UConn/UK Pace Question
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Did anyone find the pace of the UConn vs. UK title game conspicuously slow for two of the most athletic teams in college basketball, especially when neither were playing a particularly physical game?
Neck and neck all the way.
Lots of stand around.
Lots of swapping buckets.
Then boom!
With a short time to go, UConn squirted to a comfortable spread.
I never thought of Cal and Ollie as two coaches fond of low possession basketball.
I could see how Ollie might try it, simply because he was up against a UK team that started what? five preseason OADs?
But Cal playing low possession ball seemed especially odd, since UK wasn’t getting any separation in half court ball.
It was like watching two Bill Self teams on a grind it out night.
What was going on?
Anyone have any good insights to share?
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Title games are never high scoring it seems. Not sure if it’s nerves or if the players are just tired.
Could the pace been dictated by the Ds and not the offenses? The guards on both squads were not getting into the lane frequently not allowing for the dribble drive lobs to work.
UConn got a few steals in the first half and ran but it seemed UK was getting back they had a lot of blocks in the game.
Over all it’s a combination of a lot of things but given the choice I am sure both coaches would rather they go out and run than au half court sets.
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Not particularly impressed with the game; it did not have the suspense other recent games have had. There is no way UK can win with Randle taking only 7 shots all game;. So much for Calipari being a tournament coach, I believe he had the superior talent and got out coached. The foul differential in favor of Kentucky was eye opening. 17 fouls on UConn only 10 on UK and a couple wee at the very end of the games; the resulting free throws were UK 13-24 and UConn 10-10.
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@JayHawkFanToo coach Cal’s offense is, go hard to the hole. That’s it!
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@Crimsonorblue22 I think the play book reads like this, “dribble I either the left or right. Go hard to the rim. Now you can either shoot it or throw it up there and hope one of your teammates grabs it and dunks it.”
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@jaybate 1.0
Actually, Cal impacted that by going to the zone, because before then UK was being run out of the gym. The quicker pace favored UCONN and their quicker backcourt.
Once the game slowed, the game tightened because UCONN lost it’s speed advantage.
I can’t stand Cal, but I give him credit when he actually does something intelligent. Zone helped bring UK back into the game.
Yes… it looked like a Self “grind it out” night.
Game became so slow that my wife snored all through the second half.
If the pace had been kept up like the beginning, UCONN would have completely smashed Kentucky… winning by 25 or 30. Speed would have favored the x-axis style… and we know which team was the x-axis team!
Once again, this is a win for x-axis basketball.
I hope Bill took notes and finally realized we’ll never win another championship with a combo guard running point. It’s like trying to hammer a square peg in a round hole. It just isn’t the right strategy for March. Yes… height can almost become a hindrance at the PG position. Harrison is very skilled, but Kentucky might have won if he was 5 inches shorter and had the added nimbleness and foot speed.
Chalk one up for the little guy! I mean… chalk up another one for the little guy…
