Thursday and Saturday - Momentous

[upstater]

Doubt anyone out there paid attention to DeAndre's injury and playing through it/recovering from it. He's been healthy the last four games and it's showed. We're a different team when he's doing his thing.

You're right, even the announcers never realized he wasn't playing against Cincy. n the other hand, that's not necessarily a good thing. If people don't notice your absence. And still we hear how Kasey Hill, backup guard, didn't play for Florida against UConn.

 

[champs99and04]

Actually, the NM example was not totally out of my ass: they've made the Tournament 4 of 5 years, with seeds of 3, 5, 3, and now 7. In fact, NM might have been too good for my example.

I agree that one or two down years is not a big deal. I was saying that if we flame out this year and follow it up with a few ho-hum campaigns (never in the top 10, seed 5 or lower, no buzz), that would make ~5 years without being in the national picture. That's a problem. UCLA and Indiana could bounce back from that, but they have a lot longer history than we do and play in a major conference. We have no idea what the shelf life is for the "blue blood status" that we picked up over the previous 20 years with a new coach and (as yesterday shows) readily dismissed conference.

You have been pushing this "out of the spotlight" narrative all season. I don't get how a team that appeared in fifteen + nationally televised games, hosted college game day, was the only team to defeat the current #1 at full strength, appeared in their conference tournament championship, and has been in the top 25 for most of the season hasn't generated any buzz. Oh yeah, and as you said, Shabazz has been in the conversation for all sorts of accolades from pretty much the opening tip. Hell, we got far more exposure this season than a school like Virginia, who won the ACC regular season and tournament championship. Most casual fans can't name a single player on New Mexico's roster. We have nothing in common with New Mexico from an exposure/publicity standpoint.

 

[August_West]

I think Jay Williams does as well

Believe it or not Steve Lappas of all people picked us over st joes AND Nova.

 

[Walker11]

This is all SO stupid. The UCONN brand is still very strong. We have a coach who gets a lot of loads of good press. We have 14 players in the NBA, a couple borderline all stars in or around their prime, a future top 10 player in the league, etc. We have a 1st team All-American on our team THIS year.

Maybe if we have many years of mediocrity, the brand will lose strength but a lot will have to happen for that to occur. Not 1 (1!) loss to St. Joes.

I think the fact that Ollie has shown the ability to land stud recruits to this team, coming 1 year off a post season ban and the retirement of our legendary coach, while we are stuck in this disaster of a conference is more than enough reason to be optimistic.

This would absolutely suck because I want us to be in the best possible conference but I think the worst case scenario now is looking like becoming a rich man's version of Gonzaga.

 

[Inyatkin]

Yeah, New Mexico. Them and their national titles. And first team all-Americans. New Mexico here we come.

 

[gtcam]

Do you think that no one heard you the first dozen times you said the exact same thing?

It's a 7/10 game. Ollie's not on the hot seat if he loses a 7/10 game. The person who's saying otherwise sounds like the crazy one.

I usually reserve my comments on those made by BigErn but I agree with him
A loss is not the end of the world - its a 7/10 game- it again comes up to matchups.
I feel better facing nova than St Joes but with the rest and playing someone we don't see, we tend to do better.
For crying out loud - KO has a .730 winning record

 

[BoatShow]

My plan: win the whole damn thing.