Games Thread - The National Championship

#51      

Illini2010-11

I
Sugar Grove
Illini2010-11
For Purdue to have a chance, they will need to have the best game from their supporting cast, especially Smith. UCONN is favored by 6 points. I think that is a very easy cover for UCONN.

I think Clingan frustrates Edey to the point where he picks up cheap fouls.
 
#52      

gibb52

G
gibb52
The game could easily swing to either team. Early and serious foul trouble for either big man creates a large advantage. Without that Scott May treatment for either I still think UConn wins comfortably. Purdue needs to shoot close to 50% from 2 and 40% from 3. Make 75% or more on FT's. Turnovers in single digits. Of course good defense. All of those things gets them to the last few possessions with a chance to win. Failure in a couple of those areas will lead to a double digit loss. Of course UConn could clank most of their shots and lose but they seem to be deeper and more dialed in than any team in the tourney.
 
#53      

stlrunner

stlrunner
jakeyjakey
St Louis, MO
stlrunner
PattyOBryant said:
WorstWe've been beat by both. Both teams are better than what we had THIS year. I'd argue Hurley is one of the best given what they've accomplished.
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I didn’t mean he was the worst coach. Clearly top notch there…but what a classless clown. So, I stand by that he’s the worst.

Parks And Recreation GIF by Peacock
 
#54      

SescIllini

SescIllini
SescIllini
PepeSilvia said:
I mean it's hard to argue with that since he's likely going to win back to back titles but I wouldn't say anyone is by far the best coaches.

A lot of coaches are running similar sets and schemes it's the player that separate them. He obviously also built the roster so hats off to him but the thing that makes UCONN so dominant is Clingan. Without Clingan that defense is no better than Illinois with Castle being the only plus perimeter defender. Clingan allows them to pressure defensively and erases dribble penetration.

No offense to Hurley but I think you would see similar results with that talent from other great coaches like Oats, Drew, Self, or even Brad(!!!! Josh Schertz impressed me a ton in the NIT). Honestly, imagine Fran with a defensive player like Clingan.
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I have been put off by Hurley but there are 300+ Div 1 programs and he may win back to back championships. It takes special skills to bring together a championship roster and have them play this well.
 
#55      

Mojoman

Mojoman
Mojoman
DICKnaggie said:
It's been wild to see how much Clingan gets pulled. I have no idea why, but if it's due to conditioning, that's a damning thing on their program and others will attack it in recruiting. Edey plays most of the game.
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I think their recruiting is just fine. LOL. As others have note Clingan is a different type of more mobile big. Will end up playing more in NBA than Edey. They also have a backup who can jump out of the gym and has a 7'5" wingspan. They only negative recruiting going on about UConn is if you will get PT.
 
#58      

altgeld88

altgeld88
Arlington, Virginia
altgeld88
jumpingjack said:
I always get the impression that Clark Kellogg would prefer Chuck and Kenny had other things on their schedule.
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Clark is extremely mild-mannered. Frankly, though I loved watching him play in college, I've never seen what he brings to the table for CBS. We were observing yesterday that he and Jay Wright are an effective contrast to Kenny and Chuck. It works.
 
#59      

pruman91

pruman91
Paducah, Ky
pruman91
altgeld88 said:
Clark is extremely mild-mannered. Frankly, though I loved watching him play in college, I've never seen what he brings to the table for CBS. We were observing yesterday that he and Jay Wright are an effective contrast to Kenny and Chuck. It works.
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Clark K. is a below average studio analyst.....He always agrees with Kenny S. and my opinion of Kenny S. is he is a legend in his own mind.........Barkley is funny but not knowledgeable about the college game ..........It just bewilders me why CBS has NBA guys doing the college thing..........

Jay Wright , I understand......Clark Kellogg , I understand but with the caveat that he talks around an issue without being demonstrative and wants to agree with everyone.......

While we are on this subject , I loathe the crew with Raftery & Grant Hill......Raftery is very experienced but talks gibberish half the time and the other half is about his after game's drinking until the wee hours of the morning..........Hill is a Kellogg clone and brings little to the gig...............There are many other announcer's more worthy and talented than them that need a shot....Also , I am so glad that Nantz doesn't do BB games anymore................JMHO.....
 
#60      

Illini231

I
Illini231
UConn being favored by 6.5 feels too high for me. Vegas only thinks Purdue is 2 points better than Illinois? That doesn't add up.
 
#61      

pruman91

pruman91
Paducah, Ky
pruman91
I just found out who the refs will be for the NCAA Championship game.......

None other than ...............................................................

d j bald head ref
Courtney " no nads " Green
Kelly Fluffer


Fun times ahead ................missed calls and T's for everyone........Reviews over/under at 12................I really really did...........
 
#62      

IlliniFaninHoosierLand

IlliniFaninHoosierLand
IlliniFaninHoosierLand
pruman91 said:
Clark K. is a below average studio analyst.....He always agrees with Kenny S. and my opinion of Kenny S. is he is a legend in his own mind.........Barkley is funny but not knowledgeable about the college game ..........It just bewilders me why CBS has NBA guys doing the college thing..........

Jay Wright , I understand......Clark Kellogg , I understand but with the caveat that he talks around an issue without being demonstrative and wants to agree with everyone.......

While we are on this subject , I loathe the crew with Raftery & Grant Hill......Raftery is very experienced but talks gibberish half the time and the other half is about his after game's drinking until the wee hours of the morning..........Hill is a Kellogg clone and brings little to the gig...............There are many other announcer's more worthy and talented than them that need a shot....Also , I am so glad that Nantz doesn't do BB games anymore................JMHO.....
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CBS has the TNT guys on this because of the TV contract right now. Kenny is actually pretty good at what he does and Chuck is just the way that he is. That's never really going to change. If you think he's not knowledgeable, there are times when Shaq is not easy to listen to during the regular NBA coverage.
 
#63      

Illini 993

I
Illini 993
On the Clingan vs Edey matchup, Clingan is obviously more athletic and mobile. But, I also think that how each plays defense could come into play, according to how the refs call the game. Edey mostly just stands straight up, hands high to block shots. Clingan will pursue blocks, and jump to get to them. This would be an obvious Clingan advantage, except that Edey is 7'4" with a 7'10.5" wingspan, Clingan is 7'2" with a 7'7' wingspan. If the refs are calling it tighter, I could see Clingan more likely to pick up fouls, and Edey's method would help him. Edey's WS is only 1.5" less than the best in the NBA or NCAA - Wembanyama at 8' even.
 
#65      

Luwdoo

L
Luwdoo
No love at all for Purdue and Iowa. But I’m gonna be rooting for both in their championship games. Would be nice to see the Big Ten take home both titles. Along with of course the most important one the WBIT!!
 
#66      

Mobi

M
Mobi
Illiniguy13 said:
Boy is this fascinating... A generational team vs a generational mismatch. If there’s a formula to beat UConn, it’s the Purdue formula: Edey wins in the post while the backcourt of Smith, Jones, Loyer & Gillis hit 3’s. They must execute this to win.

Spoiler: Edey is going to overmatch DC because at the college level there’s simply not an opponent he doesn’t overmatch, which is why he’s an all-timer.

But the huskies ultimately prevail because everybody else in the white & gray > black & gold
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Edey definitely overmatche Clingan on offense. However UConn depends on Clingan more at the defensive end. So if Clingan can somewhat neutralize Edey (make him score less than 25 without double teams), I think the advantage is on UConn.
 
#67      

OrangeBlue98

OrangeBlue98
Des Moines, IA
OrangeBlue98
Apparently the officials in the women's title game decided they did not want a repeat of last year's game. It's trench warfare early. Hardly anything on either side being called. Iowa up 18-7 early.
 
#73      

Bleedorangeandblue44

B
Bleedorangeandblue44
That was a brutal end to the first half for Clark -- wow.

That said, Iowa wouldn't be close to be in this position without her, obviously. I hope tomorrow night's game is as entertaining as this one.
 
#74      

Fighter of the Nightman

Fighter of the Nightman
Chicago, IL
Fighter of the Nightman
PizzaHutParkingLot said:
puke GIF

Can't bring myself to root for Dan (Karen) Hurley and co. despite how obnoxious Purdue fans are
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I just don’t want Purdue to pass us up as far as historic prestige goes. At the beginning of this year, we both had never won it all, but we had 5 Final Fours to their 2 (and zero since 1980). They picked up their third, and I think a National Championship puts them ahead of us.