without a lot more talent.