Bear Down Wildcats

Stanimal makes 3rd team USA AA team: http://kysportsconnection.com/kentucky- ... ds-honors/

Delon Wright made 2nd team, only PAC players honored.

Arizona gonna deliver a statement over the next four weeks

Where is Joe Young???????

97cats wrote:Arizona gonna deliver a statement over the next four weeks

Hell yeah.

I know these things are fluid, but based on what you know of the team and where that are at now heading into these tourneys, what's your likelihood that we are getting to Indy.

IE: how much should I push work for time off around that weekend.

Thanks 97, always great to see you around these parts. Cheers cst

Arizona only has one third teamer?

ok

CalStateTempe wrote:

97cats wrote:Arizona gonna deliver a statement over the next four weeks

Hell yeah.

I know these things are fluid, but based on what you know of the team and where that are at now heading into these tourneys, what's your likelihood that we are getting to Indy.

IE: how much should I push work for time off around that weekend.

Thanks 97, always great to see you around these parts. Cheers cst

I'm not 97, but if Arizona winds up in the West and isn't paired with Kentucky or UVA (or Anderson isn't back for UVA), I'm starting to think we slide into the role of odds on favorite and I start clearing my schedule on certain days.

Oh, and edited to add, if we are seeded in the West, we miss UK by default and I'm almost at the point of saying we're favorites right there. Stylistically, I think UVA presents the biggest issues, so I might not call us favorites vs them.

I considered AZ a good bet to make the title game before they felt slighted. Now expecting a 30 point blowout of Kentucky for the trophy.

thenewazcats wrote:I considered AZ a good bet to make the title game before they felt slighted. Now expecting a 30 point blowout of Kentucky for the trophy.

If we are in the West, would have to beat UK in the semis (assuming they are Midwest).

UAEebs86 wrote:

thenewazcats wrote:I considered AZ a good bet to make the title game before they felt slighted. Now expecting a 30 point blowout of Kentucky for the trophy.

If we are in the West, would have to beat UK in the semis (assuming they are Midwest).

The road to the NC goes through UK.

97cats wrote:Arizona gonna deliver a statement over the next four weeks

Hell yes. I love this time of year.

This team will bring us to the promised land, and all of us AZ fanatics will have paypal transfers and stacks of cash reigned down upon us after winning every March Madness pool that we confidently entered.

pokinmik wrote:

97cats wrote:Arizona gonna deliver a statement over the next four weeks

Hell yes. I love this time of year.

This team will bring us to the promised land, and all of us AZ fanatics will have paypal transfers and stacks of cash reigned down upon us after winning every March Madness pool that we confidently entered.

Hey pokinmik, know of any bars near Union station that carry pac12 network?

Spaceman Spiff wrote:

UAEebs86 wrote:

thenewazcats wrote:I considered AZ a good bet to make the title game before they felt slighted. Now expecting a 30 point blowout of Kentucky for the trophy.

If we are in the West, would have to beat UK in the semis (assuming they are Midwest).

The road to the NC goes through UK.

Not if UK gets ousted before UA does as many pundits suggest.

I will give anything to finally crack that Final 4 nut...been a fan since 2002 and I have never experienced it myself.

Merkin wrote:

Spaceman Spiff wrote:

UAEebs86 wrote: If we are in the West, would have to beat UK in the semis (assuming they are Midwest).

The road to the NC goes through UK.

Not if UK gets ousted before UA does as many pundits suggest.

That isn't happening. I even wonder if my personal feeling that Arizona can beat UK is just homerism. Kentucky is a juggernaut, and when they're motivated, they have crushed people. Watch the shutout they pitched at UCLA.

Again, I'm a U of A fan, but Arizona is one of maybe 2 or 3 teams with the size and offensive/defensive skill to take out UK. The rest just don't have a chance unless UK flat doesn't show up. At this point, I would take Kentucky vs the field.

Lol comparing this years ucla to arizona.

CalStateTempe wrote:Lol comparing this years ucla to arizona.

I'm not comparing, just that KY started out with a 27-0 lead, and it was the most dominant display of basketball in recent history between two somewhat competent teams.

CalStateTempe wrote:

pokinmik wrote:

97cats wrote:Arizona gonna deliver a statement over the next four weeks

Hell yes. I love this time of year.

This team will bring us to the promised land, and all of us AZ fanatics will have paypal transfers and stacks of cash reigned down upon us after winning every March Madness pool that we confidently entered.

Hey pokinmik, know of any bars near Union station that carry pac12 network?

I'm not the best person to ask...I actually work in DC on the SW/SE side, but the commute is killer so I'm usually happy getting the hell out of the city ASAP after work and head for the burbs.

I've been to the Union Pub over that way and it's not bad but they unfortunately have Directv. You might want to look over by Verizon Center on like 7th St. There's a Green Turtle over there and maybe some other more sports-themed bars instead of the usual fancy, hip cocktail places that are everywhere in that area. I'm worried they'd all have Directv too though...sorry, I'm not much help.

Spaceman Spiff wrote: That isn't happening. I even wonder if my personal feeling that Arizona can beat UK is just homerism. Kentucky is a juggernaut, and when they're motivated, they have crushed people. Watch the shutout they pitched at UCLA.

Again, I'm a U of A fan, but Arizona is one of maybe 2 or 3 teams with the size and offensive/defensive skill to take out UK. The rest just don't have a chance unless UK flat doesn't show up. At this point, I would take Kentucky vs the field.

I know you weren't comparing us to UCLA, but our team is built in a way that that is not going to happen. UCLA has their moments, but they can be a trainwreck. Obviously if we played Kentucky and they played their best game, we probably don't have a really good chance at beating them without us coming out and having our best game and a lot of luck.

Outside of Kansas (who i wouldn't even call a top tier-team anyway), they haven't really played a top-tier team. Texas has been an absolute dissapointment, Louisville has been up and down and very flawed, Carolina is the same way, and Arkansas is good but not great. How do they respond against a team with almost equal size and athleticism and skill? I think they will struggle to put up points against our defense (and we in turn will struggle against them). I think more times than not, a game against them on a neutral court will be a close, defensive struggle, and the winner is whoever makes the big shots and free throws down the stretch. Sometimes that is us, sometimes it is them. I don't think the separation of us and them is that big really taking into account the way we have played against the best teams on our schedule and the way we have been playing down the stretch.

rgdeuce wrote:

Spaceman Spiff wrote: That isn't happening. I even wonder if my personal feeling that Arizona can beat UK is just homerism. Kentucky is a juggernaut, and when they're motivated, they have crushed people. Watch the shutout they pitched at UCLA.

Again, I'm a U of A fan, but Arizona is one of maybe 2 or 3 teams with the size and offensive/defensive skill to take out UK. The rest just don't have a chance unless UK flat doesn't show up. At this point, I would take Kentucky vs the field.

I know you weren't comparing us to UCLA, but our team is built in a way that that is not going to happen. UCLA has their moments, but they can be a trainwreck. Obviously if we played Kentucky and they played their best game, we probably don't have a really good chance at beating them without us coming out and having our best game and a lot of luck.

Outside of Kansas (who i wouldn't even call a top tier-team anyway), they haven't really played a top-tier team. Texas has been an absolute dissapointment, Louisville has been up and down and very flawed, Carolina is the same way, and Arkansas is good but not great. How do they respond against a team with almost equal size and athleticism and skill? I think they will struggle to put up points against our defense (and we in turn will struggle against them). I think more times than not, a game against them on a neutral court will be a close, defensive struggle, and the winner is whoever makes the big shots and free throws down the stretch. Sometimes that is us, sometimes it is them. I don't think the separation of us and them is that big really taking into account the way we have played against the best teams on our schedule and the way we have been playing down the stretch.

I think (again, as a homer) that we are best situated to beat UK. If we make shots, we can match their size and physicality. Our starting lineup isn't going to be scared of them. That said, they have a **** ton of talent. We would need an average game by them to have a really good shot.

Thing is, that post about UK not making it all the way to face us, I don't see that. Duke has the length to challenge them and UVA can control tempo enough that I think they could give UK a game too. That's it for challengers, though. I don't think any other top team has much chance.

If we want a NC, we will have to face Kentucky. I think we have the elements a team needs to do it, but it is still a tough task. They have basically overwhelmed every decent team they faced, and the only close ones have been when they were sleepwalking.

That said, I remember a time when a plucky underdog beat a favored UK team in the title game back in the day. It was 1997, and No Limit records was popular, Will Smith was box office gold and Kobe Bryant hadn't been accused of sexual assault yet. Those were the days.

If these slightings have the desired effect, we'll have to send a collective note of thanks to the voters.

Maybe love cost us the Wisky game last year.

SCCats wrote:Arizona only has one third teamer?

ok

What an absolute joke.

There won't be any offensive charge with like 10 sec to go this year.
Bear Down

Anybody think it is worth it to go to Tucson if we make the Final Four even if you are er...old...er older...?

pokinmik wrote:

97cats wrote:Arizona gonna deliver a statement over the next four weeks

Hell yes. I love this time of year.

This team will bring us to the promised land, and all of us AZ fanatics will have paypal transfers and stacks of cash reigned down upon us after winning every March Madness pool that we confidently entered.

Good because I have $3000.00 to win to make up for 2001. I was the only person that year to pick AZ in my Madness pool. Still bitter for this and many other reasons.

Kentucky was loaded. So was Kansas: Vaughn, Pierce, Lafrentz; and Carolina: Carter, Jamison, Shammond Williams..

And I know Wisky isnt a top defensive team, but i think they are more than capable of beating them. Nova too. I actually like both those teams to beat them more than Virginia

I personally think everyone here is forgetting about wisky. I think they are the 3rd best team in the country after uk and us and I think uk is hoping they get a 1 seed somewhere cuz that elite 8 game will be an absolute war. I don't care how good UK D is ..... No one can stop Frank from getting his.

They return their whole team sans Braun that should have beaten UK last year. Now granted uk replaced Randle and young w Towns and co which is an upgrade, but next to us, wisky and that O is the worst matchup uk can get.

If uva gets Anderson back they are tough but I don't see him coming back and them picking up right where they left off prior to injury. Duke will struggle against a good D and nova will be overwhelmed by the size that is lacking in the BE.

Only 3 teams I don't want to see before Indy are uk (won't happen), wisky, or a full strength uva team

I don't see that UK's starting 5 is better than AZ's. AZ's 5 better? I don't know, but if AZ is going to beat KU our bench will have to at least stay even with theirs. I've been wondering for a while now if Coach Miller has been playing the bench more than in past years because of this very reason.

pokinmik wrote:

CalStateTempe wrote:

pokinmik wrote:

97cats wrote:Arizona gonna deliver a statement over the next four weeks

Hell yes. I love this time of year.

This team will bring us to the promised land, and all of us AZ fanatics will have paypal transfers and stacks of cash reigned down upon us after winning every March Madness pool that we confidently entered.

Hey pokinmik, know of any bars near Union station that carry pac12 network?

I'm not the best person to ask...I actually work in DC on the SW/SE side, but the commute is killer so I'm usually happy getting the hell out of the city ASAP after work and head for the burbs.

I've been to the Union Pub over that way and it's not bad but they unfortunately have Directv. You might want to look over by Verizon Center on like 7th St. There's a Green Turtle over there and maybe some other more sports-themed bars instead of the usual fancy, hip cocktail places that are everywhere in that area. I'm worried they'd all have Directv too though...sorry, I'm not much help.

Thanks man I appreciate it.

rgdeuce wrote:Kentucky was loaded. So was Kansas: Vaughn, Pierce, Lafrentz; and Carolina: Carter, Jamison, Shammond Williams..

And I know Wisky isnt a top defensive team, but i think they are more than capable of beating them. Nova too. I actually like both those teams to beat them more than Virginia

UK is dominant defensively because they have waves of big shotblockers. Kaminsky is a great player, but UK is the perfect team to limit him, and UW can't win if he has an ordinary game. Nova just can't match the size. It's the wear down effect.

UVA is good at creating slow, defensive, close games. That's the only reason i give them a chance, because crazy things happen in close games.

Best suited to stop Kaminsky I wholeheartedly agree with. Stopping him is a completely different matter. Their size also hurts a Wisconsin team that can shoot the lights out. But Wisky has size too, so this isnt 6'2 and 6'4 guys shooting over 6'8. Wisky's size also spreads out the floor like no other team does, which can take those shot blockers out of the paint. Wisconsin's size also can pass, which poses even more problems. There are games where Wisconsin is just unconscious. Kentucky gets Wisky on the wrong night and they are in trouble. I think that happens more frequently than a night where Virginia's offense can muster enough points against the top D in the nation. They can slow things down and probably are best suited to avoid a blowout, but I just dont see them having enough on offense to score more points.

I have my theory on Nova but i have to run, will bring it up later

Regarding Kaminsky:

Bosy Billups wrote:Regarding Kaminsky:

Nothing Wisky did offensively beat us. Not scoring 55 in regulation beat us.

rgdeuce wrote:Best suited to stop Kaminsky I wholeheartedly agree with. Stopping him is a completely different matter. Their size also hurts a Wisconsin team that can shoot the lights out. But Wisky has size too, so this isnt 6'2 and 6'4 guys shooting over 6'8. Wisky's size also spreads out the floor like no other team does, which can take those shot blockers out of the paint. Wisconsin's size also can pass, which poses even more problems. There are games where Wisconsin is just unconscious. Kentucky gets Wisky on the wrong night and they are in trouble. I think that happens more frequently than a night where Virginia's offense can muster enough points against the top D in the nation. They can slow things down and probably are best suited to avoid a blowout, but I just dont see them having enough on offense to score more points.

I have my theory on Nova but i have to run, will bring it up later

I'm of the opinion that Kentucky is strong enough in some areas (defense, length) that you can't beat them if your strengths match their weaknesses. Wisky's strengths directly align with Kentucky's strengths.

Why I think we have a better shot is we have enough size not to be overwhelmed. If we shoot well, we can generate enough points. Their offense can be slowed, and we set up well to do that. We have a strength in their weakest area and Wisky doesn't. Same with UVA. I give Duke somewhat of a chance, but they have to play defense better than they have been.