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Final Four thread
- Thread starter lvocd
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If he wins it will be because USC lost the game, not because he won it. USC is clearly the more talented team. IMO jury is still out on the X's and O's coaching but the talent will probably be able to overcome mistakes in that department. Will the old guard be officiating? If so, that will not be good for USC.
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xtpsrh08123 and Volfan2012
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You not really going to to try that are you?
Boston vs Odo Boston I am expecting Boston to triple the point total of Odo in this game
Cardoso or Saxton vs Edwards Favors SC Cardoso and Saxton should easily be able to contain and outscore Edwards
Cooke vs Williams even Both are shoot happy players this could be interesting as to who scores the most today.
Beuckers vs Henderson slight edge to Beuckers and she isn't 100 percent Beuckers will have to win this matchup or UConn is dead.
Beale vs Fudd or Ducharme even at best Beale has a huge experience factor over both of them. Beale is a better defender than either one of these players although UConn has an edge in scoring here.
You going to have a hard time playing the talent card here especially since SC is such an experienced team. Huge experience factor for UConn. So SC is going to be the favorite in the game so if they lose it will definitely look bad for them. Line is SC by four. I think they win by 11
Boston vs Odo Boston I am expecting Boston to triple the point total of Odo in this game
Cardoso or Saxton vs Edwards Favors SC Cardoso and Saxton should easily be able to contain and outscore Edwards
Cooke vs Williams even Both are shoot happy players this could be interesting as to who scores the most today.
Beuckers vs Henderson slight edge to Beuckers and she isn't 100 percent Beuckers will have to win this matchup or UConn is dead.
Beale vs Fudd or Ducharme even at best Beale has a huge experience factor over both of them. Beale is a better defender than either one of these players although UConn has an edge in scoring here.
You going to have a hard time playing the talent card here especially since SC is such an experienced team. Huge experience factor for UConn. So SC is going to be the favorite in the game so if they lose it will definitely look bad for them. Line is SC by four. I think they win by 11
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mcannon1 and Rickster
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Would not expect anything more from a UCant fan.- Joined
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UCONN has the better Guards SC has the better posts. Whichever end of the spectrum from either team shows up will win. 3’s count more than 2’s unless you outshoot your opponent in which SC is #1 offensive rebounds and pretty much every rebounding category their is. So if UCONN cannot hit shots SC will win convincingly.
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Mr. Doo Wop and Raebo
At the time the decision was made I completely agreed with the reasoning. But in hindsight, Dawn's canceling of their home game against CT at CT's weakest point of their season (due to multiple injury losses) turns out may have taken away a valuable mental advantage for SC.
I'm guessing that at that particularly vulnerable point for CT, the Gamecocks very well could have slaughtered CT by 50-plus points, a b!tch-slapping so complete they'd still have nghtmares about it. Which, IMO, could have given SC a little extra mental confidence going into tonight with the memory of such a beatdown still there for them.
Obviously the team they will play tonight looks nothing like the team they would have humiliated in that canceled game, but still ...
It's at least POSSIBLE that CT players would be so focused on revenge that they would press a little too much, and if things started going downhill, then maybe the bench players might start getting nervous as their minds drift back, and maybe the players on the floor start absorbing some of that negative energy.
We'll never know, of course. But I think the lesson to be learned here is that one NEVER, EVER turns down an opportunity to put a humiliating beatdown on Connecticut in front of 18,000 fans in your arena. The memories of that could have come in handy for tonight.
I'm guessing that at that particularly vulnerable point for CT, the Gamecocks very well could have slaughtered CT by 50-plus points, a b!tch-slapping so complete they'd still have nghtmares about it. Which, IMO, could have given SC a little extra mental confidence going into tonight with the memory of such a beatdown still there for them.
Obviously the team they will play tonight looks nothing like the team they would have humiliated in that canceled game, but still ...
It's at least POSSIBLE that CT players would be so focused on revenge that they would press a little too much, and if things started going downhill, then maybe the bench players might start getting nervous as their minds drift back, and maybe the players on the floor start absorbing some of that negative energy.
We'll never know, of course. But I think the lesson to be learned here is that one NEVER, EVER turns down an opportunity to put a humiliating beatdown on Connecticut in front of 18,000 fans in your arena. The memories of that could have come in handy for tonight.
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On November 22, 2021, SC beat UConn 73-57 and Uconn had Paige B at the time. Good teams learn to forget everything about the past season and treat the tournament as a new season.
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1reVOLver and Rooster1
If Uconn is hitting their threes from PB, Fudd, Williams, Westbrook etc. it will be a hard game trying to keep pace. In that first matchup, Cook still had her shot and confidence and played very well. Not so much the past few months for her. Cook is in a many month long slump now. Henderson was guarding PB that game and for 3 quarters Bueckers had her way with Henny. The 4th quarter was weird, UConn scored 3 points. How did that happen? It was a 3 point game early in the 4th.
I don’t know who SC will use to defend PB this time, but I bet DS keeps Henderson on her…..that puts Beal on Williams who she can lock down but then Cook will need to guard Fudd/Westbrook, and that will be an interesting matchup, Fudd likely gets shots on Cook, who is just struggling on both sides now. Westbrook did very well against Cook in the first matchup, she may see extended minutes in a tall guard slot forcing one of the tall freshmen guards (Hall or Rivers) in to match up on her, taking Cook out of the game.
I think down low a rotation of Saxton and Amihere on Edwards is a push. Boston/Cardosa should do well against Ono, prob get her in a foul situation often. The key will be how effective PB is right now on that knee, if we see the OT version of her from the NCSU game look out, because Henny isnt big enough to challenge her shot.
Then DS needs to rethink her defense and maybe move Beal on PB which she did not do in the first game even when Uconn took the big early lead. She had Hall guard her for awhile, which might be the same or maybe Rivers this time. DS does not play zone defense. I think whichever coach deploys the best matchups will gain a huge advantage in this game.
SC will start out trying to use their familiar recipe, own the boards and get a ton of offensive rebounds for second shots and feed Boston. Hopefully Henderson and Cook can shoot respectable from the perimeter.
Im thinking a lower scoring game, something like 67-65, with a long fourth quarter of fouls, free throws and timeouts. Free throws could very well decide this one. If so, having your best FT shooters on the floor late will be important.
I don’t know who SC will use to defend PB this time, but I bet DS keeps Henderson on her…..that puts Beal on Williams who she can lock down but then Cook will need to guard Fudd/Westbrook, and that will be an interesting matchup, Fudd likely gets shots on Cook, who is just struggling on both sides now. Westbrook did very well against Cook in the first matchup, she may see extended minutes in a tall guard slot forcing one of the tall freshmen guards (Hall or Rivers) in to match up on her, taking Cook out of the game.
I think down low a rotation of Saxton and Amihere on Edwards is a push. Boston/Cardosa should do well against Ono, prob get her in a foul situation often. The key will be how effective PB is right now on that knee, if we see the OT version of her from the NCSU game look out, because Henny isnt big enough to challenge her shot.
Then DS needs to rethink her defense and maybe move Beal on PB which she did not do in the first game even when Uconn took the big early lead. She had Hall guard her for awhile, which might be the same or maybe Rivers this time. DS does not play zone defense. I think whichever coach deploys the best matchups will gain a huge advantage in this game.
SC will start out trying to use their familiar recipe, own the boards and get a ton of offensive rebounds for second shots and feed Boston. Hopefully Henderson and Cook can shoot respectable from the perimeter.
Im thinking a lower scoring game, something like 67-65, with a long fourth quarter of fouls, free throws and timeouts. Free throws could very well decide this one. If so, having your best FT shooters on the floor late will be important.
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glv98, lvocd and 1reVOLver
One more thing. I agree with the USA Today piece -- sorry, it wasn't linkable -- in which they said that regardless of the fact the SC was ranked No.1 all season, has both the player and the coach voted No.1 this year, none of that will matter unless they win tonight. It all comes down to one game. SC wins, that team gets eternal respect across the board. CT wins, and suddenly the SC run will be seen by many as smoke and mirrors, fake, because "if Connecticut had had all their players all season they would have swept all those awards."
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jeebie and Rooster1
UConn‘s Dorka Juhasz (sp) is out and I think that really hurt them on the inside against Stanford. Stanford would have won if they didn’t shoot bricks ( and it was BAD) from outside. She will be missed even more against SCar.. Without her, UConn doesn’t have a chance unless they shoot at least 40% from the 3.
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Mr. Doo Wop
CT at full strength is a disruptive defensive team, and SC will need to have to stay mentally strong to push through it and get the ball to Boston. Seems to me Stanford caved to the pressure. SC has to play their best game, and Staley has to be HER best, to come out on top. Staley's got to keep her body language confident -- something she sometines fails to do when the going gets rough.
Also, CT's posts have certainly been fortunate the officials have been hesitant to blow their whistles on them this tournament, so it'll be interesting to see how that goes tonight.
Also, CT's posts have certainly been fortunate the officials have been hesitant to blow their whistles on them this tournament, so it'll be interesting to see how that goes tonight.
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Rooster1
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Hah, that will be child's play. Boston will have a 50 pt. and 30 rebound game and proclaim she did for her sister-in-braids, Tamari Key. After suffering a humiliating 70pt. defeat, Paige Bueckers will storm off the court and proclaim to Holly Rowe "screw this, I am transferring to Tennessee right now." Oh yes, Dawn Staley will retire after coaching "the perfect game" and encourage all her players to also transfer to Tennessee. Given the exceptional nature of the circumstances, the NCAA will allow Tennessee to field two complete teams (who will eventually meet in the 2023 championship game). Coach Harper will report it was hard coaching against herself but express great pride in how hard her two LV teams competed against each other.
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Rickster and lvocd
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