WHEW

[gocatsgo2003]

That was fun. Couple very odd referee video review sequences, including that weird inflicted flagrant that seemed to rob us of all momentum for the last few minutes of regulation. Thank god for Boo Buie and Tournament Ryan Langborg, plus a gutty performance from Brooks (who seems to be growing in confidence even now). The Bigs + Martinelli did juuuussssssttttttttt enough of the dirty work to keep the offense moving, and the offense is really pretty when everyone is moving and shots are falling.

UCONN will clearly be a huge challenge, but this team has at least shown the heart to fight and claw with anyone in the country. Won’t be “scary” after going toe-to-toe with Purdue twice this year.

 

[AdamOnFirst]

Unless you manage to get off the 7-8-9 line, the best you can hope for is one chance to be a bracket busting darling of the season. One shining moment to try.

 

[GatoLouco]

The intensity on defense was outstanding. But that's not the impressive part, it's not hard to motivate players for this big a stage. What was impressive was the concentration. Not a lot of mistakes on defense, they were dialed in.

 

[FanatiCat]

Caveat, I haven’t had the chance to watch due to work, but it must be tough to come off the extra physical and emotional toll of an OT game for a quick 2 day turnaround. UConn is playing later so technically a few hours less rest, but fewer game minutes and if it’s a blowout their starters may play fewer minutes.

 

[AdamOnFirst]

Caveat, I haven’t had the chance to watch due to work, but it must be tough to come off the extra physical and emotional toll of an OT game for a quick 2 day turnaround. UConn is playing later so technically a few hours less rest, but fewer game minutes and if it’s a blowout their starters may play fewer minutes.

UConn is the number one overall seed and defending national champ. They’re tremendously loaded. NU is going to be, and should be, heavy underdogs and nationally overlooked as a speed bump for UConn as the race for the second weekend.

We can analyze that fact to death or just recognize we’ve beaten a couple top teams this year, say **** it, and see what happens.

 

[FeralFelidae]

Unless you manage to get off the 7-8-9 line, the best you can hope for is one chance to be a bracket busting darling of the season. One shining moment to try.

FAU made a Final Four run out of that slot last season. My Miners took down top-seeded Kansas in 1992. It happens.

 

[hdhntr1]

FAU made a Final Four run out of that slot last season. My Miners took down top-seeded Kansas in 1992. It happens.

Not sure it was against #1 overall though

 

[PurpleWhiteBoy]

As much as people complained about the refs in the game thread, we actually want refs who don't call fouls.
We can't afford refs who call a tight game. We have almost no bench.
Ideally, we get competent refs who let them play...
And keep going to the monitors for looong delays.

 

[AdamOnFirst]

FAU made a Final Four run out of that slot last season. My Miners took down top-seeded Kansas in 1992. It happens.

Exactly. There’s going to be no way to ice any analysis to come up with any conclusion that differs from a heavy UConn edge. But that’s why they play the games, baby!

 

[PurpWildCatNation]

As much as people complained about the refs in the game thread, we actually want refs who don't call fouls.
We can't afford refs who call a tight game. We have almost no bench.
Ideally, we get competent refs who let them play...
And keep going to the monitors for looong delays.

The only positive part was they called the entire game terribly so we did benefit from a few of their stupid calls

 

[Hkjb]

The intensity on defense was outstanding. But that's not the impressive part, it's not hard to motivate players for this big a stage. What was impressive was the concentration. Not a lot of mistakes on defense, they were dialed in.

This was an amazing defensive performance. Well schemed and well executed. It's so impressive that we find new ways to win over and over and over again. Playing with house money now!

 

[NUCat320]

Exactly. There’s going to be no way to ice any analysis to come up with any conclusion that differs from a heavy UConn edge. But that’s why they play the games, baby!

I expect NU will give UConn a much better game than Stetson.

 

[AdamOnFirst]

I expect NU will give UConn a much better game than Stetson.

Yeah, woof. My comments are aimed at people starting to fret about UConn being favored, it if anybody wants to calm their nerves about that matchup I recommend you do NOT tune into the rest of that game. Yeesh.

 

[gocatsgo2003]

Caveat, I haven’t had the chance to watch due to work, but it must be tough to come off the extra physical and emotional toll of an OT game for a quick 2 day turnaround. UConn is playing later so technically a few hours less rest, but fewer game minutes and if it’s a blowout their starters may play fewer minutes.

Honestly… OT wasn’t really all that stressful for NU. Came out hitting almost literally everything, especially Langborg. The last two minutes or so were more or less just dribbling out the game.

Hopefully NU will be able to bring similar defensive intensity against UCONN. Adrenaline of playing a #1 in the NCAA tournament offsetting wear-and-tear from a pretty physical 8/9 game.

 

[PurpleWhiteBoy]

Stetson has an awesome name though.

Stetson Hatters.

Only old people understand it.

 

[gocatsgo2003]

As much as people complained about the refs in the game thread, we actually want refs who don't call fouls.
We can't afford refs who call a tight game. We have almost no bench.
Ideally, we get competent refs who let them play...
And keep going to the monitors for looong delays.

That flagrant foul situation was just weird. Martinelli’s motion seemed less “unnatural” and more “what a defender with his off hand while contesting, there’s just usually not another tall guy standing right there.“

Then the refs stop a 5-on-4 fast break going the other day before going to the monitor to inflict a flagrant foul where there wasn’t even a common foul called on the floor.

Clearly took a lot of momentum out of our game, as I don’t think we scored after that until the last-second bucket.

 

[FeralFelidae]

Not sure it was against #1 overall though

If you're talking about 1992 UTEP, Kansas was ranked #2.

 

[AdamOnFirst]

That flagrant foul situation was just weird. Martinelli’s motion seemed less “unnatural” and more “what a defender with his off hand while contesting, there’s just usually not another tall guy standing right there.” Then the refs stop a 5-on-4 fast break going the other day before going to the monitor to inflict a flagrant foul where there wasn’t even a common foul called on the floor. Clearly took a lot of momentum out of our game, as I don’t think we scored after that until the last-second bucket.

I buy the Martinelli flagrant similar to leading with the crown targeting: it wasn’t malicious, but if you throw back an elbow that high, you run the risk of catching a dome and drawing the call

 

[PurpleWhiteBoy]

That flagrant foul situation was just weird. Martinelli’s motion seemed less “unnatural” and more “what a defender with his off hand while contesting, there’s just usually not another tall guy standing right there.” Then the refs stop a 5-on-4 fast break going the other day before going to the monitor to inflict a flagrant foul where there wasn’t even a common foul called on the floor. Clearly took a lot of momentum out of our game, as I don’t think we scored after that until the last-second bucket.

Thats true.
Charles Barkley called it "a bogus flagrant" in the postgame.
I thought they'd probably call it when I saw the replay.
The refs were not good today.
But we got some bad calls our way too.
They weren't out to screw us and they allowed very physical defense.
Could be worse.

 

[NUCat320]

The flagrant was the right call. Stopping NU’s 5 on 4 was inexcusable.

After making both flagrant free throws, Golden missed the front end later in the game. That was our glorious payback.

Even though he was wrong, I enjoyed “ball don’t lie” late in the overtime.

 

[gocatsgo2003]

The flagrant was the right call. Stopping NU’s 5 on 4 was inexcusable.

After making both flagrant free throws, Golden missed the front end later in the game. That was our glorious payback.

Even though he was wrong, I enjoyed “ball don’t lie” late in the overtime.

The makeup call on Boo’s deflection out of bounds after the blatant missed foul on the drive was kinda hilarious. The crew was clearly not afraid to go to the monitor, but were like “eh… yeah… we aren’t gonna check that one… play on, ball don’t lie!”

 

[FeralFelidae]

The makeup call on Boo’s deflection out of bounds after the blatant missed foul on the drive was kinda hilarious. The crew was clearly not afraid to go to the monitor, but were like “eh… yeah… we aren’t gonna check that one… play on, ball don’t lie!”

Heh, a "makeup call" after the game was already in hand. Thanks, refs.

 

[AdamOnFirst]

The makeup call on Boo’s deflection out of bounds after the blatant missed foul on the drive was kinda hilarious. The crew was clearly not afraid to go to the monitor, but were like “eh… yeah… we aren’t gonna check that one… play on, ball don’t lie!”

That was honestly the most blatant makeup call I’ve ever seen in a college game