No one giving Uconn a chance

[CTfan07]

Really don't see how MSU has been more impressive of late, and it's all about momentum and getting hot at the right time. We're hot. Beat a very good St. Joe's team, blew out a now underrated Nova team, a comfortable win against an Iowa State team with a top level coach who had a full week to prepare... MSU fans would likely point to beating a "great" UVA team. What exactly has UVA done in the tourney? Blew out Memphis? Congrats, we rocked Memphis even worse on their home court two weeks ago.

This will be a tough game for sure, but I think people are looking at the overall body of work right now when considering MSU the favorite. UConn is damn hot, and I don't mean that in a strictly shooting sense. The whole team is easily playing their best ball of the season.

We should be the favorite. It's in MSG. Never bet against UConn in that arena. Never. Some of you are crapping your pants about Dawson and Payne... newsflash we played them last year and didn't get killed by them. That was Kevin Ollie's first game as a head coach. Think he's improved in his preparation for opponents since then? Absolutely. Izzo is a hell of a coach, too. But Ollie is in a freakin' groove .

Sparty should be wetting the bed thinking about how the hell they're going to stay out of foul trouble against the nation's best backcourt. Basketball is a game of match-ups and last year's game shows that we are a damn solid match-up against the individuals who will be wearing green or white or who gives a flying F on sunday.

All that said, it'll be a great game. Can't wait.

 

[cordeodato]

Everyone is bigger everyone is better.
UConn guards are much quicker than anyone in the country. And now both of them are playing under control. I am sure looking at tape does not accurately express their quickness When MSU sees them tomorrow they will be amazed. Don't be fooled by last night's final 5 minutes. If it were not a sweet16 game we would have beat ISU by 20. Those no defense stunned by our quickness major program wannabees. Ollie decided to shorten the game. MSU very good but they have not seen quickness like ours or defense like ours

 

[CTfan07]

Everyone is bigger everyone is better.
UConn guards are much quicker than anyone in the country. And now both of them are playing under control. I am sure looking at tape does not accurately express their quickness. MSU very good but they have not seen quickness like ours or defense like ours

Fully agreed on the first point. Size advantage? Seriously? That's a thing still when opponents look at Bazz and Boat? The team that killed us most this season is Louisville... Russ Smith sure was a big m'fer, huh?

Last sentence not true, though. UVA had a very good defense. But they did not have elite offensive talent: see one First Team All American, Shabazz Napier. He's at a level right now where you better have Gary Payton in his prime if you want to stop him.

 

[huskyharry]

MSU is a talented team. Their key players played in Germany last year but they have added a couple of freshman bigs who play inside with toughness. Gary Harris (anyone else think he looks like a taller Bruno Mars?), although he hasn't quite lived up to the Big 10 Player-of-the-Year, Lottery pick predictions, is much improved compared to when we played them last year and Trice is brimming with confidence. Branden Dawson tore us up last year and we really won the game because of excellent execution from UConn and a lack of poise/too many turnovers from MSU in the first half. MSU has been much better since Payne's plantar fasciitis has improved.
UConn has to play well to win and really concentrate on boxing them out. But we are doomed, clearly DOOMED!

 

[mauconnfan]

Jon Rothstein likes us, has liked us since fall practices. Stick with JR now guys and gals, he will join the mojo train which will stop in Texas!

 

[NEforceUConn]

A school who's mascot is a guy who carries a fake sword and wears a skirt does not scare me,.

unless it is a hairdressing competition.

or unless you meet at the Port Authority at 3 am Sunday morning and you have had a few too many.

 

[johnhuskies95]

Any time you have a player like your PG who can get his own shot and create for others, you've got a legitimate chance. The analysts just don't like the matchup, IMO -- UCONN likes to run and UCONN gives up offensive rebounds, both of which play into MSU's game.

I don't know where you got the idea that UConn likes to run, but it's just not true. Quite the contrary, in fact.

 

[Confident Carl]

No one ever gives us a chance. We are an ELITE program but always considered the underdog. But that's what makes us, us. That's our pedigree. That's what keeps us fighting. And that's why I bleed blue and love being an alum and fan of this university. I'd have it no other way.

Here is the box score from the Game in Germany last year. Calhoun and Olander
and Evans will be replaced by Nolan, Brimah, Kromah and Samuals. Napier and Boatright are smarter and more confident. Brimah is an X Factor in this game. If Daniels plays like he did against Iowa State and UCONN is making 3's we have a great chance. We must do better on interior D. Olander could be a factor if Nolan gets into early foul trouble.

http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/gametracker/recap/NCAAB_20121109_MICHST@UCONN

 

[UConn5]

I used to get annoyed with this stuff and I guess I can understand people still getting annoyed when UConn isn't perceived in the same light/quality as we perceive the team but punditry isn't deciding this game. Let's be honest, we need another great performance from the entire team to win tomorrow. We very well may get it, but I don't think people here think that we are going to beat MSU with our B+ game.

 

[NotADimeBack]

*UConn

 

[UConn_Top_Dog]

Kenney Smith picked UConn to punch a ticket to the Final Four. Barkley and Kellogg picked the guys in green.

 

[Confident Carl]

Kenney Smith picked UConn to punch a ticket to the Final Four. Barkley and Kellogg picked the guys in green.

kenny knows that great guard play wins

 

[phillionaire]

Kenney Smith picked UConn to punch a ticket to the Final Four. Barkley and Kellogg picked the guys in green.

barkley is a knucklehead

 

[aceboon]

listened to Rothstein's spot yesterday with Evan Roberts on wfan, he pivcked UConn