UConn go home again

[tower912]

What to do about UCONN'S defensive scheme against MU?   First, recognize what they are doing.   UConn has been very successful playing no-help defense against MU, staying home on the 3 pt shooters, and daring MU to beat them on on one.  This is similar to what they did to Purdue.  Stay home on the shooters and let Clingan battle Edey. 
   What can MU do?  Recently, MU has started having their bigs roll more instead of picking and popping.  Continue that.  More off the ball movement.  Don't just stand in the corner and wait.  Run some off ball action, get some bumps, create space for shooters in another way.
  Defensively, do exactly what you did in Milwaukee as far as creating turnovers.   Don't let them shoot stupid from 3.

[brewcity77]

It's worth noting this game is on Wednesday night. It was originally slated for Tuesday when the Big East schedule came out, but moved to Wednesday when they announced the TV time slots.

[tower912]

Ash Wednesday. 

[The Lens]

Ash Wednesday. 

Lou Malnati's cheese pizza is the move.

[Jay Bee]

Lou Malnati's cheese pizza is the move.

Day of fasting. One meal, Baldy. Plan accordingly!

[Mr. Nielsen]

It's worth noting this game is on Wednesday night. It was originally slated for Tuesday when the Big East schedule came out, but moved to Wednesday when they announced the TV time slots.

Thank you. I was wondering why I listed this game on my calender for this Tuesday. It was driving me nuts.

[Shaka Shart]

Day of fasting. One meal, Baldy. Plan accordingly!

Ramadan Mubarak, JB!

[Jay Bee]

Ramadan Mubarak, JB!

I played pb with some Muslim homies yesterday. They were still going all out in the late afternoon despite no food.

[bradforster]

Big time challenge for MU.  Marquette has been outscored by 69 points in Storrs since UConn rejoined the BE conference.  It would be so nice to break the four game road losing streak at their place on Wednesday night.

[brewcity77]

Thank you. I was wondering why I listed this game on my calender for this Tuesday. It was driving me nuts.

We made plans for Wednesday so I'll have to watch the game on delay. I'm sure it was changed early, but I don't remember any "hey, this is on Wednesday and not Tuesday" announcement.

[swoopem]

We made plans for Wednesday so I'll have to watch the game on delay. I'm sure it was changed early, but I don't remember any "hey, this is on Wednesday and not Tuesday" announcement.

Marketing department's fault?

[Newsdreams]

Day of fasting. One meal, Baldy. Plan accordingly!

F that I'm feasting and drinking on this ship, I sin

[Shooter McGavin]

What to do about UCONN'S defensive scheme against MU?  First, recognize what they are doing.  UConn has been very successful playing no-help defense against MU, staying home on the 3 pt shooters, and daring MU to beat them on on one.  This is similar to what they did to Purdue.  Stay home on the shooters and let Clingan battle Edey. 
  What can MU do?  Recently, MU has started having their bigs roll more instead of picking and popping.  Continue that.  More off the ball movement.  Don't just stand in the corner and wait.  Run some off ball action, get some bumps, create space for shooters in another way.
  Defensively, do exactly what you did in Milwaukee as far as creating turnovers.  Don't let them shoot stupid from 3.

I agree with this.

I also think that water needs to seek its own level.  Went back and watched the game again (I am sadistic).  The first half alone, when UConn had a 17-22 point lead for most of it, was in large part to missed layups, in and out threes on our part, a ridiculous amount of missed free throws including front ends of 1 and 1s, multiple missed OBVIOUS fouls on other layups (Owens getting hit in the face, Joplin getting raked on the arm twice by two different players, Chase missing a two handed dunk because he was obviously hit on the arm), ridiculous three point shooting by UConn, and multiple rebounds by MU tipped out of bounds.  It was a cornucopia of what could go wrong did go wrong.  And that was just the first half.  It should have been much closer at half than 13 points. 

If ifs and buts were candy and nuts. Hopefully it evens out a little bit though.  We are not out talented by UConn.  They have some more size.

I anticipate the game Wednesday to be much closer.

[K1 Lover]

Big East games this year have seen a lot of parity and it appears most teams — especially in the upper half of the league — have been splitting their series with one another. It's mostly been the first-time losers adjusting and winning the rematch, so that helps our cause.

My main concern, however, is that McNeely wasn't around the first time, so he's going to be the X-factor. I personally wouldn't be surprised if he has another career game.

[Shaka Shart]

Big time challenge for MU.  Marquette has been outscored by 69 points in Storrs since UConn rejoined the BE conference.  It would be so nice to break the four game road losing streak at their place on Wednesday night.

Hoping for a tie then this game.

[Mr. Nielsen]

We made plans for Wednesday so I'll have to watch the game on delay. I'm sure it was changed early, but I don't remember any "hey, this is on Wednesday and not Tuesday" announcement.

It officially got switched on October 2nd, when the TV networks were assigned.

[MU82]

My main concern, however, is that McNeely wasn't around the first time, so he's going to be the X-factor. I personally wouldn't be surprised if he has another career game.

I would be surprised. In the 5 games after his career-high 38-point game, he averaged 15.2 pts on 37% shooting (28% from 3), 6.2 rebs and 3.4 turnovers.

He's a good player. He's not Cooper Flagg or Johni Broome. He's no more likely to score 39+ points vs Marquette than Kam Jones is to score 40+ vs UConn. (FWIW, I don't think the latter will happen, either.)

[DoctorV]

Kam needs a 40 point game before his career is over real baaaaaad.

[MU82]

Kam needs a 40 point game before his career is over real baaaaaad.

How bout on April 7?

[Skatastrophy]

Ash Wednesday. 

Hopefully nobody on the team is religious enough to fast that day

[tower912]

I will probably be unable to view the next two games live.   No spoilers, please.

[mug644]

Big East games this year have seen a lot of parity and it appears most teams — especially in the upper half of the league — have been splitting their series with one another. It's mostly been the first-time losers adjusting and winning the rematch, so that helps our cause.

My main concern, however, is that McNeely wasn't around the first time, so he's going to be the X-factor. I personally wouldn't be surprised if he has another career game.

I share that concern. What might be MU's approach to defending him?

[MU82]

I share that concern. What might be MU's approach to defending him?

You also think McNeeley is gonna score 39+ against us?

[mug644]

You also think McNeeley is gonna score 39+ against us?

Not necessarily 39+ points, but I see the potential for him to go off against our defense while Stevie and Chase are focused on Ball and Diarra, and Joplin is on Karaban. I guess I'm simply recalling that we had trouble stopping UConn in Milwaukee (granted, they were hitting everything from deep); so, add in McNeeley and I wonder what he might do.

What do you think he might do, and how might and should MU play him?

[MU82]

Not necessarily 39+ points, but I see the potential for him to go off against our defense while Stevie and Chase are focused on Ball and Diarra, and Joplin is on Karaban. I guess I'm simply recalling that we had trouble stopping UConn in Milwaukee (granted, they were hitting everything from deep); so, add in McNeeley and I wonder what he might do.

What do you think he might do, and how might and should MU play him?

He's a good, active player, so it's logical to expect him to have a good, active game.

We'll probably try to match up Ross or Joplin or Lowery with him when possible, but we'll be switching a lot because that's what we always do.

If UConn goes wild from 3, it'll probably be impossible to beat them, regardless of what McNeeley does.

So yes, I expect a real good player to be a challenge. Maybe he'll be too good for MU to handle. Or maybe Karaban will stop sucking. Or maybe Ball will excel again. Reed has been one of their best players lately, so maybe he'll be too tough.

Or maybe, just maybe, our guys will be at their very best and we'll steal one in Storrs.

But no, I don't expect McNeeley to have a "career game." Because that was 38 points, and he ain't doing that against Marquette.