NCAA Tournament Playalong Thread

[horseofcourse]

Originally Posted by King Glorious

I am going to change my stance from the beginning of the season and suggest that UNC actually has a chance to win the title. Jay Wright said it was their defense that killed them. Imagine that. So did Jeff Capel. They don't lock you up for 40 minutes a night but they have such great athletes all over the floor that they can tighten the screws for several minutes at a time and make life miserable for you. You can play them even for 32 minutes but there will be two four minute stretches where they will go on a 12-2 or 18-4 run and that's the game. Michigan St. got out and ran with UConn and had success. Izzo has to know that they can't beat UNC that way and will try to slow the game down but the problem will be just like the one Illinois had a couple of years ago. It's the natural instinct of the players to run and with a team dominated by perimeter players like Michigan St. is, they are going to be lulled into a track meet for a few minutes here and there and that's where they will lose the game. I think UNC wins by about 15.

you suck...two points off.

[King Glorious]

The game went exactly like I thought it would. MSU was playing at a pace that's too fast for them. That's what UNC does. They score so fast and press the issue that it lulls you into a false sense of thinking that this is how you should be playing too. They'll give you some open shots that you'll take early and that in turn gets them going at the pace they want. You could see MSU was playing way too fast early and turning the ball over way too much. They were taking a ton of jump shots. UNC got it from all over. The killed them inside and Ellington was big from outside. In the first few minutes of the game, all five UNC starters had scored. This was like a carbon copy of the Illinois game.

[Crown@club]

Originally Posted by King Glorious

The game went exactly like I thought it would. MSU was playing at a pace that's too fast for them. That's what UNC does. They score so fast and press the issue that it lulls you into a false sense of thinking that this is how you should be playing too. They'll give you some open shots that you'll take early and that in turn gets them going at the pace they want. You could see MSU was playing way too fast early and turning the ball over way too much. They were taking a ton of jump shots. UNC got it from all over. The killed them inside and Ellington was big from outside. In the first few minutes of the game, all five UNC starters had scored. This was like a carbon copy of the Illinois game.

Exactly what happened. I just don't get it when they slowed the pace against Louisville, picked up the pace against UConn, but not slow it back down against UNC.

[gales0678]

Originally Posted by Crown@club

Exactly what happened. I just don't get it when they slowed the pace against Louisville, picked up the pace against UConn, but not slow it back down against UNC.

how do you slow them down , no one did all year ? they had 20 points in the 1st 5 minutes and the game was over

[King Glorious]

Originally Posted by Crown@club

Exactly what happened. I just don't get it when they slowed the pace against Louisville, picked up the pace against UConn, but not slow it back down against UNC.

You slow it down against Louisville because the Cardinals are a team that has trouble scoring. They have good athletes though so you want to contain them and not let them get out on runouts and get easy baskets. You want to make them play the halfcourt game and that's not their strength. Against UConn, you don't want to slow it down because that plays to their strength which is their halfcourt defense. You have no chance consistently trying to score baskets in the halfcourt against Thabeet and Adrien so you want to force the issue with them and try to get them scrambling around and out of position. Against UNC, you don't have either option. They have size and speed. You try to slow it down but they invite you to shoot because they'll leave you open opportunities. It's reminiscent of a Paul Westhead kind of defense where he'll give you some shots just so he can have the opportunity to get the ball back. He used to preach how he'd give you a layup so that you'd take it and he'd get the ball back to shoot three's and even if you had every intention of trying to slow it down, those open looks would get too inviting. Next thing you know, you are playing at a faster pace than you want to and UNC has jumped out on one of those 12-2 or 18-4 runs and now you HAVE to up your tempo and come of out your game plan because you have score more.

[Crown@club]

Originally Posted by King Glorious

You slow it down against Louisville because the Cardinals are a team that has trouble scoring. They have good athletes though so you want to contain them and not let them get out on runouts and get easy baskets. You want to make them play the halfcourt game and that's not their strength. Against UConn, you don't want to slow it down because that plays to their strength which is their halfcourt defense. You have no chance consistently trying to score baskets in the halfcourt against Thabeet and Adrien so you want to force the issue with them and try to get them scrambling around and out of position. Against UNC, you don't have either option. They have size and speed. You try to slow it down but they invite you to shoot because they'll leave you open opportunities. It's reminiscent of a Paul Westhead kind of defense where he'll give you some shots just so he can have the opportunity to get the ball back. He used to preach how he'd give you a layup so that you'd take it and he'd get the ball back to shoot three's and even if you had every intention of trying to slow it down, those open looks would get too inviting. Next thing you know, you are playing at a faster pace than you want to and UNC has jumped out on one of those 12-2 or 18-4 runs and now you HAVE to up your tempo and come of out your game plan because you have score more.

Gales, you take your shot that's it. MSU was not doing that.

Against Louisville, they stayed under control against Louisville's full court press. They got through the press, and then slowed it down. Last night was no where near that. They pressed themselves and didn't give themselves any chance whatsoever.

[gales0678]

crown - lousiville can't score in the half court like UNC

unc scored more points in 20 minutes than louisville did in 40 minutes against msu - don't you think there is a large talent gap between the 2 teams

[Crown@club]

Originally Posted by gales0678

crown - lousiville can't score in the half court like UNC

unc scored more points in 20 minutes than louisville did in 40 minutes against msu - don't you think there is a large talent gap between the 2 teams

I know UNC has more talent. I'm just saying that as well as they've been playing the last 2 games, that they should had been able to execute their game plan against UNC. If last night was the game plan, then that was horrible. Should had been more patient with the basketball. MSU 21 turnovers. Most were from their own accord.