National Final Game Thread

M

mikepnq

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Dec 14, 2010
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Kentucky (8) vs Uconn (7) 9:10 pm

I never thought I would love/enjoy a team as much as the 2011 squad, but somehow this team is even more fun to watch. It'll be fun to see if Uconn's swarming perimeter defense will give Kentucky fits the way it did Iowa State, Michigan State, and Florida. Should be a fantastic game.

Go Huskies!
 
M

MentalDisabldLst

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I don't really follow college basketball, but having watched many tournament games this year including every UConn game, they're tremendously fun to watch.  Really a quintessential "whole is greater than the sum of the parts" team, where everyone's strengths are magnified and everyone's weaknesses are cushioned.  Their ball movement is really fun for me to watch, and their defense too.  Reminds me of the 07-08 Celtics, in a way - two great shooters, one great post man who has a jumper, and ubuntu defense.
 
I've thought Kentucky was dead twice this tournament, and like a good villain, they have risen from the dead to rain destruction upon their enemies.  They must be stopped.
 
Less dramatically, I see that UK's Willey-Stein is out with an ankle injury, but Poythress plans to play.  How would you attack him if you thought his knee was weak?  A lot of pick-and-rolls maybe, trying to get him to do fast pivots?
 
tims4wins

tims4wins

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It's crazy to think how close UConn came to losing in the first round, only to end up playing for the title. Shows you how thin the margin is in this sport right now.
 
DukeSox

DukeSox

absence hasn't made the heart grow fonder
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tims4wins said:
It's crazy to think how close UConn came to losing in the first round, only to end up playing for the title. Shows you how thin the margin is in this sport right now.
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That, and single elimination tournaments are funky.
 
DukeSox

DukeSox

absence hasn't made the heart grow fonder
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On the flip side, you don't have to worry about margin for error when you're not allowed to play in the tournament to begin with.
 
;)
 
RedOctober3829

RedOctober3829

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Congratulations K.O. this couldn’t happen to a better person. I’m very excited about you being in the National Championship game. I never thought I could pull for UConn, but I will this year because you’re there. Good luck and God bless you … #TheAnswer
 
Click to expand...
Allen Iverson's message to former teammate Kevil Ollie.
 
curly2

curly2

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Even though the Sox and UConn have both won since, I haven't been this nervous since the 2004 ALCS.
 
Clears Cleaver

Clears Cleaver

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Nearly every pundit is picking Kentucky. They're bigger. Stronger. Better. Clutch. Playing great, came together as a team...all that. Same narrative.

How about this narrative? Kentucky needed three last second shots in a row by a kid who makes 35 percent of those shots. Uconn beat the two team favored to win the whole thing with room to spare. Playing some of the best defense seen in a long time.

I know Kentucky has more NBA talent. I think how game is called will go a long way in determining outcome. Kentucky likes to lower their heads and go straight to hole and try to draw fouls or play ping pong. If uconn can take that away without fouling out I think they win.
 
Deathofthebambino

Deathofthebambino

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Got a bunch of action tonight if anyone is interested in following along:

Parlay:  Kentucky -2.5, Over 133.5 (I got this in pretty much as soon as the lines came out, it's up to 136 now)
Aaron Harrison over 14.5 points
Julius Randle over 15.5 points
Julius Randle over 11 rebounds
Napier over 2.5 3point field goals made
UCONN over 7 3 point field goals made
 
I love bets that involve UConn shooting from deep because I think they'll have issues scoring inside against the size of Kentucky, but I like Kentucky to win the game for the same reason.  If it's really close, I like UConn to steal it at the end, so I may change some things up at halftime.
 
Snodgrass'Muff

Snodgrass'Muff

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This is the first college basketball game I've watched this year.  I grew up in Connecticut and have several friends who went to UConn, so go Huskies... I guess.
 
Deathofthebambino

Deathofthebambino

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If Calipari doesn't make a huge adjustment, this is going to be an absolute blowout.
 
You cannot use dribble penetration with guys that are 6'6' plus against Napier and Boatright.  They are just too quick to get beat off the dribble.  He has to get them into a halfcourt set and pass the ball into the post to get shots.  I don't know if Kentucky has that offense though, because in every game in this tournament, he's been screaming at his guys, particularly the Harrison brothers, to take it to the hole.  It's not going to work against these guards.  Not even close.
 
Deathofthebambino

Deathofthebambino

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UConn is quicker.  A lot quicker.  That shouldn't surprise Calipari, but it seems like it might be.
 
RedOctober3829

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Deathofthebambino said:
Wow, Poythress
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Yup, but that was followed up by a quick strike by UConn.

I had said on Sat night that The perimeter D would be huge and it has been so far. UK has been having to start their offense 25 ft out. They run no sets so when their flow of penetration is stopped they don't have much to go to other than 1 on 1 at end of clock. You can't live like that successfully. UConn is able to do what they want offensively.
 
Deathofthebambino

Deathofthebambino

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You are not going to be able to dribble it into the lane against them, Cal.  It's just not going to happen.
 
Deathofthebambino

Deathofthebambino

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Red, you're right.  Kentucky has been winning games with athleticism.  They always have 4 guys on the perimeter on offense, if not 5, and they look for a guy to penetrate and either make a shot, get a foul or follow it up with an offensive rebound.  They can't do that against UConn because they can't get the ball from the perimeter to the inside using the dribble.  They are going to get their pockets picked all night long. 
 
And that's just on offense.  Kentucky has an entirely different set of issues on the defensive side of the ball.
 
RedOctober3829

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UK made their run with Daniels and Boatright on the bench. KO needs to make an adjustment against the zone. I'd put Napier at the foul line in the zone and let him make decisions from there with Daniels on the baseline to get a lob or 2. Don't settle for threes. Keep penetrating.

On defense, just keep doing what you're doing. I'd even change up defenses every few possessions so they don't get comfortable.

It's going to come down to rebounding and defense on Randle. He can not be the one to beat us.
 
curly2

curly2

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If UConn only had what Brimah will be in two years instead of what he is now.
 
riboflav

riboflav

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I just want to say that Kerr and Anthony are having a great game. Have been very on point tonight.
 
mabrowndog

mabrowndog

Ask me about total zone...or paint
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After a Cinderella game against the Gators, Daniels has turned back into a pumpkin.
 
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