In The NCAA Championship Game, You Can Choose...

[HuskyFich]

Had this debate with my buddy the other day, and would like to see what you guys think

PG- Kemba or Shabazz?
SG- Ray or Rip?
SF- Rudy or Caron?
PF- Donyell or Adrien?
C- Emeka or Thabeet?

Lets say you're going up against 2012 Kentucky:
PG- Marquis Teague
SG- Doron Lamb
SF- Michael Kidd-Gilchrest
PF- Terrence Jones
C- Anthony Davis


PG- Kemba
most consistently clutch and dazzling tournament player ever
SG- Ray
Tough decision here, can't go wrong either way. Ray was slightly more polished all around at end of UConn career.
SF- Caron
Again, toss up. Caron's game more offensively advanced while at UConn
PF- Adrien
I choose Adrien here because he is exactly the type of player I want in a game like this...will fight tooth and nail for every second he's on the court and is an ultimate glue guy. Having Kemba, Ray, and Caron allows for a bruiser down low that doesn't command too many touches and strengthens the defensive presence.
C- Emeka
This was more difficult to decide than I originally thought. Yes, Emeka is arguably our most prized player ever. But Thabeet's defensive presence and athletic ability was so profound during his junior year, it was basically going against a brick wall. A team with so much offensive power could use this greatly, and seeing how great Thabeet and Adrien were together, it made a compelling argument. In the end though, you have to go with proven greatness.

 

[UConnSwag11]

You can put any combo of those players against that UK team and they would beat them. Beat them badly

 

[CallMeBruce]

Bring Adrien over Donyell doesn't make sense to me, especially with Okafor and Caron there. With Donyell, you can spread the floor a bit more, and he's just such a better offensive player. He would have dominated Jones.

 

[mets1090]

Agree with UConnSwag11. Any combination of players from that list smoke the Kentucky team more often than not.

 

[partyATkemba]

I'd swap Adrien and Donyell as well. It's not like we are going to get crushed on the boards.

One more note: Although I love Shabazz and he's more important to UConn's program than Kemba was, Kemba is far and away the better player / tournament player.

 

[whaler11]

Rudy versus Caron is a toss up?

And of course an all time team is going to beat a single season team.

 

[UConnSwag11]

Rudy versus Caron is a toss up?

And of course an all time team is going to beat a single season team.

True, the amount of love and hype these UK teams get its fun to do this. With the media saying that team and this past years are arguably the best ever you see why these teams come up. I would put '06 and '09 against them and they still would beat them and beat them badly. Or put them against the the '04 squad. That would silence them

 

[JimHurley]

I would take:
Shabazz: in my opinion the most clutch player in program history. Love his swagger.
Ray: perhaps the best 3 point shooter ever. Enough said.
Caron: one of if not the best wing to ever come out of UConn.
Donyell: beast. That's all.
Emeka: the best center UConn has ever seen.

 

[Scoe]

Kemba
Rip
Caron
Adrien, (I don't need five scorers on the court, he can help beat up on Davis)
Emeka

4/5 Uconn has the clear advantage, and Junior Emeka vs Freshmen Davis is a wash. I would love to have Khalid in this game with his swagger. Guess Uconn would have the game plan we used against Brand rotate guys in and tire him out, we did the same with Julius Randle in 2014. Squid isn't the best end of game coach, that is one huge advantage for Uconn whether you would have Calhoun or Ollie as your coach.

 

[Scoe]

True, the amount of love and hype these UK teams get its fun to do this. With the media saying that team and this past years are arguably the best ever you see why these teams come up. I would put '06 and '09 against them and they still would beat them and beat them badly. Or put them against the the '04 squad. That would silence them

Exactly, we don't need to put an all-time Uconn team to beat the 2012 UK team, one thing to keep in mind how would that 2012 UK team do in a close game, Cal isn't the best end of game coach.

 

[Scoe]

I would take Jake over Hasheem in this game btw.

 

[Waquoit]

Rudy versus Caron is a toss up?

Right. I'm going with the guy who wasn't yawning like he had something better to do.

 

[BUConn10]

The fact that you put the UConn super team against 2012 UK shows how well media hype works like propaganda. Years later when people don't remember the season quite as well, ESPN will not hesitate to remind everyone they were "dominant".

 

[borninansonia]

who would you have coach, JC or KO?

 

[CL82]

Kemba
Rip
Caron
Adrien, (I don't need five scorers on the court, he can help beat up on Davis)
Emeka

4/5 Uconn has the clear advantage, and Junior Emeka vs Freshmen Davis is a wash. I would love to have Khalid in this game with his swagger. Guess Uconn would have the game plan we used against Brand rotate guys in and tire him out, we did the same with Julius Randle in 2014. Squid isn't the best end of game coach, that is one huge advantage for Uconn whether you would have Calhoun or Ollie as your coach.

I think I'd be inclined to take Rip over Ray as well. I loved his motor and mid-range game. Defenders burned a lot energy chasing him.

 

[intlzncster]

who would you have coach, JC or KO?

I would take Jake over Hasheem in this game btw.

Come on.

 

[Letsgohuskies11]

Rudy or Caron? Dunk Contest or an actual game?

 

[BUConn10]

Either you take Kemba +Ray or you take Shabazz + Rip, you can't go wrong with either. The midrange-deep theats would compliment each other perfectly, but if say Kemba + Rio would be weaker than the other 3 possibilities.

 

[Scoe]

Come on.

In this game yes, if its just a straight up question jake or hasheem the answer is obviously Hasheem. You need glue guys to win a national championship, Jake would be in a lineup with Kemba, Rip, and Caron. You need guys who do the dirty work.

 

[David 76]

I'm with the OP EXCEPT, have Donyell replace Adrian

 

[huskyharry]

You couldn't go wrong with any combination but
I'd take:
Bazz: Kemba is a better individual talent, but Bazz is better at setting the table for others and given the other talent on this squad that quality has a higher value IMHO
Ray: very tough decision but Ray is the better pure shooter from 3
Caron: better all around player over his career, this was mores evident if we are only looking at their peak ability while at UConn when Caron was >> Rudy
Donyell: Caron and Emeka give you the rebounding needed, 'Yell also has the 3 point range to spread the floor
Emeka: Much better all around performer that Hasheem

 

[imno1]

Based on how they played at UConn I think Caron, Donyell, and Emeka are locks. The Kemba vs Shabazz, Ray vs Rip is less clear because they are 4 of the best 6 to ever play for the Huskies.

 

[Kitaman]

I think you are sleeping on Kevin Freeman. What he did to Battier was criminal. A lot of stars listed but we have a few 'lunch pail' guys that would compliment the starters on the 1st team.

Jake was phenomenal against the POY Brand.

Don't need all stars just a compliment of players that can get it done. Rashad Anderson is another that comes to mind. Adrien already listed.

 

[nomar]

You couldn't go wrong with any combination but
I'd take:
Bazz: Kemba is a better individual talent, but Bazz is better at setting the table for others and given the other talent on this squad that quality has a higher value IMHO
Ray: very tough decision but Ray is the better pure shooter from 3
Caron: better all around player over his career, this was mores evident if we are only looking at their peak ability while at UConn when Caron was >> Rudy
Donyell: Caron and Emeka give you the rebounding needed, 'Yell also has the 3 point range to spread the floor
Emeka: Much better all around performer that Hasheem

I think I'd do this (considered Rip over Ray, but I realized that was only because Rip won a title; Ray was a better player), but swap out Bazz for Kemba. Bazz's assists numbers were really no better than Kemba's, and I think Kemba's ability to take guys off the dribble and finish at the rim was better.

 

[mauconnfan]

You would have arguments for all of them but Adrien/Donyell. As much as Adrien was a "tough, hustle" guy if you give up 25pts/9 rebounds and 3 blocks a game you're whacked out your mind. That one is not close. He changed games from the perimeter to the interior.

And I would take Freeman for the bench guy in this spot. Jeff would be next here.