There is this feeling that something is about to erupt with this team. Joe is really starting turn it up and the guards are starting to make 3's. We might be on to something special this year and I usually never feel this way.

I said something like this earlier this season. Memphis has had great players and teams for years, but this year's team seems to gel together particularly well. I think they have the ability to make a big post-season run.

(02-16-2014 01:14 PM)Geotag Wrote:  There is this feeling that something is about to erupt with this team. Joe is really starting turn it up and the guards are starting to make 3's. We might be on to something special this year and I usually never feel this way.

Or UConn could have Kemba II in Shabazz or Syracuse could have their Kemba in Ennis or Louisville could have their Kemba in Russ Smith...my point there is only One Kemba Walker...

(02-16-2014 01:19 PM)Maize Wrote:  

(02-16-2014 01:14 PM)Geotag Wrote:  There is this feeling that something is about to erupt with this team. Joe is really starting turn it up and the guards are starting to make 3's. We might be on to something special this year and I usually never feel this way.

Or UConn could have Kemba II in Shabazz or Syracuse could have their Kemba in Ennis or Louisville could have their Kemba in Russ Smith...my point there is only One Kemba Walker...

I just don't know Maize. I got chills down my spine from watching how we played a solid game despite the free throw margin(not a big deal). Our seniors are playing steady and Nick King is coming out of his shell along with Woodson. All that is left is for Shaq and Austin to play at a high level

Yeah getting a little carried away ,dude plays on a different level.

Napier is starting to remind me of Kemba.

I think Memphis can win it all this year, if they go on a run.

But the thing that always kills me about comparisons to that team made by a lot of fans (not the OP) is the emphasis people place on luck or getting hot. The actual record is always ignored. I just read about a Kentucky fan who mentioned that that UConn team didn't play good D, it just relied on clutch shots from Kemba. In reality, that was one of the best defensive teams of all time. Butler shot under 20% in the championship, and before you dismiss Butler, consider that UConn had Kentucky shoot under 30% the game before, and Arizona under 35% the game before that. That's 3 straight teams. When Zona played a top seed Duke team just before that, it shot 55% and blew them out.

Some of the myths:

1. "It was a one person team." If you believe Shabazz Napier is a NBA player, which I do, the team had 3 NBA guys with Kemba, Lamb and Napier. It had 3 quality college bigs in Okwandu at center (7 footer) and Oriakhi and Roscoe Smith (who leads the NCAA in rebounding this year), and several role players like Giffey.

2. "The had a mediocre regular season." In the BE, they went 9-9. One large reason is that Kemba wasn't getting any fouls called. The refs let them pay in the BE, like they always do. Kemba's shooting % dropped by 10%. Outside the regular season, UConn actually went 24-0. Undefeated. Without BE refs. They beat Wichita St., Michigan St, Kentucky (twice), Texas, Tennessee, Arizona, San Diego St. That's a stark difference from BE play.

3. "They came out of nowhere." They were ranked in the top 10 before the tourney and if you follow the ESPN fan brackets (tens of millions of them) they were the 4th most popular pick to win it all.

4. "They had an easy bracket." People say this because they drew Butler in the final, which was indeed an easier game than I thought it would be. Butler had beaten Pitt, Wisconsin and Florida however, and Florida was one of the favorites going in. San Diego St was high ranked all year, Arizona was probably the second best team in the tourney, and Kentucky wasn't bad either. UConn drew Cincy on the first weekend!

Given all this, it's not a fluky a championship as people make out. It would be a lot flukier if this year's UConn or Memphis teams can do it when you look at the balance of offensive/defensive efficiency stats , whcih have always been the keys in figuring out who the best teams are.

(02-16-2014 02:21 PM)upstater1 Wrote:  I think Memphis can win it all this year, if they go on a run.

But the thing that always kills me about comparisons to that team made by a lot of fans (not the OP) is the emphasis people place on luck or getting hot. The actual record is always ignored. I just read about a Kentucky fan who mentioned that that UConn team didn't play good D, it just relied on clutch shots from Kemba. In reality, that was one of the best defensive teams of all time. Butler shot under 20% in the championship, and before you dismiss Butler, consider that UConn had Kentucky shoot under 30% the game before, and Arizona under 35% the game before that. That's 3 straight teams. When Zona played a top seed Duke team just before that, it shot 55% and blew them out.

Some of the myths:

1. "It was a one person team." If you believe Shabazz Napier is a NBA player, which I do, the team had 3 NBA guys with Kemba, Lamb and Napier. It had 3 quality college bigs in Okwandu at center (7 footer) and Oriakhi and Roscoe Smith (who leads the NCAA in rebounding this year), and several role players like Giffey.

2. "The had a mediocre regular season." In the BE, they went 9-9. One large reason is that Kemba wasn't getting any fouls called. The refs let them pay in the BE, like they always do. Kemba's shooting % dropped by 10%. Outside the regular season, UConn actually went 24-0. Undefeated. Without BE refs. They beat Wichita St., Michigan St, Kentucky (twice), Texas, Tennessee, Arizona, San Diego St. That's a stark difference from BE play.

3. "They came out of nowhere." They were ranked in the top 10 before the tourney and if you follow the ESPN fan brackets (tens of millions of them) they were the 4th most popular pick to win it all.

4. "They had an easy bracket." People say this because they drew Butler in the final, which was indeed an easier game than I thought it would be. Butler had beaten Pitt, Wisconsin and Florida however, and Florida was one of the favorites going in. San Diego St was high ranked all year, Arizona was probably the second best team in the tourney, and Kentucky wasn't bad either. UConn drew Cincy on the first weekend!

Given all this, it's not a fluky a championship as people make out. It would be a lot flukier if this year's UConn or Memphis teams can do it when you look at the balance of offensive/defensive efficiency stats , whcih have always been the keys in figuring out who the best teams are.

That UConn team only lost to other BIG EAST schools...what is also lost was how strong the BIG EAST was that year...the Cincinnati team that UConn beat in the NCAA was also unbeaten outside of BIG EAST Opponents.

FTR, you're correct...with Walker, Lamb etc..etc..that was a very talented team.

UCONN's championship was not a fluke. That was a very good team. Kemba was sensational, however. You could tell the guy was on a mission when he made that shot against Pitt to win the Big East Conference championship. Was at the Cincy-UCONN 2nd round game in Washington, DC. Cincy up by a few points with about 3 minutes to go and Kemba just takes over. Must have scored UCONN's last 12 points, most of them at the free throw line.

(02-16-2014 02:33 PM)vabearcat Wrote:  UCONN's championship was not a fluke. That was a very good team. Kemba was sensational, however. You could tell the guy was on a mission when he made that shot against Pitt to win the Big East Conference championship. Was at the Cincy-UCONN 2nd round game in Washington, DC. Cincy up by a few points with about 3 minutes to go and Kemba just takes over. Must have scored UCONN's last 12 points, most of them at the free throw line.

A little correction...it was Louisville in the BIG EAST Title Finals he beat in OT...the Pitt Game was the Quarters and in the BET Semis he took it too Syracuse..going through the BIG EAST Tournament was in many ways tougher going through the NCAAs...

That UConn team had two future lottery picks. I'm not sure that this conference currently has one.

(02-16-2014 02:28 PM)Maize Wrote:  

(02-16-2014 02:21 PM)upstater1 Wrote:  I think Memphis can win it all this year, if they go on a run.

But the thing that always kills me about comparisons to that team made by a lot of fans (not the OP) is the emphasis people place on luck or getting hot. The actual record is always ignored. I just read about a Kentucky fan who mentioned that that UConn team didn't play good D, it just relied on clutch shots from Kemba. In reality, that was one of the best defensive teams of all time. Butler shot under 20% in the championship, and before you dismiss Butler, consider that UConn had Kentucky shoot under 30% the game before, and Arizona under 35% the game before that. That's 3 straight teams. When Zona played a top seed Duke team just before that, it shot 55% and blew them out.

Some of the myths:

1. "It was a one person team." If you believe Shabazz Napier is a NBA player, which I do, the team had 3 NBA guys with Kemba, Lamb and Napier. It had 3 quality college bigs in Okwandu at center (7 footer) and Oriakhi and Roscoe Smith (who leads the NCAA in rebounding this year), and several role players like Giffey.

2. "The had a mediocre regular season." In the BE, they went 9-9. One large reason is that Kemba wasn't getting any fouls called. The refs let them pay in the BE, like they always do. Kemba's shooting % dropped by 10%. Outside the regular season, UConn actually went 24-0. Undefeated. Without BE refs. They beat Wichita St., Michigan St, Kentucky (twice), Texas, Tennessee, Arizona, San Diego St. That's a stark difference from BE play.

3. "They came out of nowhere." They were ranked in the top 10 before the tourney and if you follow the ESPN fan brackets (tens of millions of them) they were the 4th most popular pick to win it all.

4. "They had an easy bracket." People say this because they drew Butler in the final, which was indeed an easier game than I thought it would be. Butler had beaten Pitt, Wisconsin and Florida however, and Florida was one of the favorites going in. San Diego St was high ranked all year, Arizona was probably the second best team in the tourney, and Kentucky wasn't bad either. UConn drew Cincy on the first weekend!

Given all this, it's not a fluky a championship as people make out. It would be a lot flukier if this year's UConn or Memphis teams can do it when you look at the balance of offensive/defensive efficiency stats , whcih have always been the keys in figuring out who the best teams are.

That UConn team only lost to other BIG EAST schools...what is also lost was how strong the BIG EAST was that year...the Cincinnati team that UConn beat in the NCAA was also unbeaten outside of BIG EAST Opponents.

FTR, you're correct...with Walker, Lamb etc..etc..that was a very talented team.

Yes, that's true, but style of play mattered. Kemba's %s dropped drastically. The explanation was BE rules, BE reffing. If you drive, prepared to be hammered. That was the old BE. Those rules don't apply outside the conference and not in the NCAAs either, which explains why Pitt which plays in rockfights can't do much damage there. UConn can.

(02-16-2014 01:14 PM)Geotag Wrote:  Memphis could be this years UConn(Kemba)....

Child, please...

You should have stopped right after you typed "M".

UCONN (Kemba) was a 10th seed in their CONF TOURN...and had only a .500 conf record that season.

Memphis obviously won't finish toward the bottom of their conf...or finish with a .500 conf record, let alone how Memphis will play the conf tourn on their home court.

(02-16-2014 01:14 PM)Geotag Wrote:  There is this feeling that something is about to erupt with this team. Joe is really starting turn it up and the guards are starting to make 3's. We might be on to something special this year and I usually never feel this way.

Yea,yea,yea--we feel the same way about this UC team to.

(02-16-2014 07:09 PM)CincyBro Wrote:  

(02-16-2014 01:14 PM)Geotag Wrote:  There is this feeling that something is about to erupt with this team. Joe is really starting turn it up and the guards are starting to make 3's. We might be on to something special this year and I usually never feel this way.

Yea,yea,yea--we feel the same way about this UC team to.

....and this L'ville team!!!
Flossy out...

Ugh, just stop OP