Conn -2 over Duke *******
Both teams stat wise are pretty even.Breaking down them was almost amazing.I can't remember 2 teams that are 1 % pt away from each other in 7 or 8 catogories.Avg Pts,Opp avg,FG%,3 pt %,etc,etc,
Conn does stand out in a few like FG% Def,Rebounding,3 pt shots,and Bl Shots.Duke shoots FT better and gets more steals.
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Conn is the better team.Huskies do lead the nation in FG defense rebounding margin and blocked shots.And blocked shots doesn't include "altered shots".There is no real stat for altered shots except total FG% defense.but I already mentioned UConn leads the nation in that.Conn has held its 4 tourney oppenents to shooting 35.6.Okafor inside is a force.Drive by Brown or Gordon and you have the big O to deal with.UConn's help side defense is excellant when Oak comes out.Calhouns rotation defense is second to none.
Duke is loaded with talent and coach K's 6 McDonald all americans.Ewing and Deng are tough assignments for the Conn defense.Riddick at the SG presents big time problems with Dukes ball movements and reverses.Duhon is solid at the pt despite his injury.And Williams is a force inside at 6'9 and 240.
The battle with Oak-Williams is the one everyone will be watching.
But Conn has more depth and their front line of Boone,Villaneuva and Armstrong all have size.They with Oak can pound the ball inside.Then you have Gordon who to me is the best player in the tourney.He can dictate tempo and take over a game.And his partner Anderson who is on fire shooting.He is 16-31 from the 3 in the touney.Brown nows come off the bench because of him. Conns perimeter shooting is unreal.The other Brown,Taliek is there weakest player but has played well.
But old Jim will move Ben to the pt in a nanu minit.And ben can shoot off the dribble and hit that rainbow jumper.
Huskies fast break and transition offense is like a run away train.Duke has only one post scorer in Williams.Deng and co will be contested for good looks.That's what makes Conn good.Duke will want to slow it down but...
the key factor in this game won't be Okafor or Redick or Anderson or Ewing but " Flash Gordon".
Conn wins this by 6-10 pts.
Big east teams are 7-0 in the semi finals vs non conf teams.
Ga Tech +4.5 over Oklahoma St ****
Talk about diff stats compared to the above game. None.These 2 teams are far apart in almost every catogory.GT scores more,better 3 pt FG% defense,,etc
OSU FG%,3 pt Fg%,rebounding,etc
GT is on this "run" and many can't believe there in the final 4.But Hewitt has done an incredable job.W/o BJ I didn't think they could get this far.BJ is back and know one really knows how much he will contribute.
But GT has something few people talk about.They have team quickness with depth.They throw off the rythims of their oppenents with that.Hewitt did that when he was coaching at Siena on a different level and when he coached under Ravelling out west.
OSU as you all know is loaded. Not going to bore with the names of Allen,Lucas,etc.They have 5 players that can score,gd orientated team.They play great defense and are unselfish.Well coached,etc.Weakness is inside even though they got by Pitt.But Pitt offense wasn't potent.
GT I think creates some problems for OSU.Quickness,transition game,big gds like Jack and Lewis and of course BJ.But a great bench with Bynum,Moore and Muhammad.GT's depth is such a big factor tonite.They have had 6 different players lead in scoring pts.
OSU wants to play its half court game and GT wants to run.They attack defensivly with ther many rotations.
But I think "Big Bird" the 7'0 Schenscher will create the Cowboys biggest problem.He has really improved and impacted there team.McFarlan and Graham are more athletic I think the Big Bird gives these guys problems.
GT can take away OSU's No1 strength of perimeter shooting since that is there forte-defending that.Jack can take over a game.If BJ is healthy that only creates more defensive problems for Sutton.
Lets not forget GT manhandled UConn way back but recently went to Cameron and stoped the other final four finalist Duke and its 41 game streak.
I see this as a close game and if GT stop turning over the ball with such bad passes they could win this outright.I forgot what game,maybe Nevada that they threw the ball away into the stands about 4 straight times.Hit a 5 yr old boy in the head.
But when GT beat Duke and stopped the streak the Duke fans were all over Schenscher chanting "Big Bird".Well Big Bird got the last laugh and tonite I think he keeps a smile on his face..
Think Flash and Big Bird lead their teams today...GL
Will come back and give you the latest on the Johnnies,Marist coaching jobs.
And "showtime Hill of St Johns might go pro.He didn't even make All-Rookie BE team. What a fool.
Both teams stat wise are pretty even.Breaking down them was almost amazing.I can't remember 2 teams that are 1 % pt away from each other in 7 or 8 catogories.Avg Pts,Opp avg,FG%,3 pt %,etc,etc,
Conn does stand out in a few like FG% Def,Rebounding,3 pt shots,and Bl Shots.Duke shoots FT better and gets more steals.
.
Conn is the better team.Huskies do lead the nation in FG defense rebounding margin and blocked shots.And blocked shots doesn't include "altered shots".There is no real stat for altered shots except total FG% defense.but I already mentioned UConn leads the nation in that.Conn has held its 4 tourney oppenents to shooting 35.6.Okafor inside is a force.Drive by Brown or Gordon and you have the big O to deal with.UConn's help side defense is excellant when Oak comes out.Calhouns rotation defense is second to none.
Duke is loaded with talent and coach K's 6 McDonald all americans.Ewing and Deng are tough assignments for the Conn defense.Riddick at the SG presents big time problems with Dukes ball movements and reverses.Duhon is solid at the pt despite his injury.And Williams is a force inside at 6'9 and 240.
The battle with Oak-Williams is the one everyone will be watching.
But Conn has more depth and their front line of Boone,Villaneuva and Armstrong all have size.They with Oak can pound the ball inside.Then you have Gordon who to me is the best player in the tourney.He can dictate tempo and take over a game.And his partner Anderson who is on fire shooting.He is 16-31 from the 3 in the touney.Brown nows come off the bench because of him. Conns perimeter shooting is unreal.The other Brown,Taliek is there weakest player but has played well.
But old Jim will move Ben to the pt in a nanu minit.And ben can shoot off the dribble and hit that rainbow jumper.
Huskies fast break and transition offense is like a run away train.Duke has only one post scorer in Williams.Deng and co will be contested for good looks.That's what makes Conn good.Duke will want to slow it down but...
the key factor in this game won't be Okafor or Redick or Anderson or Ewing but " Flash Gordon".
Conn wins this by 6-10 pts.
Big east teams are 7-0 in the semi finals vs non conf teams.
Ga Tech +4.5 over Oklahoma St ****
Talk about diff stats compared to the above game. None.These 2 teams are far apart in almost every catogory.GT scores more,better 3 pt FG% defense,,etc
OSU FG%,3 pt Fg%,rebounding,etc
GT is on this "run" and many can't believe there in the final 4.But Hewitt has done an incredable job.W/o BJ I didn't think they could get this far.BJ is back and know one really knows how much he will contribute.
But GT has something few people talk about.They have team quickness with depth.They throw off the rythims of their oppenents with that.Hewitt did that when he was coaching at Siena on a different level and when he coached under Ravelling out west.
OSU as you all know is loaded. Not going to bore with the names of Allen,Lucas,etc.They have 5 players that can score,gd orientated team.They play great defense and are unselfish.Well coached,etc.Weakness is inside even though they got by Pitt.But Pitt offense wasn't potent.
GT I think creates some problems for OSU.Quickness,transition game,big gds like Jack and Lewis and of course BJ.But a great bench with Bynum,Moore and Muhammad.GT's depth is such a big factor tonite.They have had 6 different players lead in scoring pts.
OSU wants to play its half court game and GT wants to run.They attack defensivly with ther many rotations.
But I think "Big Bird" the 7'0 Schenscher will create the Cowboys biggest problem.He has really improved and impacted there team.McFarlan and Graham are more athletic I think the Big Bird gives these guys problems.
GT can take away OSU's No1 strength of perimeter shooting since that is there forte-defending that.Jack can take over a game.If BJ is healthy that only creates more defensive problems for Sutton.
Lets not forget GT manhandled UConn way back but recently went to Cameron and stoped the other final four finalist Duke and its 41 game streak.
I see this as a close game and if GT stop turning over the ball with such bad passes they could win this outright.I forgot what game,maybe Nevada that they threw the ball away into the stands about 4 straight times.Hit a 5 yr old boy in the head.
But when GT beat Duke and stopped the streak the Duke fans were all over Schenscher chanting "Big Bird".Well Big Bird got the last laugh and tonite I think he keeps a smile on his face..
Think Flash and Big Bird lead their teams today...GL
Will come back and give you the latest on the Johnnies,Marist coaching jobs.
And "showtime Hill of St Johns might go pro.He didn't even make All-Rookie BE team. What a fool.
