Elite 8 Odds: UK -2, MSU -5.5, AZ -3, UF -10
Morning odds:
Michigan opens a 2 point dog versus a UK team that just took down a #1 and #4 and is trying to recreate 91-92 Fab 5 magic.
MSU a pretty heavy favorite here as UConn is going to have major issues matching their front line.
Wisconsin getting decent respect versus an athletic Arizona squad; two long teams and an interesting clash.
Florida of course heavy favorite vs Cinderella.
"I think we are going to have to out score them." I concur.
March 29th, 2014 at 11:10 AM ^
Last year we started with the 1st 2 games with double digit wins, then a tight 2 pt win in sweet sixteen. Followed that up with a romp on Florida. Kentucky is going down! Go Blue!
March 29th, 2014 at 11:15 AM ^
March 29th, 2014 at 11:41 AM ^
I hear you, but if given the choice, I'd much rather lose to MSU in the finals that not make it to that game at all.
March 29th, 2014 at 11:53 AM ^
People are definitely overreacting to the BTT final. We had no legs that day, and our bigs drew an extremely tough whistle. Bielfeldt played 13 first-half minutes, for crying out loud.
I don't particularly want MSU again, but I wouldn't fear another game. We shredded their defense the first two times we played them, and if we were to meet with a rest day beforehand, I'd expect the game to unfold much more like the first two meetings.
Let's let MSU make sure that does not happen.
Edit. Yikes this is NOT in response to beating MSU in the finals.
Not being there on 4/7 if Sparty shows up...
Let's make em wait longer than 97 days to burn the next couch at Cedar Village...
I'll take a final versus any team out there
March 29th, 2014 at 11:26 AM ^
March 29th, 2014 at 11:46 AM ^
It is gonna happen. It will result in the highest TV ratings for an NCAA Final ever.
March 29th, 2014 at 12:00 PM ^
Meh, that is sort of a regional view. We just had Kentucky Kansas final 2 years ago, UNLV v Duke in 1990 was a massive matchup as UNLV was a jr NBA team... Kansas played Duke around the same era... the Fab 5 teams (who went up against 2 blue bloods back to back) were a lot more nationally "exciting" than this current group which gets hated on each round, etc.
March 29th, 2014 at 12:29 PM ^
I'll bet it would be down...the whole state of MI would be watching, along with B1G country. But our ACC/SEC teams will probably go to ESPN7 and watch pre-recorded poker tourneys from Reno in 2010.
These young men are everything M stands for...tough, classy, competitive, smart, they don't crumble under pressure and they play till the end. May we all enjoy watching them on April 7. Live. On CBS. Past our bedtimes...
March 29th, 2014 at 12:03 PM ^
March 29th, 2014 at 12:28 PM ^
because I see State and Wisconsin winning. Izzo has them cranking now. They are going to be very hard to beat. Virginia was a very good team. Our conference is stronger top to bottom than the ACC but it is very close. If they can beat VA they can beat UConn. Wisconsin is just flat out on fire. I'd rather play Arizona than them. Still, if we take care of business, then we'll be fine against anyone.
Last week the only remaining perfect bracket in the Yahoo challenge had UM/MSU in the finals. Here's hoping we keep our end of that!
March 29th, 2014 at 12:46 PM ^
March 29th, 2014 at 12:24 PM ^
that we didn't play a good game yesterday. We were sloppy as heck. We turned over way too many times including 4 posessions in a row at the very end of the game. We even turned over the turnovers we caused. 2 occasions we stole the ball from UT and then lost it back to them. It was totally uncharacteristic of us. We missed a lot of shots we usually make. We went huge spans of game time without making a basket. Nik was 5 of 12 and only 3 of 8 from 3 point territory. And he couldn't stop Richardson to save his life. Knowing the player he is, he will come out Sunday and have a MONSTER game against Kentucky.
There were benefits to having a down game. We had to focus better defensively. That Morgan block on the Tennessee player was nothing short of spectacular. Other players turned it up too. We get Robinson, Nik and LaVert cranking against Kentucky and they will be in very serious trouble.
March 29th, 2014 at 12:38 PM ^
Weird stuff happens when Wisconsin plays teams from the state of AZ
March 29th, 2014 at 12:49 PM ^
We've become the Rodney Dangerfield of college ball. Of course, it doesn't matter if we're respected; let's just keep on winning.
It would be amazing (and good for my blood pressure) if we can recreate the curb-stomping we gave Florida in the Elite 8 last year against Kentucky this year.