I Know it's early-- I know

[Lennys Tap]

But the reason they are desperate for a win is because they've been losing because they're not playing very well lately! That's a great time to run into them!

+1. Picking tops or bottoms for teams is difficult. I'd much rather play a slumping one than one who's hot.

[MuggsyB]

+1. Picking tops or bottoms for teams is difficult. I'd much rather play a slumping one than one who's hot.

Fair enough.  Would you put O-Max on Cole or Martin?

[MU82]

+1. Picking tops or bottoms for teams is difficult. I'd much rather play a slumping one than one who's hot.

This.

The "desperate team" angle is overrated.

[BM1090]

This.

The "desperate team" angle is overrated.

Agreed. Playing a desperate team was something that I worried about in the Wojo years and even into this season. However, so far this year we've beaten SHU coming off of a disappointing loss twice (DePaul, SJU), beat Xavier after a huge scare against DePaul, and beat Nova in a revenge game.

UCONN will be favored by 4 to 6 tomorrow and definitely can beat us, but it won't be because they are coming off a loss.

[MU82]

Agreed. Playing a desperate team was something that I worried about in the Wojo years and even into this season. However, so far this year we've beaten SHU coming off of a disappointing loss twice (DePaul, SJU), beat Xavier after a huge scare against DePaul, and beat Nova in a revenge game.

UCONN will be favored by 4 to 6 tomorrow and definitely can beat us, but it won't be because they are coming off a loss.

It doesn't matter who the coach is. It's simply an overrated concept.

Heck, sometimes the "desperate" team plays too tight and it only makes things worse for them. Over the years, all of us have seen a bazillion teams that "were desperate and had to win" but they lose anyway, often to teams they're supposedly better than.

[Shooter McGavin]

Yep, what happens more is teams simply recalibrate after a couple losses, refocus, "get back to the basics", etc. and start playing better team basketball.  Hopefully UConn hasn't done any of that and the wheels come off.

The alternative is we are just simply a better team and our best will beat their best regardless.  Would be great to just beat them while they are playing their best and really throw them into a tail spin.

[THRILLHO]

Yep, what happens more is teams simply recalibrate after a couple losses, refocus, "get back to the basics", etc. and start playing better team basketball. 

I don't think we have any reason to believe it's true that it happens "more" that they start playing better, or even that refocusing is a real thing.

[Scoop Snoop]

Earlier in this thread, I mentioned a friend of mine who is a UCONN alum and serious fan being down on Hurley. Husky_U on holyland seems to be sour on Hurley also and not sympathetic with Hurley's complaint about fans not filling the arena.


Re: (3) Tuesday Big East Games 2/8/22
Postby Husky_U » Mon Feb 07, 2022 8:44 pm

Again, that line is very generous. As far as the Hurley comment is concerned... That's more of a shot at the XL Center than anything else. He's been whining about playing in Hartford since he took the job. And don't coach like you did vs Creighton if you want more fans.

[Shooter McGavin]

I don't think we have any reason to believe it's true that it happens "more" that they start playing better, or even that refocusing is a real thing.

Sure, start playing better.  Whatever it is that helps them do that mentally or physically.  Doesn't really matter how you say it.