DISTRACTIONS ASIDE, UCONN READIES FOR PURDUE
March 26, 2009
In timing that was used for maximum impact, Y! Sports dropped an exclusive bombshell on the college basketball world yesterday with their story that details their 6-month probe on how UConn Violated NCAA Rules in their recruitment of Nate Miles, who was expelled from school prior to playing a game with the Huskies.
With a regularly scheduled NCAA Tournament press conference yesterday afternoon, Connecticut coach Jim Calhoun quickly addressed the story as he began his opening comments with the media.
"The University is taking any allegations towards it's program or newspaper reports or anything else very responsible and tries to live under the responsibility of the NCAA rules," said the Hall of Fame Coach. "The University is going to look into any matter, as we would, when we hear light of something with regards to we think it still falls under the guidelines of making sure that we are being compliant."
READ REST OF THE STORY...CLICK "Read More" BELOW
Calhoun then quickly made it clear that the situation does not surround any current players or impact the job at hand in Phoenix, reaching the Final Four.
"There are no current student athletes involved in this story."
"I want to talk about Purdue because that's really the only thing right now that I can control," continued Calhoun. "I can't control what people say, do or act to us or say about us."
So, while the college basketball world is abuzz about what the allegations might mean for the future of UConn and their coach, coach Calhoun and his current Husky squad is focused on emerging from the West Region with a trip to the Final Four next weekend in Detroit. In 1999 and 2004, the two previous Final Four and national championship seasons for UConn, they came out of the West Region as well.
"I'm glad to be back in the West," said Calhoun. "There seems to be something about being out here in the warm weather."
It has already been a tumultuous beginning to the NCAA Tournament for Calhoun off the court. The 66-year old two-time Cancer survivor missed the opening round win over Chattanooga as he was in a Philadelphia hospital being treated for dehydration. The Huskies rolled, 103-47. Calhoun was back on the sideline for round two and the impressive UConn train continued to roll right past Texas A&M, 92-66, for a spot in the Sweet 16. Now, there is the allegations against his program for recruiting irregularities. It's been quite a week.
For a team that has already overcome the previous Nate Miles situation, coach's battle with skin Cancer treatments, eligibility questions surrounding recruits and Jerome Dyson's injury, this is just another obstacle to overcome in the chase of their ultimate goal.
"I worry much more about [Purdue] than I do about the other things," Calhoun told the media gathered for Wednesday's press conference. "Even in Philadelphia there was a distraction of me not being there to some degree. And our kids, once again, we talked this morning at breakfast about what opportunity we have. We don't want to ever look back upon this and say we didn't give it our best."
His players have also learned to block out the outside factors and concentrate on the task in front of them.
"We are just mentally tough," senior Jeff Adrien said. "It starts with our coach. We don't let stuff like that bother us or whatever. We have been through a lot of ups and downs in our lives and everything. We just know how to block it off."
When the Huskies give it their best, they are impressive. They showed that in the first two games of the tournament.
"Too big, too fast, too good," remarked Texas A&M coach Mark Turgeon after witnessing UConn dismantle his Aggies in Round Two last Saturday.
With a punishing power forward in Jeff Adrien and intimidating 7'3 center Hasheem Thabeet in the paint, UConn can mentally defeat a team before stepping on the court. Add in senior assassin AJ Price and 6'9 small forward Stanley Robinson beginning to live up to his enormous potential, UConn gives an opposing coach PLENTY to think about.
"UConn is obviously [the] No. 1 seed, one of the best teams in the country if not the best," remarked Purdue coach Matt Painter on Wednesday. "Unbelievable front [court] game. Great lead guard in A.J. Price and had some guys really step up, [like] Stanley Robinson."
For Purdue, the Big 10 tournament champions, the road to the Sweet 16 has been challenging as they got past Northern Iowa in Round One, 61-56, and held off Washington down the stretch in the second round, 76-74, to advance to the Sweet 16.
"We are honored to be here. It is a big accomplishment for our program, making the Sweet 16 especially after playing two tough teams in Northern Iowa and Washington," said Painter.
Sophomore JaJuan Johnson has emerged as a scoring threat for the Boilermakers through the first two rounds, averaging 18 points in the two wins. He will have his hands full tonight against the menacing duo of Thabeet and Adrien. Coach Painter looks for Johnson to play his game and show his face-up skills against Husky big men.
"JaJuan needs to take as many good shots as possible, said Painter. "We don't need to get consumed with playing any differently. I think we have to be more selective at times."
"If JaJuan Johnson has open perimeter shots we want him to take those. But it would be no different against any other opponent."
Much has been said prior to the NCAA Tournament that this particular group of UConn players have not had any post-season success. They have never won a game in the Big East Tournament and their last wins in the NCAA Tournament game in 2006 when Adrien and Austrie were freshmen reserves on the Elite 8 squad that lost to the Cinderella of the ages, George Mason.
Now, the group is two wins away from being just the third UConn team to reach a Final Four. Even with all the distractions around them from the first day they got together for individual workouts last September to this week, UConn forges ahead. These should be another case of UConn getting the job done. Purdue is likely to be very patient and make the Huskies work on both ends of the court. This will keep the game close, but the rebounding and defensive power of the UConn frontcourt will win out.
NBE Blogger Prediction:
Connecticut 65
Purdue 57
In timing that was used for maximum impact, Y! Sports dropped an exclusive bombshell on the college basketball world yesterday with their story that details their 6-month probe on how UConn Violated NCAA Rules in their recruitment of Nate Miles, who was expelled from school prior to playing a game with the Huskies.
With a regularly scheduled NCAA Tournament press conference yesterday afternoon, Connecticut coach Jim Calhoun quickly addressed the story as he began his opening comments with the media.
"The University is taking any allegations towards it's program or newspaper reports or anything else very responsible and tries to live under the responsibility of the NCAA rules," said the Hall of Fame Coach. "The University is going to look into any matter, as we would, when we hear light of something with regards to we think it still falls under the guidelines of making sure that we are being compliant."
READ REST OF THE STORY...CLICK "Read More" BELOW
Calhoun then quickly made it clear that the situation does not surround any current players or impact the job at hand in Phoenix, reaching the Final Four.
"There are no current student athletes involved in this story."
"I want to talk about Purdue because that's really the only thing right now that I can control," continued Calhoun. "I can't control what people say, do or act to us or say about us."
So, while the college basketball world is abuzz about what the allegations might mean for the future of UConn and their coach, coach Calhoun and his current Husky squad is focused on emerging from the West Region with a trip to the Final Four next weekend in Detroit. In 1999 and 2004, the two previous Final Four and national championship seasons for UConn, they came out of the West Region as well.
"I'm glad to be back in the West," said Calhoun. "There seems to be something about being out here in the warm weather."
It has already been a tumultuous beginning to the NCAA Tournament for Calhoun off the court. The 66-year old two-time Cancer survivor missed the opening round win over Chattanooga as he was in a Philadelphia hospital being treated for dehydration. The Huskies rolled, 103-47. Calhoun was back on the sideline for round two and the impressive UConn train continued to roll right past Texas A&M, 92-66, for a spot in the Sweet 16. Now, there is the allegations against his program for recruiting irregularities. It's been quite a week.
For a team that has already overcome the previous Nate Miles situation, coach's battle with skin Cancer treatments, eligibility questions surrounding recruits and Jerome Dyson's injury, this is just another obstacle to overcome in the chase of their ultimate goal.
"I worry much more about [Purdue] than I do about the other things," Calhoun told the media gathered for Wednesday's press conference. "Even in Philadelphia there was a distraction of me not being there to some degree. And our kids, once again, we talked this morning at breakfast about what opportunity we have. We don't want to ever look back upon this and say we didn't give it our best."
His players have also learned to block out the outside factors and concentrate on the task in front of them.
"We are just mentally tough," senior Jeff Adrien said. "It starts with our coach. We don't let stuff like that bother us or whatever. We have been through a lot of ups and downs in our lives and everything. We just know how to block it off."
When the Huskies give it their best, they are impressive. They showed that in the first two games of the tournament.
"Too big, too fast, too good," remarked Texas A&M coach Mark Turgeon after witnessing UConn dismantle his Aggies in Round Two last Saturday.
With a punishing power forward in Jeff Adrien and intimidating 7'3 center Hasheem Thabeet in the paint, UConn can mentally defeat a team before stepping on the court. Add in senior assassin AJ Price and 6'9 small forward Stanley Robinson beginning to live up to his enormous potential, UConn gives an opposing coach PLENTY to think about.
"UConn is obviously [the] No. 1 seed, one of the best teams in the country if not the best," remarked Purdue coach Matt Painter on Wednesday. "Unbelievable front [court] game. Great lead guard in A.J. Price and had some guys really step up, [like] Stanley Robinson."
For Purdue, the Big 10 tournament champions, the road to the Sweet 16 has been challenging as they got past Northern Iowa in Round One, 61-56, and held off Washington down the stretch in the second round, 76-74, to advance to the Sweet 16.
"We are honored to be here. It is a big accomplishment for our program, making the Sweet 16 especially after playing two tough teams in Northern Iowa and Washington," said Painter.
Sophomore JaJuan Johnson has emerged as a scoring threat for the Boilermakers through the first two rounds, averaging 18 points in the two wins. He will have his hands full tonight against the menacing duo of Thabeet and Adrien. Coach Painter looks for Johnson to play his game and show his face-up skills against Husky big men.
"JaJuan needs to take as many good shots as possible, said Painter. "We don't need to get consumed with playing any differently. I think we have to be more selective at times."
"If JaJuan Johnson has open perimeter shots we want him to take those. But it would be no different against any other opponent."
Much has been said prior to the NCAA Tournament that this particular group of UConn players have not had any post-season success. They have never won a game in the Big East Tournament and their last wins in the NCAA Tournament game in 2006 when Adrien and Austrie were freshmen reserves on the Elite 8 squad that lost to the Cinderella of the ages, George Mason.
Now, the group is two wins away from being just the third UConn team to reach a Final Four. Even with all the distractions around them from the first day they got together for individual workouts last September to this week, UConn forges ahead. These should be another case of UConn getting the job done. Purdue is likely to be very patient and make the Huskies work on both ends of the court. This will keep the game close, but the rebounding and defensive power of the UConn frontcourt will win out.
NBE Blogger Prediction:
Connecticut 65
Purdue 57
Labels: 2008-2009 Game Previews
posted by NBE Blogger @ 9:55 AM
0 comments
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home