So, Who's gonna take UNC out, now?

[bjornolf]

I like Nova's chances. They already took Pitt. Everybody says that they are a "better" Duke, or a Duke with more athleticism. We had a really tight one with Carolina in that last game. If Nova really is a better version of us, then I think they have a good shot. They should watch tape of our last game with Carolina and learn from our mistakes, then play their game. I think they can do it. I would LOVE to see a Nova MSU final. That would be AWESOME.

[slower]

Well, UConn was always the best bet to beat UNC. They have the size to do it, and they have the perimeter guys to do it. If they get past MSU (who will be playing essentially a home game), I think they'll be a formidable foe.

I think UConn can do it.

[captmojo]

...worth mention is that most all teams have opening game "jitters" that appear most prevalent for the first game at the next venue. Get by the first half of the first game and these "jitters" seem to dissipate. This could be a very contributing factor in the game as relates to unc.


As a standback observe,r without a dog in the fight, (no vick reference) the bunch I think with the better chance in a final game, is unc, due to their abilities to hit the outside shots against either conn or MSU. Underneath the basket may be a different story but beyond the line, 3>2. Right? Ellington, Lawson and Green (Oh my!) in the finals, can make up for the defense that would be put on them in the interior.

Oh yeah... Lest we forget, it also depends on how many steps are allowed by certain post players, without a dribble, before a zebra can bring himself to wince hard and blow his whistle.

[quickgtp]

No one left will beat UNC unfortunately.

[moonpie23]

i think uconn CAN do it...it will remain to be seen if they do...

remember, last year, the holes were looking about the same...un-stoppable.


i don't know if vila can hang with them the entire time...we've seen a LOT of defenses wear down the holes' offensive juggernaut...but it's such a beast, the only way to beat them is to have a really good offensive game too boot..


i don't think msu can do it....


ugh, it's looking more and more like another title for them...

[Matches]

i don't know if vila can hang with them the entire time...we've seen a LOT of defenses wear down the holes' offensive juggernaut...but it's such a beast, the only way to beat them is to have a really good offensive game too boot..

Nova seems to me like a much better version of Maryland. I think they can do it if they play as well as they did against Duke and Pitt.

I picked MSU to win it all before the tournament began, and I'm sticking with that.

[whereinthehellami]

Will UNC's next game be a battle?


Or a blowout?

[ClosetHurleyFan]

Nova seems to me like a much better version of Maryland. I think they can do it if they play as well as they did against Duke and Pitt.

I picked MSU to win it all before the tournament began, and I'm sticking with that.

Guard play wins these things and right now, no guard in country is playing better or more efficient than Ty Lawson. Frankly, his performance warrants stronger consideration for National Player of the Year. His assist to turnover ratio is unbelievable, he shoots nearly 50 percent from 3 point line and has been totally unstoppable in transition and going to hole in half court set. He has become the guard everyone thought he could at Carolina.

Also, I think Deon Thompson has been quietly fantastic for UNC, particularly hitting 10 to 12 foot jumpers around the basket...

I see Carolina winning a close dogfight on Saturday and winning by 8 to 10 on Monday whoever they play. Assuming of course we dont see a Shammond Williams type slump in shooting from the Carolina guards and Green.

But I will say that Nova worries me as a UNC fan more than either team we would potentially play on Monday.

[moonpie23]

i think ty WOULD have been mentioned in the POY talk but now that everyone knows the whole "toe" thing was bogus, it somehow taints his year...

[bjornolf]

The problem is that Carolina has just too many weapons to try to stop them defensively. If you wear yourself out playing defense on them, you CAN limit them, but you won't score either cause they'll defend just well enough to limit you too and they win with their superior weapons. If you turn it into a grinding game, they'll grind and play D. They didn't lose a game where they scored under 78 points. I think Jeff Capel would have liked his chances if you told him his Oklahoma team would hold Carolina to 72 points. If you look at Carolina's three losses in the regular season (I don't count the ACCT cause they didn't have Lawson), they scored 78, 85, and 89 points. I think you have to play just enough defense to get a few stops, hold them a LITTLE below their average, but mostly I think you have to concentrate on YOUR offense and try to get them in a scoring contest. If you can do that, I think that's when they forget to play defense and you can expose them. Of course, this means YOU have to make YOUR shots. Trying to shut them down just isn't going to work IMHO. It's the old "you can't stop them, you can only hope to contain them." Don't try to stop them, just try to contain them, but make sure you spend the energy on the offensive end to score on them. I think Villanova has the horses to get into that kind of contest with them.

[moonpie23]

they are like the patriots.(well, with brady anyway)


you had BETTER score each time you have the ball, cause THEY are gonna score almost every time THEY have the ball...

[UrinalCake]

I want Nova to win, but if they do it will hurt a little bit in the sense that they are so much like us, so I'll feel like we should have done better. This sounds a little insane given how thoroughly we were beaten, but I really feel like we could beat Nova if we played again. And for all the talk about Duke having no post player, Nova doesn't really have one either, so if they win it all then we'll sort of not have any excuses for why we didn't do better. Except that we had to play Nova.

Not sure if any of that made sense, but I think having Nova win it all will take a lot of the sting out of this season for me.

[weezie]

The problem is that Carolina has just too many weapons

That's it in a nutshell. The only thing I'm looking forward to at the FF is hearing the wonderful, musical BOOOOOS!!!! that will rain down on the 'holes when they take the court.
Can't wait to enjoy the Spartan cacaphony

[FerryFor50]

I want Nova to win, but if they do it will hurt a little bit in the sense that they are so much like us, so I'll feel like we should have done better. This sounds a little insane given how thoroughly we were beaten, but I really feel like we could beat Nova if we played again. And for all the talk about Duke having no post player, Nova doesn't really have one either, so if they win it all then we'll sort of not have any excuses for why we didn't do better. Except that we had to play Nova.

Not sure if any of that made sense, but I think having Nova win it all will take a lot of the sting out of this season for me.

I agree - I think Duke beat themselves moreso than Nova beating Duke. I also tend to think Oklahoma beat themselves over UNC beating them.

[spifi]

...worth mention is that most all teams have opening game "jitters" that appear most prevalent for the first game at the next venue. Get by the first half of the first game and these "jitters" seem to dissipate. This could be a very contributing factor in the game as relates to unc.

Problem for Nova with the above is that UNC has final four experience AND has experience in that dome THIS season already. They have neither. So while it may be that nobody has them, it seems more likely it'll be Nova that does. But the other poster talking about MSU fans is right, because unlike UNC's meeting earlier this season at Ford Field, this time the place will have a LOT more MSU fans in attendance. Sounded like it was empty-feeling in there the last time, but I'm sure that won't be the case this time. But UConn plays MSU in the first game on Saturday, so if MSU gets beat then I doubt the MSU fans will hang around just to boo UNC. If MSU beats UConn, however, then things could get interesting...

[captmojo]

I want Nova to win, but if they do it will hurt a little bit in the sense that they are so much like us, so I'll feel like we should have done better. This sounds a little insane given how thoroughly we were beaten, but I really feel like we could beat Nova if we played again. And for all the talk about Duke having no post player, Nova doesn't really have one either, so if they win it all then we'll sort of not have any excuses for why we didn't do better. Except that we had to play Nova.

Not sure if any of that made sense, but I think having Nova win it all will take a lot of the sting out of this season for me.

I normally pull for the one that beat me. This puts me in a position to say that my effort was no less than anyone else, given that everyone else lost to the same group.

Problem for Nova with the above is that UNC has final four experience AND has experience in that dome THIS season already. They have neither. So while it may be that nobody has them, it seems more likely it'll be Nova that does.

That's kind of the point I was making.

[Buckeye Devil]

I have always thought that it would end up being UConn and UNC with a no choice situation for a Duke fan other than to go to be early.

But I am not ready to totally discount either 'Nova or MSU, especially MSU. The Spartans really play lock-down defense and they looked good against Louisville. They are better than everyone gave them credit for being because they were from the low-esteemed Big 10. Izzo is a good coach who doesn't get a lot of attention or hype. But in Big 10 country, we love the guy.

Go Spartans!

[brsett]

I agree - I think Duke beat themselves moreso than Nova beating Duke. I also tend to think Oklahoma beat themselves over UNC beating them.

Really? Duke looked pretty bad in that game, I'll leave it at that.

I actually thought Oklahoma played much better than I expected. I thought they would lose by closer to 20 (and be down by 30 at some point). They stunk at defense, all year, and had they not imposed their tempo, it would have been ugly. I knew Blake Griffin was good, but I was surprised by the athleticism of Taylor. The rest of their team was clueless.

Nova on the other hand can play some ball. And Jay Wright can coach (no offense to Capel, but I doubt he's on many folks short list after that game). If UNC can squeeze past Nova, MSU and UConn don't stand a prayer, particularly on short turnaround. Nope, its Nova with the upset or the heels get the NC imo.

[JDev]

Really? Duke looked pretty bad in that game, I'll leave it at that.

I actually thought Oklahoma played much better than I expected. I thought they would lose by closer to 20 (and be down by 30 at some point). They stunk at defense, all year, and had they not imposed their tempo, it would have been ugly. I knew Blake Griffin was good, but I was surprised by the athleticism of Taylor. The rest of their team was clueless.

You must have had the absolute lowest expectations possible for OU if they played better than you expected! They missed their first 15 threes, many of which were open shots out of Griffin double teams, UNC scored on 90% of their possessions in the second half, and their only other double figure scorer (Warren) was basically non-existant. I think UNC is the better team, and probably would win regardless, but OU played terrible.

[brsett]

You must have had the absolute lowest expectations possible for OU if they played better than you expected! They missed their first 15 threes, many of which were open shots out of Griffin double teams, UNC scored on 90% of their possessions in the second half, and their only other double figure scorer (Warren) was basically non-existant. I think UNC is the better team, and probably would win regardless, but OU played terrible.

Yes, OU was overrated all season imo (you agree that they simply had no clue/interest in defending). Blake Griffin is good, but he's no Danny Manning or Carmelo Anthony. And Jeff isn't Larry Brown or Jim Boeheim. There is no appreciable difference between last year's KState team and this years OU. My feeling is next years OU team will be alot like this years KState team unless they reel in another monster too.

I really thought it would be worse. If UNC gets MSU again, expect it to be very ugly too. UNC is a monster if you don't have at least 5 good players and a smart scheme -- unless the shooters go cold. That's why Villanova stands a chance. They don't have good/any balance but they have 5 good players and a very good coach. And that's a problem for UNC.