UConn vs. Georgia Tech Well, there you go, that is the national title game. After 2 great games, one of which I unfortunately didn't get to see, that being the Tech game, we now have a championship game set. So, now, opinions on how you people think the game is going to go down. I think it's gonna be UConn....still. They finally proved that they can beat a good team by beating the #1 seeded Duke Bluedevils. Plus, it looks like they have a healthy Emeka Okafor now. He was ineffective in the 1st half due to the fact that he only played about 5 minutes, but, in the 2nd half, he went and scored 18 including the game winner. Plus, they have Ben Gordon who has been playing pretty good, he hit some pretty big shots tonight, Rashad Anderson is also playing well. The one thing they need to do is make sure Taliek Brown stays out of foul trouble along with Okafor. When Brown is in and running the point this team flows a lot better I think. And, when Okafor is in, he is a difference maker. So, yea, these are basically reasons why I think they'll win. Not too mention, I bet that the fact that Tech handin them their first loss early in the season is still in the back of their minds and they might be looking for payback. But, yea, nonetheless, I'm thinking this will be a great game. But, yea, UConn all the way.
GT all the way, its going to be very tough for them to pull this off, but I think they can take it in an extremellllllyyyyy close game. B.J you better be fully healthy son.
I going to have to go with Unconn in this one. Uconn is a great team. Duke Should have beaten them, but Williams fouled out, and Uconn came up big at the end of the game. Either way I don't think that GT has what it takes to win this game. I could be wrong, but I don't think this game will even be that close. If Uconn can play strong like they have been they should jump out to an early lead, and I don't think GT will have what it takes to keep up with them.
Yeah its going to be an extremely close game. Emeka cant get in foul trouble in this game because I dont think Boone can hold down the paint against Luke Sncherrior(misspelled) inside, the way he did in the 1st half against Duke tonight. Uconn has already seen the way Jack, Bynum , Elder pressure the ball, when Uconn lost to them earlier in the season. I expect them to make alot of adjustments to handle G-tech's pressure defense. And having Emeka to throw the ball into can help against the zone. Ben Gordon has to do a better job on stoping penetration. Something he didnt do so well tonight against Duhun. Jarrett Jack is extremely good at getting in the Lane. If Ben allow him to penetrate on a consistent bases, it might put Emeka in the posion to pick up cheap fouls trying to help defend. So stoping penetration will be a key. Uconn wins a extremely tight game. I dont see G-tech beating uconn 2 times in the same year.
The key match-up and one Georgia Tech needs to do well at. The center position. Luke V Emeka We all know that Emeka is a dominant player on both ends of the court that forces guys into rushing their shots when attacking him. This game will be interesting as Schenscher has been playing very well in the tourney so far including a 19 and 12 performance against Oklahoma State. He has to play pysical and not like Emeka worry him. Schenscher has done a great job not bringing the ball down when he's in position. Get Okafor in foul trouble like Duke tried to do is the only real hope GT will have. Of course guard play will play a huge factor as well, Taliek Brown and Ben Gordon against BJ Elder and Jarrett Jack. Whoever takes advantage here by controlling the game and not allowing each other to attack the basket will have the best chance of victory. Bynum will be the x-factor again like he was in the elite 8 and in last night's game. I expect this one to be close, I doubt it will be any higher than a 7-8 point game.
I think the key matchup in this game will be Gordon vs. Jack. Two very talented guards going at it right there. But, yea, I think if UConn can win this they have a great chance at taking the game. But, the key thing here, Ben Gordon has got to get it going early. He started off hot last night but quickly cooled down. He can't do that against Tech Monday. Especially if Okafor gets in foul trouble early again. Than, against Jack, he has to do a good job at stopping penetration. It's like mentioned earlier, he didn't do that last night very well against Duhon, and, if they're going to win, they can't let the guards penetrate that easily cause it will end up getting Okafor in foul trouble, and, they didn't play well when Okafor was out last night. Duke at a time went from 1/9 shooting with Okafor in to 10/22. That's a much better percentage. He needs to be in there to contest and change shots. The only way he'll stay in though is if the UConn backcourt can keep Techs guards out of the lane. Okafor though, did pick up a lot of cheap fouls last night that he shouldn't have. Well, now that I've gotten completely off topic from what I was talking about, I'll bring this to an end. To end, Ben Gordon must shoot well and on the defensive end he can't all Jack a lot of easy shots and can't allow him to penetrate the way Duhon did last night.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Moo2K4:</div><div class="quote_post">I think the key matchup in this game will be Gordon vs. Jack. Two very talented guards going at it right there. But, yea, I think if UConn can win this they have a great chance at taking the game. But, the key thing here, Ben Gordon has got to get it going early. He started off hot last night but quickly cooled down. He can't do that against Tech Monday. Especially if Okafor gets in foul trouble early again. Than, against Jack, he has to do a good job at stopping penetration. It's like mentioned earlier, he didn't do that last night very well against Duhon, and, if they're going to win, they can't let the guards penetrate that easily cause it will end up getting Okafor in foul trouble, and, they didn't play well when Okafor was out last night. Duke at a time went from 1/9 shooting with Okafor in to 10/22. That's a much better percentage. He needs to be in there to contest and change shots. The only way he'll stay in though is if the UConn backcourt can keep Techs guards out of the lane. Okafor though, did pick up a lot of cheap fouls last night that he shouldn't have. Well, now that I've gotten completely off topic from what I was talking about, I'll bring this to an end. To end, Ben Gordon must shoot well and on the defensive end he can't all Jack a lot of easy shots and can't allow him to penetrate the way Duhon did last night.</div> I do agree with you Ben Gordon has to be much more consistent against G-tech. But Gordon did play well down the stretch against Duke last night. I think Chris Duhun let him off the hook on the defensive end, when Duhun stop penetrating late in the second half. But Jarrett Jack & Will Bynum wont let him off the hook. They get the ball & drive to the whole 24/7. So your right Ben Gordon defense will have to be top notch to stop penetration. But I agree with AllNet about the key matchup being Luke vs Emeka imo. If Luke can use his hieght & size to get Emeka in foul trouble then G-tech will be the National champion. Uconn is deep in the paint with Emeka,Boone, & Villenueva. But Emeka is the only one that has the size to deal with Luke in the lost block. So if Emeka gets in foul trouble then the game will turn into the same situation as last nights G-tech/Ostate game Luke S. is going to get nothing but easy basket in the post without a bigman with size down low to defend him. And I think its very possible that Emeka could get into early foul trouble. Emeka has a tendancy to try & block alot of the shots of the man that he is guarding. But its going to be extremely hard for Emeka to go straight up & get clean blocks on a guy with Luke's hieght without picking up fouls. For that reason I dont think Uconn will start the game with Emeka guarding Luke straight up. They will probably use a zone or let Boone guard Luke & send Emeka has the help defender on the weak side. That will help Emeka save his foul till the second half, where Emeka can use his strenght to move Luke out of the low block before he gets the ball deep in the paint. I dont expect to see the matchup one on one between Luke & Emeka until the second half. Thats when its going to be for all the marbles. And should be an exciting matchup.
I think Uconn will win this one, but not by a lot. I say uconn over georgia tech by 2/3. Man, if only bosh stayed in Goergia Tech, I would have given the win to GT. Backto the point, I think this game will depend heavily on the free throws, especially omeka.
UConn by 6. I didnt know GT was so good ths year, but if UConn can pull through like they did against Duke, then they deserve to win.
re i will go with UConn, they were my fav team during the tournement, so i predict 76-71 for UConn btw, im new here
I'm taking UConn. If Schenscher gets in foul trouble guarding Emeka, Then Emeka will have a field day. Hes just so powerful. Gordan needs to step up and have a huge game. Key factor is the freshmen play of Vilanueva and Boone.
UConn all the way...not that i like them more(god knows i hate that team) but GT's big men just can't stop emeka Sure, GT did beat UConn at the beginning of the year, but UConn had some tough losses(like duke) at the beginning... UConn has gotten much better as a team, and therefore they can, and will take GT (and Emeka is awesome, i met him down at a scouting camp in SoCal, great guy)
Great semis game for both teams BTW. I have to go with UConn on this one. Man, Emeka is a monster. He'll block shots or at least make the others change their shots.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"> From an analytical standpoint, the Nov. 26 prelude to the 2004 national championship game was beyond useless. It was poisonous -- more misinformation than anything else. When Connecticut and Georgia Tech played more than four months ago at Madison Square Garden, neither team looked like the one that will step onto the Alamodome court Monday night. Georgia Tech won that Preseason NIT semifinal 77-61, but digest those numbers at your own risk. "There's no comparison," Boone says of the team Georgia Tech defeated and the team the Jackets will face Monday. "No comparison whatsoever." The same goes for the team Connecticut saw then, and will see Monday. The Jackets' hero in their past three NCAA Tournament games, backup guard Will Bynum, wasn't eligible Nov. 26 after transferring from Arizona. Georgia Tech's best post player off the bench, 6-foot-8 sophomore Theodis Tarver, missed that game with a knee injury.</div> Full Story
I think uconn will win it all the because of the greatness of their team and because of the heart that team has because they came back to beat duke scoring 12 points in 2 minutes.So if any teams gonna win i think it will be uconn.
I'm going with UConn in this game. I don't see GTech having success from the perimeter in back to back games. The Huskies have had time to make adjustments to their earlier loss in the season, and they are getting great production from Villanueva off the bench. GTech's players are banged up and the physical play of UConn is going to take it's toll at the end of the game. Should be a great finish, but I favor UConn in this one.
