CONNECTICUT TRIES TO COMPLETE MARCH THROUGH WEST
March 27, 2009
It has been a trying week for Jim Calhoun. On top of the pressures of the NCAA Basketball Tournament, the UConn Hall of Fame coach has had to deal with the scrutiny of the program's recruiting practices following the release of a Y! Sports story claiming the Huskies have broken NCAA rules in the recruitment of Nate Miles.
In meeting with the media on Friday, Calhoun began to tire of the questions concerning the recent allegations against UConn's recruiting practices, finally asking the media members questions.
Calhoun asked a reporter, "Did we play yesterday?"
"Yes, you did", responded the media member.
"And we won, right?"
"Correct," responded the reporter.
Calhoun was even asked if he felt he had become a distraction to his team in their quest for a National Championship.
"No, I don't at all," he responded.
If coach Calhoun feels the media scrutiny has tired him out, just wait until he gets a load of the 'Fastest 40 Minutes of Basketball' courtesy of Mike Anderson and the Missouri Tigers.
"Usually I don't like slogans, but that one is true and we really are facing an opponent that we are going to have to walk a very delicate balance with," Calhoun told the media during a rare moment when the coach was able to talk basketball. "Memphis wanted to run with them purely for 40 minutes and that is not Connecticut's desire to run 40 minutes with Missouri."
With everything the Husky team has been through, losing Jerome Dyson to season ending surgery, the whole Nate Miles saga back in the fall and the events of the last week, fatigue could be a factor. UConn is playing what virtually amounts to a 7-man rotation, and those seven better have the track shoes on Saturday afternoon in the Western Regional Final at Phoenix Stadium.
"I feel like depth isn't really part of it," senior Craig Austrie, who scored 17 in the win over Purdue, said. "We're young guys. Our adrenalin is going to be running, and we can't wait to get on the court."
Missouri will comfortably play nine players for the most part with two more getting a few minutes in each game. With 11 players to draw minutes and energy from, playing their manic style becomes much easier.
It is almost a given the opponent will be lured into their track meet style of play. A couple easy transition lay-ups or early three's and teams forget about the halfcourt game, that is exactly what the Tigers want and increases their college basketball odds of winning, especially against UConn with their frontcourt power duo of Hasheem Thabeet and Jeff Adrien. A game that has those two running for 40 minutes will make them much less effective as Missouri will look to score by beating them down the court.
The play of AJ Price will be the key. He will have to control the tempo and force Missouri to play defense in the halfcourt. This will allow UConn to exert their matchup strengths.
Price is a senior, along with Adrien and Craig Austrie, the trio is determined to reach the Final Four and today their legacy will be stamped at UConn forever.
NBE Blogger Prediction:
Connecticut 79
Missouri 74
It has been a trying week for Jim Calhoun. On top of the pressures of the NCAA Basketball Tournament, the UConn Hall of Fame coach has had to deal with the scrutiny of the program's recruiting practices following the release of a Y! Sports story claiming the Huskies have broken NCAA rules in the recruitment of Nate Miles.
In meeting with the media on Friday, Calhoun began to tire of the questions concerning the recent allegations against UConn's recruiting practices, finally asking the media members questions.
Calhoun asked a reporter, "Did we play yesterday?"
"Yes, you did", responded the media member.
"And we won, right?"
"Correct," responded the reporter.
Calhoun was even asked if he felt he had become a distraction to his team in their quest for a National Championship.
"No, I don't at all," he responded.
If coach Calhoun feels the media scrutiny has tired him out, just wait until he gets a load of the 'Fastest 40 Minutes of Basketball' courtesy of Mike Anderson and the Missouri Tigers.
"Usually I don't like slogans, but that one is true and we really are facing an opponent that we are going to have to walk a very delicate balance with," Calhoun told the media during a rare moment when the coach was able to talk basketball. "Memphis wanted to run with them purely for 40 minutes and that is not Connecticut's desire to run 40 minutes with Missouri."
With everything the Husky team has been through, losing Jerome Dyson to season ending surgery, the whole Nate Miles saga back in the fall and the events of the last week, fatigue could be a factor. UConn is playing what virtually amounts to a 7-man rotation, and those seven better have the track shoes on Saturday afternoon in the Western Regional Final at Phoenix Stadium.
"I feel like depth isn't really part of it," senior Craig Austrie, who scored 17 in the win over Purdue, said. "We're young guys. Our adrenalin is going to be running, and we can't wait to get on the court."
Missouri will comfortably play nine players for the most part with two more getting a few minutes in each game. With 11 players to draw minutes and energy from, playing their manic style becomes much easier.
It is almost a given the opponent will be lured into their track meet style of play. A couple easy transition lay-ups or early three's and teams forget about the halfcourt game, that is exactly what the Tigers want and increases their college basketball odds of winning, especially against UConn with their frontcourt power duo of Hasheem Thabeet and Jeff Adrien. A game that has those two running for 40 minutes will make them much less effective as Missouri will look to score by beating them down the court.
The play of AJ Price will be the key. He will have to control the tempo and force Missouri to play defense in the halfcourt. This will allow UConn to exert their matchup strengths.
Price is a senior, along with Adrien and Craig Austrie, the trio is determined to reach the Final Four and today their legacy will be stamped at UConn forever.
NBE Blogger Prediction:
Connecticut 79
Missouri 74
Labels: 2008-2009 Game Previews
posted by NBE Blogger @ 12:09 AM
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