Better match-up - Pitt or Uconn?

[Niv Berkowitz]

I watched the game tonight (awesome) and throughout the whole thing, I thought that UConn will be an easier match-up for us than Pitt. I think being at home, and our four headed monster will be too much, especially now that Dyson's out for the season. Pitt I think matches up with us really well and Blair is gonna go off on Burke.

[Mayor McCheese]

Truly depends on what Thabeet does...

The man might be the most hot and cold player out there.

20+ points 20 Rebounds 9 Blocks One Night.

Two Nights Later

7 Points 5 Boards.....

And personally I don't think it has anything to do with who he is playing all that much, if we get the Thabeet who goes on a tear... oof... if we get the Thabeet from tonight, then we got a good shot.

[ErickJD08]

Who knows...Here goes the fact.

For a win, we are going to have to play a close to perfect game and they will not.  We need 100% effort, fundamentals (boxing out particularly), players making plays, and a little luck (they can't have one of the nights or we have no chance).

I agree though... I'll take my chances at home.

[rocky_warrior]

Oddly, I agree with Niv.

I think we can handle UConn.  I'm not as confident about Pitt.  

Of course, I'll be risking my life by attending the @ Pitt game, so I'm really hoping for a win there.

[Daniel]

Both very physical teams.  Did you see how Blair was pounding his shoulder into Thabeet so he could score?  Whew.  Both games will be very very tough for us.  But if we play perfectly, we have a shot.

GO MARQUETTE!!

[MarquetteDano]

Regarding Thabeet, we had better be practicing our pull-up shots from about 10-12 feet.  We are not going to consistently drive to the hoop with him in the middle.  If we let him have a good defensive night, it seems to drive his offensive game.  Most players seem the opposite.  The key is not letting the guy get 10 blocks against us, with probably the same number of altered shots.

If we can use our midrange game I think we can score some points.  If we give up more than 73 or so in that game, I think we lose as I don't see us dropping 80 points on them, unless it is because they are behind and foul.

The Big Four should be hitting pull-ups in practice to prepare for that one.

To answer the original question, though, I agree that UConn may be a better matchup.  I don't like the idea of going to Pitt this year.  I think Blair and Young will have good games against us.

[nyg]

If Blair does not get into foul trouble, does he go for 25 rebounds against Burke/Hazel?  They may have 3 fouls apiece midway through first half. The kid has some talent and a great set of hands.  Need to get him into foul trouble.     

[ATWizJr]

I think the key to Pitt is to make the other 4 beat you and try to reasonably contain Blair.

Fields and the Pitt guards had a horrible shooting night but will probably shoot better at home.

For UConn, if we are playing great "D" and shooting it well we have a realistic chance of coming out with the "W".

[dwaderoy2004]

I've been saying for weeks that UConn is an extremely winnable game for us.  THey don't like to shoot threes - only st. john's have made less in the Big East - so you pack in a zone and let them shoot over you all game long.  with dyson out, I'd take it a step further and run a box and one, with dj, acker, and mcneal splitting time chasing aj price all over the court.  as far as thabeet, he has absolutley no post moves, so you play him from behind, and just try and force him out of the lane so he can't get alley-oops or turn and dunks.  Uconn has no go-to scorers besides price and adrien, and adrien only averages 14 a game.  I think if we play right defensively, we certainly have the offense to win...especially at home.

[The Lens]

I think the key to Pitt is to make the other 4 beat you and try to reasonably contain Blair.

Fields and the Pitt guards had a horrible shooting night but will probably shoot better at home.

For UConn, if we are playing great "D" and shooting it well we have a realistic chance of coming out with the "W".

I agree, but to a point...Sam Young can kill you.  He's my biggest worry.

[CTWarrior]

UConn is tougher for us than some of you think because as long as Burke/Otule/Hazel is in the game Thabeet doesn't have to leave the basket on defense, and drawing him away from the  basket is of primary importance against UConn.  And those of you who say our guards will have to pull up for 10-12 footer beware because Thabeet blocks those, too, especially if they're in the lane.  

Adrien is a load under the basket.  Pitt has the football player sized guys to hold him down.  I don't think Hayward is quite strong enough to shut him down.  They are excellent offensive rebounders and will be difficult to keep off the glass.

Against Pitt we have a quickness advantage at several positions and should be able to keep Fields under control.  We don't have the bodies to battle Blair, though, and we're going to have to hope Matthews can keep Young from going off.  They're an even better offensive rebounding team than UConn.  

The other thing about these teams is that they are both getting better as the season moves along.  You're always better off playing both of them early in the conference season.  I've felt all along that these two teams are going to be the closest thing to unwinnable games we play all season.  

If I had to pick a game of the two we could win, I'd pick UConn, because we're at home.  If we play a high energy game they're susceptible in the defense to offense transition and we're quick enough to take advantage.  I think we hang with Pitt for a half but slowly and surely get pulled away from in the second half.

[tower912]

Neither one is a good match up.   Hope to stay out of foul trouble, have a good shooting night while they have a poor one.    We have a better chance of beating UConn simply because they are at our place. 

[NotAnAlum]

One thing that was interesting last night is that UCONN seems to panic pretty easily on offense and just throw up bad shoots.  Calhoun teams have a rep for undisciplined play and maybe some of that is coming through.  If we play the kind of "up in your grill" D that we played back in the "streak" we may be able to get UCONN frustrated and taking bad shoots.  Then of course we have to rebound those misses Ugh!
As far as Pitt the only thing that gives me even a glimmer of hope is that our guys PARTICULARLY DJ have played well at Pitt in the past.  If DJ were to have a Duke-like game (I know its a stretch, we haven't seen that for years) and Pitt were to have an off game we might get Lucky.  But make no mistake Lucky is what we would be to win.  Pitt shows what MU could be with a decent center, scary good.

[Norm]

For those who watched the game last night, were any of you thinking that if the game were being played in the NCAA tourney that Blair would have fouled out? They call it tighter in the tourney, and his shoulder dip is going to get him in trouble. His plowing into players may cause a problem too. He is perfect for the Big East, but he may have to watch himself much closer in the tourney.

[CTWarrior]

For those who watched the game last night, were any of you thinking that if the game were being played in the NCAA tourney that Blair would have fouled out?

Pitt has this problem every year in the tournament.  (All Big East teams do, to an extent, but Pitt especially).

[Hards Alumni]

go small and run thabeet out of the gym.

dyson is out.

clearly (at least in my mind) UCONN is the much better matchup.

[MUfan12]

I think you have to make it a point to attack Blair. That's how they kept him out of the game last year at the BC. Pitt is very, very tough, but by no means unbeatable.

At least Ronald Ramon won't be sitting in the corner waiting to gun.

[MR.HAYWARD]

uconn .....at home...duh

[Henry Sugar]

I calculate a 67% chance of beating UConn and a 7% chance of beating Pitt.

Life is hard on the road, and that cuts both ways.

[Skatastrophy]

go small and run thabeet out of the gym.

You saw how well that worked last night when Blair got popped in the eye.  Pitt went small and got dismantled for a few minutes.

Granted our guards are more talented than Pitt's guards, but I'm still not convinced that we'll be able to beat UConn unless we shoot around 50% from 3.