The SI "experts"

[gwhuskyfan]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/-c...lorida-uconn-wisconsin-kentucky-expert-picks/

No. 1 Florida (South) vs. No. 7 UConn (East)
Seth Davis: Florida

The Huskies are playing inspired basketball, but let's be honest, Florida would rather be playing UConn than Michigan State. Florida is the bigger, stronger team, and unlike the Spartans, they will not get away from the things they do best.

Luke Winn: Florida

The Gators didn't have Scottie Wilbekin (ankle injury) to defend Shabazz Napier in the final minutes of their Dec. 2 loss in Storrs. Wilbekin's defense and Patric Young's work on the offensive glass will make the difference in this one.

Pete Thamel: Florida

The only two teams Florida has lost to are here in North Texas, giving the Gators season a chance for some symmetry. Florida lost to UConn without Kasey Hill and Chris Walker, who have proven vital pieces to the Gators. Expect Florida to roll at full strength and face their other in-season nemesis -- Wisconsin -- in the final.

BISHOP: Kevin Ollie has finally found a home at UConn

Brian Hamilton: Florida

The previous meeting is moot. Florida wasn't the Florida we see now, and it was in the cozy confines of Storrs, Conn. Connecticut's voracious perimeter defense is tailor-made to preempt the Scottie Wilbekin effect, but so, too, is the Gators' defense primed to cut off the just-about-anyone effect. The No. 1 overall seed is too much for a Huskies team that runs out of steam.

Greg Bishop: Florida

The Gators play the most suffocating defense of any team remaining in the tournament. That plus the timely shooting of Scottie Wilbekin pushes the Gators past the Huskies.

 

[selles]

Keep 'em coming, I love it.

They don't know. They think they know. It's staring them in the face, they should know. But they don't know.

 

[Kitaman]

I read in the Boneyard news:

We're Dooooooooomed!

 

[Rondogg]

This is perfect, puts all of the pressure on Florida. These Florida kids are aware that everyone thinks they are going to win for so many reasons. Not sure what will happen Saturday but I think these teams are very very close. If all things are equal, I want all of the pressure on THEM.

 

[CTBasketball]

Every time I read these bodacious statements, I get so happy. Because I know Shabazz is reading them somewhere and he's getting angry.

 

[Walker11]

There have been analysts who have picked against us every single game. I love it.

For all the talk about Daniels and Boat's inconsistency, they have been more consistent than every UF player, save Wilbekin, since the league tournaments began.

 

[upstater]

Damn, I was getting my hopes up, but now we're doomed.

 

[Inyatkin]

"Florida is the bigger, stronger team, and unlike the Spartans, they will not get away from the things they do best."

Because Izzo is such a terrible coach, right Seth?
I can't imagine even a moment's thought goes into most of these things.

 

[Husky25]

There have been analysts who have picked against us every single game. I love it.

For all the talk about Daniels and Boat's inconsistency, they have been more consistent than every UF player, save Wilbekin, since the league tournaments began.

As good as Napier has been, Daniels has just as big an effort to keep this team going through the postseason. He's was inconsistent because he sprained his ankle and may have come back too early.

I don't think most of what is said about the UConn/ match up is unreasonable with the following exception: What seems to be lost on all of these pundits is that both teams are better than they were in December. That said, as a UConn fan, I will be pulling for them to win as much as the next guy. I don't necessarily expect it, but a UConn win would be shocking in the least.

 

[Husky25]

Wilbekin got hurt with about a minute and a half left. Where was he the other 38:30?

 

[YearoftheHusky]

This feels a lot like Dook in '99. We all know what happened then. Doooooomed.

 

[Marat]

Wilbekin got hurt with about a minute and a half left. Where was he the other 38:30?

UConn was up 2 I believe when Wilbekin got hurt with 3+ minutes. With him out, Florida took the lead and almost won (Young). So they didn't lose because Wilbekin left with 3+ minutes to go.

 

[Husky25]

UConn was up 2 I believe when Wilbekin got hurt with 3+ minutes. With him out, Florida took the lead and almost won (Young). So they didn't lose because Wilbekin left with 3+ minutes to go.

Even better.

 

[Huskies4ever]

This feels a lot like Dook in '99. We all know what happened then. Doooooomed.

I posted this last night. Keep sleeping on us.

 

[Inyatkin]

UConn was up 2 I believe when Wilbekin got hurt with 3+ minutes. With him out, Florida took the lead and almost won (Young). So they didn't lose because Wilbekin left with 3+ minutes to go.

See, you're wrong because you're not using your SI-like powers of alternate-reality knowledge. If Wilbekin doesn't get hurt he gets a hand in Napier's face and we miss the buzzer-beater and Florida wins.
That's why Luke Winn is an expert and you're not.

 

[Husky25]

This feels a lot like Dook in '99. We all know what happened then. Doooooomed.

If UConn wasn't actually better than Duke in '99 (I think they were), they were certainly more experienced. Duke had 2 contributing upperclassmen (Langdon and Carrawell), The rest of the main contributors were Freshmen and Sophomores. The '98-'99 ACC was also in a down cycle, so the way Duke plowed through the ACC was not wholly impressive in retrospect.

 

[Kitaman]

In all serious guys we are playing the number one team and Tourney overall number one seed, in the nation. Its understandable why we are underdogs (to outsiders). I would be upset if and when words like 'no chance', 'blowout', 'heavy underdogs', etc. are used. But they are not, or I don't see it.

This is simply a case for us to prove them wrong, nothing more. We will experience the same thing on Monday night (hence my expert prediction).

 

[HuskyHawk]

If UConn wasn't actually better than Duke in '99 (I think they were), they were certainly more experienced. Duke had 2 contributing upperclassmen (Langdon and Carrawell), The rest of the main contributors were Freshmen and Sophomores. The '98-'99 ACC was also in a down cycle, so the way Duke plowed through the ACC was not wholly impressive in retrospect.

Duke and UConn in 98-99 were head and shoulders above every other team in the field. It wasn't even close. There is no team this season that is even in the ballpark of that level of play. I don't mind these predictions...what should they be predicting? This is nothing like 99. This is much more like NC State or Villanova when they won.

 

[AZHuskiePop]

UConn was up 2 I believe when Wilbekin got hurt with 3+ minutes. With him out, Florida took the lead and almost won (Young). So they didn't lose because Wilbekin left with 3+ minutes to go.

December games mean very little in April.
Scottie Wilbekin played 35 minutes in that game the same as Shabazz
We played OC, and TO significant minutes in that game.
SN hurt his ankle right after Wilbekin did but came right back in.
So SN was banged up but gamed on.
If either team thinks they are playing the the same team they will be in for a rude awakening.
The Wilbekin defense on SN in the last few minutes possibly is the weakest argument I ever heard. They had three guys on him and effectively forced him into a bad shot. The great play was made by DD who beat the entire Fla team to the ball for the quick tap out.
This game will be decided on who plays the better D on April 5 not Dec.
It also could be decided by Foul shooting . In the SEC championship game they were 50% from the FT line keeping Ky in the game.If they do that against us there might be a lot of disappointed pundits .

 

[kansashusky]

They literally scored on every possession when Wilbekin went down.....

 

[Marat]

Jay Wright was just on ESPN radio. I only heard the beginning, but he said Nova tried to turn UConn over and they couldn't. He said if game is close UConn has a shot.

Like Mike Tyson's quote - "Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the mouth." I expect Ollie to come up with something that will "KO" Florida and knock them out.

 

[intlzncster]

Duke and UConn in 98-99 were head and shoulders above every other team in the field. It wasn't even close. There is no team this season that is even in the ballpark of that level of play. I don't mind these predictions...what should they be predicting? This is nothing like 99. This is much more like NC State or Villanova when they won.

That Georgetown team was way better than Villanova. I don't think the gap between Florida and us (as we are playing right now) is as great as people are saying. We definitely have the best player.

 

[UconnU]

Definition of insanity is making the same mistake over and over again right?

 

[James]

"does uconn have a shot" . we beat this same team this SEASON. Still, i'm happy davis picked against us. great mojo.

 

[HuskyHawk]

That Georgetown team was way better than Villanova. I don't think the gap between Florida and us (as we are playing right now) is as great as people are saying. We definitely have the best player.

That's true...but that Georgetown team was also much better than any team in this tournament. That Villanova team had to shoot an incredible percentage (.786) to win, but they did have talent. I doubt that will every happen again. As an 8 seed, they are the lowest seeded champion ever. NC State was six seed however, and I think that's the next lowest seed to win. So UConn would be the second lowest seed to win. The difference today is that the level of parity is so much different. That Georgetown or Houston team would wipe the floor with Florida.