OkaForPrez said:
Emotionally as a fan base, think about what UConn is emerging from. Calhoun's retirement, a post season ban and the destruction of the conference incubator that created what UConn is today. The fear of that, the thoughts that everything we've enjoyed and seen built from sand could return to that desolation. Returning to the garden represents the conquering of those fears. It's for that reason that we as a fan base are rabid to return to MSG. Its why we chanted MSG in the stands at the end of the Nova game. Its why uconn fan's will spend their last dime to get into the building.
We are going home. That is the emotion that will be in the building on Friday. Expect it to be electric.
I'm a huge fan of Iowa State Basketball and Fred Hoiberg. I've watched a ton of your games this year and have you in the national championship game of my bracket. I think its a shame you lost Niang. I expect a dog fight. I also expect it to be beyond a road game for the clones.
Good Luck.
Thanks for approving the account! Not every forum does.
Agree mostly with Oka4Prez. While "revenge for 2012" might still be in some minds, all the disrespect we've received over the past two years from the NCAA, ESPN and former fellow BE members means we're coming out fighting and far overshadows any past history between UConn and Iowa St.
You're a talented, fun team to watch with a great coach and certainly a significant roadblock to what we see as our rightful place. It stinks you're not at full strength because if UConn does win, that'll be the #1 excuse mentioned by all the ESPN talking heads, and thus the general public.
If you haven't already figured it out by reading The Boneyard, we hate ESPN for at least three reasons: 1) they're full of Syracuse grads who are genetically programmed to have anti-UConn bias, 2) they were behind all the CR moves that screwed us, and 3) CT gives these ingrates significant tax breaks to crap all over us.
So between that and what we believe was scapegoating by the NCAA over APR (they initially said schools would have an extended period to address the problem), we're all sorts of PO'd at the moment.
But back to the game... I have no idea what to expect on Friday. Probably the closest team we've played to your style is Memphis, although they're not as disciplined. We've only had two games in the 90s this year, both against inferior competition. UConn is certainly capable of a running/transition game, but I think Ollie's aim will be to keep this in the low 70s. No idea what his blueprint will be with a week to work on it. However, he only had a day to work on Villanova and we saw performances and roles from Giffey and Samuels that were unexpected. It worked. We were the worse team on paper there too.
Obviously we've been challenged against Louisville. Any traps run against Boatwright have a chance of success. But I haven't seen that kind of D from your guys. Giffey and Daniels can hit threes fairly reliably. Obviously Napier can pretty much create whatever shot he wants, but he's also had his cold spells. I wouldn't read anything into Lunardi's projections. This isn't the same team it was two weeks ago. Listing Omar Calhoun in "other significant players" while ignoring Samuel certainly garners an LOL from our fanbase.
Your key guys are certainly more, um, bulked up, than our "sticks" down low. And while it would be unfair to compare Iowa St. to Nova because I think you're better, the same was said about them. Yet Pinkston was a complete non-factor and a team that lived off the three found they couldn't shoot 'em. Personally I believe that was more a factor of them playing in the new BE against softer Ds.
I look forward to a fun matchup. Whatever happens, happens. I'd say the best way to get to us is pounce early (although that didn't work for Nova either). And you don't want to end up in a situation where you're sending us to the FT line a lot.
We also have a mojo boost by having Raferty/Lundquist calling the game. Every time Lundquist mispronounces Napier's name, he does something special. So we've got that going for us!
Best of luck, may the better team win.
