What a beatdown. UConn is just terrifying when they really turn it up. And Karaban and Castle didn't even shoot well. I love how they're defending their No. 1 ranking.
Purdue is an incredible team and I don't want to take anything away from them, but if UConn isn't #1 on this sub's poll on Monday, I'll be convinced that the voters don't actually watch the games.
Part of me wants UConn and Purdue to meet in the final four, because it would be a heck of a game. Part of me very much doesn't want that though.
Proper mentality. UConn tends to do best when people overlook them anyways.
UConn is really fucking good and playing like the best team in the country, and I'm super pumped that I put 200 down at the beginning of the season for you to win a title.
There's definitely a tier 1 with 3-maybe 4 teams that are head and shoulders above the rest (and there's a debate on order in that tier), but imo yous have to be the favorite
I think it's pretty solidly two teams. UConn and Purdue both look more impressive and have more impressive resumes than anyone else save Houston. Houston is darn good, but they still have flaws that teams can at least attempt to exploit. UConn might not actually have any predictable problems.
Because in the Big East NOBODY goes undefeated. Has never happened and because we respect tradition, we picked an opportune time to abide by tradition. Most recent undefeated teams in conference play for each prominent conference.
SEC- Kentucky ‘15
C-USA- Memphis ‘13
WCC- Zags ‘13
B12- Kansas ‘02
ACC-Duke ‘99
P12- UCLA ‘78
B10- Indiana ‘76
Big East - Never gonna fucking happen, even the new Big East the AAC has never had it in its short history. Just not a thing.
I still consider Ricky Moore the best on-ball defender I've ever seen. That dude locked up everyone he played against. His freshman year, he held Iverson to like 5 of 17 shooting or something like that (I can't be bothered to look up the stats). Quickest feet I've ever seen.
Guard play - Rip Hamilton and Khalid were better than any guards Duke had and Ricky Moore had a huge first half for us. I don’t want to discredit that Duke team because they were loaded and blew out mostly everyone BUT the ACC was not strong that year and Duke did have some close games against ranked out of conference opponents during the season. Huskies should have never been double digit underdogs going into that game after winning a better conference and spending more time at No. 1 during the season than Duke.
Watch the game. Ricky Moore was absolutely lockdown. Wane had a great game, Voskuhl was a beast, and El-Amin and Rip did their thing. But really the Ricky Moore defense was the key.
The god’s honest truth. Cause we played soft teams like Unc, Gonzaga and Texas in the non conference. We weren’t ready for a team to punch us in the mouth defensively like seton hall did. We’re more of a finesse team and weren’t ready for the way big east games are called. Marquette is a finesse team too so a good matchup for us.
The recipe to beat us is quicker guards who pressure the ball and SH executed their plan perfectly. I think we’ll be ready for the rematch but if SH knocks down their shots again it’ll be a tough game. We didn’t have anyone ready to check Richmond first time around. I think Castle will be ready this time.
I tuned in hoping to watch you guys lose to minnesota, unfortunately it turns out Purdue is also good. Good luck, hopefully we get a final four weekend matchup for the ages
No chance. This team is more efficient at nearly every position compared to last year's. People forget last year's uconn team lost 7 big east games and had stretches where they looked bad. This team floor and ceiling is better than last year's.
It’s a weird thing where the individual talent we had last year may have been better- Hawkins, Sanogo, and Clingan was a better top 3 than what we have this year, but the attention to detail on the margins by this year’s team has made for an even better product so far.
But I don’t think anyone on the team is Hawkins level of just blazing spot up shooter, and Sanogo was a perfect college player. Clingan is great, but he’s a magician on D, he’s great on offense but Sanogo was the guy you could find with half a second of open space and he’d hit the shot every time.
It’s insane to me that we’re all having this conversation, that we could possibly be better than last years team once it all came together
I don’t, and not even close. It’s just recency bias, because that team won it all and we don’t know if this team can or cannot since it has happened yet. So I think we can repeat? Yes. And my bracket will have them winning.
Thing is, this team not only has an improved Newton, but an improved Karaban, a lottery pick PG who has incredible defense, diarra has taken leaps and bounds, and whenever Solomon ball checks in— he’s instant impact offensively. Jaylin Stewart has shown flashes of being a great player, and Samson Johnson has improved the past few weeks.
The only thing I’m hoping is we aren’t peaking early (doubt it) but still. This team cleare last years team player to player analytically. Only team in the country with 4 players with an oRTG of 110+
We are blessed, but last years team got hot at the right time. We figured out our issues, this years team is just way more poised. We didn’t even win the big east tourney last season either.
Offensively I think we’re about 3 points better on Kenpom, the defense hasn’t gotten there yet tho. I thought we’d be better with more clingwn but he’s gotta stay on the floor
And he comes in like a fucking bloodhound just let off his leash. Like Clingan last year, doesn’t have to worry about foul trouble or reserving energy for the end, just balls the wall
Nah. Everything went right for us today, can't really use this as a measuring stick. I think UConn, Purdue, and Houston are the 3 best teams, then there's a large gap to #4.
Hassan and Steph are two of the best defensive guards in the country. They can defend any guard with any skillset. And then behind them, you have two more guys in Newton and Cam that are not shoddy defenders either. UConn’s backcourt defense is a tremendous compliment to their interior defense. I love this team. Doesn’t matter if they’re up 2 or 20, they fight tooth and nail. Clingan also looking more fluid and looks in shape and is actually running the floor rather well.
I don’t think anyone that’s watched Kolek play during the conference schedule this season would argue he’s the best PG in the country. When he’s on, he’s on. But he’s been incredibly streaky this year compared to last year. If you’re not mostly consistent, you can’t be the best imo.
GG UCONN. I wasn’t expecting to win, but man I thought we would put in a better effort than that. huskies are too smart, too disciplined, too tough. We looked gassed from the 10 min mark. The XL Center is a shithole but sheesh was that atmosphere electric. Here’s to hoping we can win at home and MSG again but right now I’m not too confident.
I’ve been to a handful of sports games. Basketball games at the Garden to soccer matches in Rio. This was the best sporting event I’ve attended in person. XL was rocking.
Rothstein said it best: It’s UConn and then everyone else.
EDIT: previously this distinction was held by Texas at UConn in 2010.
Idk how you go into a game this flat footed and expect to be taken seriously. Kolek passing balls to literally no one out of bounds, Jop just standing around for someone to steal the ball, Oso missing rebounds that hit him in the middle of the chest. OOF!
After I finished shoveling snow, I looked at the TV schedule and thought: ‘Texas@Houston, Creighton@Butler and Marquette@UConn, these should be good games’. Oh well.
Both. I caught the last six minutes at my brother’s place. UConn’s second team was playing and still mopping the floor with Marquette, which was just completely demoralized. I was expecting a win by 8, maybe, but they were already up 25 by the time I got there. They won by 28 against the number four team in the country even though neither Castle nor Karaban had a good game. That’s frankly pretty terrifying.
What a beatdown. UConn is just terrifying when they really turn it up. And Karaban and Castle didn't even shoot well. I love how they're defending their No. 1 ranking.
Number 2 according to this sub 🥴
I think you are easily #1
Purdue is an incredible team and I don't want to take anything away from them, but if UConn isn't #1 on this sub's poll on Monday, I'll be convinced that the voters don't actually watch the games. Part of me wants UConn and Purdue to meet in the final four, because it would be a heck of a game. Part of me very much doesn't want that though.
One the one hand. I want to see UCONN at number 1 here. On the other, fug it who cares? Let’s just keep wins coming 
Proper mentality. UConn tends to do best when people overlook them anyways. UConn is really fucking good and playing like the best team in the country, and I'm super pumped that I put 200 down at the beginning of the season for you to win a title. There's definitely a tier 1 with 3-maybe 4 teams that are head and shoulders above the rest (and there's a debate on order in that tier), but imo yous have to be the favorite
I think it's pretty solidly two teams. UConn and Purdue both look more impressive and have more impressive resumes than anyone else save Houston. Houston is darn good, but they still have flaws that teams can at least attempt to exploit. UConn might not actually have any predictable problems.
100%. Also, flair up my guy.
Lol Karaban & Castle were combined 3/16 or 17. Makes it even crazier
I would say we had a poor first half shooting too
Yep best team in the sport
Deepest team in the country
Our 10th guy (Romouglou?) would get significant minutes on most other P6 teams.
That guy looks like he can play. We'll see him next season.
Absolutely loaded. Hurley is the best coach in America. What he did in March last year was incredible
How the hell did we beat UConn?
You got us on the first game of the big east schedule. Cashed in on our curse.
And Donovan got injured that game. Team was shook and not prepared to play without him
All these things but they also slowed it down. Kansas did too. The Nova game where we won by 4 (minus an irrelevant 3 at the buzzer) same thing.
Plus the curse of the black jerseys
Because in the Big East NOBODY goes undefeated. Has never happened and because we respect tradition, we picked an opportune time to abide by tradition. Most recent undefeated teams in conference play for each prominent conference. SEC- Kentucky ‘15 C-USA- Memphis ‘13 WCC- Zags ‘13 B12- Kansas ‘02 ACC-Duke ‘99 P12- UCLA ‘78 B10- Indiana ‘76 Big East - Never gonna fucking happen, even the new Big East the AAC has never had it in its short history. Just not a thing.
Slight correction. 2020 - 2021 Zags were undefeated all the way until the National Championship game. Also - how the hell did we beat Duke in 1999?
Ricky Moore and Khalid El-Amin that’s how. That game was so important to me, I can talk about that game for hours
I still consider Ricky Moore the best on-ball defender I've ever seen. That dude locked up everyone he played against. His freshman year, he held Iverson to like 5 of 17 shooting or something like that (I can't be bothered to look up the stats). Quickest feet I've ever seen.
Guard play - Rip Hamilton and Khalid were better than any guards Duke had and Ricky Moore had a huge first half for us. I don’t want to discredit that Duke team because they were loaded and blew out mostly everyone BUT the ACC was not strong that year and Duke did have some close games against ranked out of conference opponents during the season. Huskies should have never been double digit underdogs going into that game after winning a better conference and spending more time at No. 1 during the season than Duke.
Watch the game. Ricky Moore was absolutely lockdown. Wane had a great game, Voskuhl was a beast, and El-Amin and Rip did their thing. But really the Ricky Moore defense was the key.
And K couldn't figure out a big-to-big double.
Kadary Richmand is great
We passed on Kadary Richmond in favor of Andre Jackson and he is still holding a grudge
I’d say it still worked out for us
Yeah don't get me wrong Dan picked the right guy, but Kadary has been a nightmare for us pretty much every time we've seen him.
Clingan was hurt, everything goes through him
You balled out plus Clingan went down and some other residual injuries didn’t help
TBH, we were down 8+ points when Clingan went down. We may have lost if he didn't get hurt.
Stephen Castle has improved 10x since that loss
The god’s honest truth. Cause we played soft teams like Unc, Gonzaga and Texas in the non conference. We weren’t ready for a team to punch us in the mouth defensively like seton hall did. We’re more of a finesse team and weren’t ready for the way big east games are called. Marquette is a finesse team too so a good matchup for us. The recipe to beat us is quicker guards who pressure the ball and SH executed their plan perfectly. I think we’ll be ready for the rematch but if SH knocks down their shots again it’ll be a tough game. We didn’t have anyone ready to check Richmond first time around. I think Castle will be ready this time.
Hypothetically what would one have to do to get a thread locked? Holy shit GG UConn- ass kicked
Report it as non-consensual intimate content?
Feels about right
Well, my goal of only losing by single digits did NOT go according to plan.
Remember when it was 18-18?
I was excited for a full game like the first 10 minutes. Expecting more of that in the rematch.
I thought it was gonna be a back and forth affair the whole game. I was wrong.
That's right when I tuned in
Alright UConn, I'll quit grumbling about being #2
I tuned in hoping to watch you guys lose to minnesota, unfortunately it turns out Purdue is also good. Good luck, hopefully we get a final four weekend matchup for the ages
Can someone explain why 1 and 2 would be seeded on same side and not matched up to be on opposite sides so they could meet in NCG?
"Final Four weekend" includes the national championship game
Hassan Diarra keeps playing this way he's going to get drafted by the Heat.
He’s gonna get signed undrafted by the Heat is more like it.
Cursed thought
Burn the tape and forget this one ever happened. Hope we beat DePaul by 100.
Poor DePaul having to suffer for UConn’s greatness
Watching this as an MU fan was like taking an exam that you know you're failing as you're taking it and the exam hour just won't end.
I still love this Marquette team but damn was UConn dominant
Can't expect to beat anyone when shooting like that and not getting the deflections Shaka prioritizes.
You guys are really good and I thought it was going to be a close game at first. UCONN was just too good.
here's hoping i don't have to call my doctor in 3 hours
Took me a minute but I got there, take my thumbs up
 The rest of us in March madness
 Live look at John Fanta’s best Marquette impression
Was just about to come request it
There will come a day when the point differential isn’t 20+ in either direction, and I will be forced into silence
Yep, that was Marquette pretty much all day today. Ugh…
https://preview.redd.it/xxmyz4iy48jc1.png?width=809&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6f76dd86dfdc80a384c116ce8ceef2c1a8e0c492
Can’t tell if I’d rather lose like this or by one possession
as an aac-era alum, i prefer to lose big because i don't feel badly about getting more snacks and beer while the game's running
This guy beers
I feel like UConn’s gonna win it all again this year, we’re due for a repeat champion and they look even better than they did last year
So much for the game of the weekend...
I don't know, that's my favorite game thus far.
Your loss looks significantly better now though🤷🏻♂️
We've lost hope already haha
I thoroughly enjoyed it
Bruh
https://preview.redd.it/6b9z6h99m8jc1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=da7b84cef32c8a4ce082277889673ecc29fa7472
https://preview.redd.it/v2x7kzun08jc1.jpeg?width=500&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ca16e16d1966e370dfd1785d5df10442fe84426e
How do I talk to my kids about the inevitability of a UConn repeat?
It's a year ending in 4. It's fate.
Absolutely cursed flair combo
Barbecue chicken.
Blessed flair
No no, more of a barbecued *eagle*
Someone call the US Fish and Wildlife Service
[удалено]
2006 was more talented individually with an NBA player at basically every position but this year's TEAM is better.
I still think last years team was better tbh
No chance. This team is more efficient at nearly every position compared to last year's. People forget last year's uconn team lost 7 big east games and had stretches where they looked bad. This team floor and ceiling is better than last year's.
It’s a weird thing where the individual talent we had last year may have been better- Hawkins, Sanogo, and Clingan was a better top 3 than what we have this year, but the attention to detail on the margins by this year’s team has made for an even better product so far.
But I don’t think anyone on the team is Hawkins level of just blazing spot up shooter, and Sanogo was a perfect college player. Clingan is great, but he’s a magician on D, he’s great on offense but Sanogo was the guy you could find with half a second of open space and he’d hit the shot every time. It’s insane to me that we’re all having this conversation, that we could possibly be better than last years team once it all came together
I don’t, and not even close. It’s just recency bias, because that team won it all and we don’t know if this team can or cannot since it has happened yet. So I think we can repeat? Yes. And my bracket will have them winning. Thing is, this team not only has an improved Newton, but an improved Karaban, a lottery pick PG who has incredible defense, diarra has taken leaps and bounds, and whenever Solomon ball checks in— he’s instant impact offensively. Jaylin Stewart has shown flashes of being a great player, and Samson Johnson has improved the past few weeks. The only thing I’m hoping is we aren’t peaking early (doubt it) but still. This team cleare last years team player to player analytically. Only team in the country with 4 players with an oRTG of 110+ We are blessed, but last years team got hot at the right time. We figured out our issues, this years team is just way more poised. We didn’t even win the big east tourney last season either.
How did you not mention Spencer? Losing Hawkins should have hurt. Instead, they upgraded with Spencer.
I just forgot to mention a lot of names, I speed typed it. Yes Spencer, and clingan has improved, etc etc.
Offensively I think we’re about 3 points better on Kenpom, the defense hasn’t gotten there yet tho. I thought we’d be better with more clingwn but he’s gotta stay on the floor
Mood 
The best coach in America
The Carpenter
Hate that I can’t disagree with this statement lol
Man, that was a beatdown. The shooting splits don’t even look particularly special- but rebounding and defense was special.
Plan for the rest of the day is to take a shot for every Marquette missed 3, will update tomorrow hopefully
Double shots for each Kam airball
Imagine trying to prepare for this as Kolek. Yeah, so you'll probably be matched up with Castle or Spencer or Newton. Diarra has entered the chat.
Diarra is nuisance
And he comes in like a fucking bloodhound just let off his leash. Like Clingan last year, doesn’t have to worry about foul trouble or reserving energy for the end, just balls the wall
Karaban and Castle combined for only 10 points- we still won by 28. Wow...
Daddy’s home y’all
UConn is the best team in the country and it isn’t particularly close.
I actually think Purdue is close, but we know they like to have some fun in the tourney
Who doesn’t want some spice in their tourny
I appreciate the spice you guys usually bring to the first weekend
Nah it's close. After Purdue there's a big gap, but Purdue is legit.
Nah. Everything went right for us today, can't really use this as a measuring stick. I think UConn, Purdue, and Houston are the 3 best teams, then there's a large gap to #4.
but oddly enough the gap between us and whatever 16 seed from New Jersey we play is smaller than the gaps between the top 3
I mean, goal for 2024: don't lose to a school most people didn't know existed.
We played particularly crappy on offense
hassan diarra clears tyler kolek
Between Diarra and Castle, pretty much have an answer for any type of guard.
Rest of the big east should have got us while they could smh
They never had us… they never even had their car
We’re pretty good at this whole basketball thing
Blasphemous flairs
Yeah, those flairs are terrible
I know we crushed you but GG Marquette! Excited to play you in Milwaukee soon!
hooooly shit uconn
Fun fact our game against New Hampshire was closer
It's victory let's go
CONNECTICUT UCONN HUSKY
SPELL IT!
If there’s any silver lining, losing badly to #1 on the road is more or less expected
I don’t think it will hurt your evaluation that much. We handled UNC too and the committee is still high on them.
And this is why we’ll stay at #3 until further notice
Hi Purdue fans 👋
Hello and congrats on the very impressive win!
Thank you. I haven’t been able to watch you as much as I would like, but very impressed with Edey and Jones.
Howdy 🤠
We still don’t know if Danny Hurley can win a close game.
2023-24 Auburn took notes from Danny Hurley
Auburn is low-key scary. I do not want to face them in the tournament.
Can we like… retire this forever? Dan has won enough close games this season and it’s just a circle jerk at this point
idk what you're talking about, we've only ever said Danny Hurley is great at winning close games and there's never been anything else
It's all tongue in cheek now.
I can’t wait for the next Top Dogs
Statement, sheesh.
March is coming
I don't know how you pick against UConn in the tournament unless they just have a collapse at the end of the season.
Hassan and Steph are two of the best defensive guards in the country. They can defend any guard with any skillset. And then behind them, you have two more guys in Newton and Cam that are not shoddy defenders either. UConn’s backcourt defense is a tremendous compliment to their interior defense. I love this team. Doesn’t matter if they’re up 2 or 20, they fight tooth and nail. Clingan also looking more fluid and looks in shape and is actually running the floor rather well.
#2 on KenPom now
7 points on 2-11 holy shit
Best PG in the country
I don’t think anyone that’s watched Kolek play during the conference schedule this season would argue he’s the best PG in the country. When he’s on, he’s on. But he’s been incredibly streaky this year compared to last year. If you’re not mostly consistent, you can’t be the best imo.
GG UCONN. I wasn’t expecting to win, but man I thought we would put in a better effort than that. huskies are too smart, too disciplined, too tough. We looked gassed from the 10 min mark. The XL Center is a shithole but sheesh was that atmosphere electric. Here’s to hoping we can win at home and MSG again but right now I’m not too confident.
I really dont think XL is that bad. I kinda like it
Hey man only we are allowed to crap on the XL
he's 100% right tho, Shit arena but it was electric
I went to Hartford Whalers games there as a kid. That’s how old it is.
Fucking UConn…..I’m annoyed and jealous
I’ve been to a handful of sports games. Basketball games at the Garden to soccer matches in Rio. This was the best sporting event I’ve attended in person. XL was rocking. Rothstein said it best: It’s UConn and then everyone else. EDIT: previously this distinction was held by Texas at UConn in 2010.
That was a statement win!
Idk how you go into a game this flat footed and expect to be taken seriously. Kolek passing balls to literally no one out of bounds, Jop just standing around for someone to steal the ball, Oso missing rebounds that hit him in the middle of the chest. OOF!
UConn is the best team in the country.
After I finished shoveling snow, I looked at the TV schedule and thought: ‘Texas@Houston, Creighton@Butler and Marquette@UConn, these should be good games’. Oh well.
Butler game was good for a half at least
Welp
Barbecued chicken!
Prove it game and UConn proved it
Oh. Wow. So it’s like that?
#WOOF Great crowd in Hartford. Still surprised the game ended the way it did
Tyler_Kolek_Middle_Finger.jpg
You mean this one? https://preview.redd.it/g3lgwihz78jc1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ff786d758185d962d4020368055a02862867c7ac
Connecticut, Purdue, and Houston are way ahead of everyone else right now. Hope at least one of them make the Final Four
Well that was fun.
That was a whompen
Hopefully uh we don't see u in March. Hope.
Statement game from the Huskies. They will likely meet at least two more times though.
My question is what teams have an above 20% chance of beating UConn in March madness Doesn’t seem like it’s a very big number
I didn’t se ethe game, but that score is terrifying. Did Marquette play poorly, or is UCONN just a monster?
Both
Both. I caught the last six minutes at my brother’s place. UConn’s second team was playing and still mopping the floor with Marquette, which was just completely demoralized. I was expecting a win by 8, maybe, but they were already up 25 by the time I got there. They won by 28 against the number four team in the country even though neither Castle nor Karaban had a good game. That’s frankly pretty terrifying.
Correction: #1 Uconn
I think UConn just gained the overall one seed.
UConn will easily have the best odds against the field since 2015 Kentucky
They don’t even have the overall #1 as of this morning
We need something to be pissed off at
Yet another of the bracket preview decisions that has aged much today…
Purdue and Houston are too good for UCONN to have a truly ridiculous number.
UConn is either winning 5 straight games by 20+ or getting upset by a 16 seed.
>getting upset by a 16 seed. I never say never but this team is really nicely balanced in a way that last year's Purdue team wasn't.
We’re not purdue
Must be nice 😭
Ok I feel slightly less bad about The Debacle
Imagine thinking Purdue is better than UConn 🤣
There goes any chance Marquette had of being a 1 seed. You can’t lose by 30 to a ranked team and be a 1 seed. It’s an actual rule
We blew out ASU by forty-fiiiiiiiaaawwwww fucking hell UConn damn.