Could Notre Dame be the toughest team we face?
- Thread starter sambowieshin
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UK was the toughest team Duke faced in 92. The toughest game that UNLV had in 1990 was against Rick Majerus-coached Ball State, of all teams, in the Sweet 16.
Each game is its own entity, and no matter how good you are, you can never be certain when you're going to find yourself being pushed, and when you're clicking on all cylinders.
Each game is its own entity, and no matter how good you are, you can never be certain when you're going to find yourself being pushed, and when you're clicking on all cylinders.
I think so, but for what may be an odd reason. During the misery of the middle of the game, I told my wife that if we win, I can't wait to play a "conventional" team again. That unusual style they played just cased havoc. I guess i should have expected it based on what they did to the elite of the ACC but it really surprised me. We were totally out of sorts and playing their game. There is no one left who plays a crazy style, except maybe UL and we already know e can beat them
They almost lost their first 2 games. Northeastern had the ball with a chance to win as did Butler. Notre Dame found a way to win those games but they nearly lost. Just shows that anything can happen from game to game. All that matters is surviving and advancing.
Did you watch the Wis Arizona game yesterday? The road doesn't get any easier. The Badgers big men are mobile, handle the ball & shoot well from the outside.I don't know that they will spread the floor like ND did but they pose their own set of problems for their opponents. The Cats will have to be on top of their game.
Imo last night was the championship. All down hill from here. 40-0 national champions. GO BIG BLUE
I've been watching Notre Dame every chance I got since February and knew they would be a hard match up. It's not their 3 point shooting that worried me, it was their ability to score inside. Grant is a good at driving and they shoot free throws at a amazing clip too. Those two things are huge in the post season. Drive the ball and make free throws. On paper it would be hard to say any team left could match their resume so they very well could have been the toughest team UK will face.
Notre Dame is more diverse in their scoring than Wisconsin. IMO if you can shut down one of Wisconsin's big two they will struggle to win. Wisconsin is also not a quick team. IMO UKs guards are better than Wisconsin's guards Wisconsin plays man defense and IMO UK will feast inside against them. IMO Wisconsin will need to have another feast at the 3 point line to beat UK and I don't think UKs defense allows that. I would put Cauley-Stein on Decker. IMO Wisconsin must get 20 plus point games from both Kaminsky and Decker or 40 or more combined out of the two to beat UK. All bets are off if UK is hot from outside. No team in college basketball can beat them when they are hot from outside.
Wisconsin however is smart, experienced and has two really great players in Kaminsky and Decker. UK better show up ready for a battle. Any team at this stage can beat you if you do not bring your best.
There is a ton of pressure on UK who is just two games away from going 40-0 and a NC. I hope they can hold up under the pressure. It would be tragic to come this close and not finish the deal. Just two game away from going down in NCAA history as one of the all time great teams. This would put UK just 2 NC behind UCLA.
Wisconsin however is smart, experienced and has two really great players in Kaminsky and Decker. UK better show up ready for a battle. Any team at this stage can beat you if you do not bring your best.
There is a ton of pressure on UK who is just two games away from going 40-0 and a NC. I hope they can hold up under the pressure. It would be tragic to come this close and not finish the deal. Just two game away from going down in NCAA history as one of the all time great teams. This would put UK just 2 NC behind UCLA.
UK won't shoot enough 3's to get hot against Wisconsin as UK will get easy 2 point shots all day. I hope UK can hit them at a better overall clip than they did last night. And yes, I know our final field goal percentage was great, but it should have been like 60% with the looks UK got.
Notre Dame's offense and style of play gave us fits, just like i thought it would. They were the one team i was dreading having to play.
I think we match up very favorably with the remaining teams.
I think we match up very favorably with the remaining teams.
Yup.
Wisconsin does not have the quick guards to do what ND did. I think UK will give up some stupid baskets to Wisconsin, but not nearly on the same level as they did against ND. The key is to guard the 3. That was the key last year and UK did solid at that for a lot of the game, but Wisconsin still hit 8/20 and that is one reason the game was close down the stretch and we needed a 3 to win it at the end.
As far as a potential game against Duke...they won't change what they have did to this point with 1.5 days to prepare for UK. Plus, Okafor is too slow to do what Auguste did. Okafor is dominant down low and it would be crazy for Duke to take him out of the post against UK or whoever...although against UK it might work well for Duke and their chances if they did so. If they had a week to prepare they might try it, but I doubt it with 1.5 days to prepare.
And until I see something to change my mind I am going to assume it is Duke and always has been and will be people. I hope the Zags beat them today, would love it for Wiltjer.
No.
For all the talk about our historic defense, Wisconsin's offense is at an historic level which is something that no one is really talking about,
To put things into perspective ND offense is pretty good. They ranked 3rd in offensive efficiency at 122.9
Wisconsin??? Number 1 at 127.4.
Since efficiency stats have been tracked on Kenpom (2002), no one has had that number. They shoot it extremely well and do not turn it over.
Also their defense is much better than Notre Dame. ND ranks 99th in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. While Wisconsin is not great, it's at 55th.
For all the talk about our historic defense, Wisconsin's offense is at an historic level which is something that no one is really talking about,
To put things into perspective ND offense is pretty good. They ranked 3rd in offensive efficiency at 122.9
Wisconsin??? Number 1 at 127.4.
Since efficiency stats have been tracked on Kenpom (2002), no one has had that number. They shoot it extremely well and do not turn it over.
Also their defense is much better than Notre Dame. ND ranks 99th in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. While Wisconsin is not great, it's at 55th.
Want to go on record as saying I'm not afraid of Wiscy and never have been. Sparty is the only team left whose style of play could give us trouble. Anything could happen and I'll eat crow if I have to. But do not expect to be pushed again like last night. Badgers are efficient offensively for factors that I believe we cancel out.
How do we match up better with ND? Wisconsin is bigger, deeper, rebounds better, more experienced, better defensively and has a major presence on the inside.
Not saying Wisconsin wins but I don't understand that at all.
Not saying Wisconsin wins but I don't understand that at all.
All I know is 28 minutes without a turnover is really, really taking care of the ball. One of the most amazing feats against a great Kentucky defense this year.
The NCAA tourney has been guard driven the past several years. A lot of the struggles last night seemed to be because the twins didn't seem engaged until crunch time. Wisconsin's guards aren't on the same level as Notre Dame's. We could still get beat though.
ND and Wisc. Two different styles of play and personnel. Next game up is always the toughest game. And then the next.
That should always be the thought process of a champion.
That should always be the thought process of a champion.
Wisconsin will be tough. And I know ND beat Duke, but Duke also beat ND by 30 one game. We have our work cut out for us.
I think ND had more quickness at all 5 positions and all were effective 3 point threats. We had a harder time matching against their shorter quicker guys. Wisconsin is bigger and not quite as athletic. I see Willie having a better time with Decker than the ND forwards. Both teams are great but The Badgers are more like UK. Just my take.
Zach Auguste of Notre Dame hasn't attempted a three-point shot all season.
By comparison, every Badger starter has made at least 35. Dekker is the weakest of the shooters at 34%, but he's hit 13 of 27 in the NCAA Tournament.
On top of that, I'd be extremely surprised if the Notre Dame front court is "quicker" than the Badger front court. Whoever you want to call the Wisconsin SF (either Dekker or Hayes) is significantly quicker/more athletic than Steve Vasturia, and I'd suggest the rest of the frontcourt matches up alright in that regard when compared to Auguste/Connoughton (if you want to call him a forward).
Notre Dame's guards are likely quicker than Gasser/Koenig on the offensive end, but Wisconsin's guards seem to be better defenders.
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