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Florida vs. Connecticut
1. How will the Gators handle UConn's defense?
2. Will UConn keep cashing in its free throws?
3. Will UConn's luck run out?
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/-c...orida-uconn-kentucky-wisconsin/#ixzz2xqVKgggh
1. How will the Gators handle UConn's defense?
I know what you're thinking: I've got this backward. Florida is the team with the awesome defense, right? Well, yes and no. The Gators were arguably the best defensive team in the country this season, but in the NCAA tournament, the Huskies are getting after it as well as anybody -- or else they wouldn't be here. Exhibit A is junior guard Ryan Boatright, who has had seven steals in his last three games, the same number he had in his previous nine. That includes four thefts in the East Regional final against Michigan State. If Boatright and Napier can do as good a job keeping Scottie Wilbekin and Michael Frazier in front of them as they did the Spartans' guards, then Connecticut will have a legitimate chance to win.
As for the frontcourt, the Huskies might not be very big, but they are tall. Their starting front line goes 6-foot-7, 6-9 and 6-10, and they bring 7-foot Amida Brimah and 6-10 Tyler Olander off the bench. The Gators, meanwhile, will counter with 6-9 Patric Young, 6-8 Will Yeguete and 6-8 Dorian Finney-Smith. Florida's big men are used to overpowering their opponents, but this may be one case where they will have to do some scoring away from the basket, where they are not quite as comfortable.
As for the frontcourt, the Huskies might not be very big, but they are tall. Their starting front line goes 6-foot-7, 6-9 and 6-10, and they bring 7-foot Amida Brimah and 6-10 Tyler Olander off the bench. The Gators, meanwhile, will counter with 6-9 Patric Young, 6-8 Will Yeguete and 6-8 Dorian Finney-Smith. Florida's big men are used to overpowering their opponents, but this may be one case where they will have to do some scoring away from the basket, where they are not quite as comfortable.
2. Will UConn keep cashing in its free throws?
Foul shooting has been Connecticut's calling card all season -- its 76.5 percent clip led the American Athletic Conference and ranked seventh nationally -- but even by those standards the Huskies have been otherworldly during the NCAA tournament. In their four games they have made 81 of 92 free throw attempts, with Napier leading the way (naturally) by sinking 25 of 27 (92.6 percent). During their two games at Madison Square Garden, the Huskies made 41 out of their 44 attempts. That is almost inhuman.
It's hard to imagine any team maintaining that pace, but if UConn is able to repeat that performance, both in terms of frequency and percentage, then it will be able to hang with Florida until the very end. (By the way, the Gators have made 74 percent from the line during the tournament, which is normally a solid number but in this game looks just okay.) Most of the close games in this tournament have been decided (or undecided) at the free throw line. If that is the case on Saturday, the advantage will go to the Huskies.
It's hard to imagine any team maintaining that pace, but if UConn is able to repeat that performance, both in terms of frequency and percentage, then it will be able to hang with Florida until the very end. (By the way, the Gators have made 74 percent from the line during the tournament, which is normally a solid number but in this game looks just okay.) Most of the close games in this tournament have been decided (or undecided) at the free throw line. If that is the case on Saturday, the advantage will go to the Huskies.
3. Will UConn's luck run out?
During its opening game against Saint Joseph's, Connecticut trailed by three points with under a minute to play. Brimah erased the deficit with a three-point play off an offensive putback, the Hawks' best big man fouled out early in overtime, and UConn survived. After getting past Villanova in the third round, the Huskies played an Iowa State team that was missing arguably its most valuable player in sophomore forward Georges Niang. In the regional final, they faced a Michigan State team that inexplicably wasted its size and strength advantage by attempting 29 of its 46 shots from behind the three-point line.
Just like Kentucky, the Huskies took advantage of all these opportunities, but make no mistake, they are playing at a level considerably above where they played during the regular season. You don't get to a Final Four purely on luck, but it helps. This is still the team that went 12-6 in AAC play and suffered a 33-point defeat at Louisville less than a month ago. UConn caught a wave and rode it to North Texas. On Saturday night it will be playing the best team in the country, and it will need some luck to earn another game Monday night.
Just like Kentucky, the Huskies took advantage of all these opportunities, but make no mistake, they are playing at a level considerably above where they played during the regular season. You don't get to a Final Four purely on luck, but it helps. This is still the team that went 12-6 in AAC play and suffered a 33-point defeat at Louisville less than a month ago. UConn caught a wave and rode it to North Texas. On Saturday night it will be playing the best team in the country, and it will need some luck to earn another game Monday night.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/-c...orida-uconn-kentucky-wisconsin/#ixzz2xqVKgggh
