That's an odd analogy. Milam and Bryant were racist killers buoyed and supported by a racist system that encouraged targeting innocent people.
OJ killings were boilerplate domestic violence. And, the acquittals were completely different, as well. An all white jury acquitted racists, while a multiracial jury acquitted an obsessive ex-husband.
Maybe instead of trying to prove that... whatever you're trying to prove, you could maybe 'celebrate' OJ's death with that of Claus Von Bulow, or Robert Durst, or Robert Blake, etc...
NC State is missing wide open shots that could keep the game close. It's starting to get away from them now. Nice story for this tournament, but no glass slipper on Monday.
I think the temper issue arose because he felt overwhelmed, because he knew that he was in over his head. Juwan was done a disservice by being given the head coaching job. He was ill-prepared to be the head coach of a major, top 15 college basketball program.
Not only did he not have any head coaching experience, his only experience with the college game was as a player 25 years prior to his hiring. Everything about the job was going to be on the job training. I don't know why so many folks (him and Warde included, apparently) thought that this unprecedented hiring would reap benefits. Aside from the weird Covid year, the team underperformed every season.
I think he is a good dude, as well. The circumstances simply got the better of him.
I think that door is wide open now. AD Manuel seeking him out, and Coach May, obviously, being receptive to Coach Beilein's influence creates a scenario where our former coach can be a trusted advisor to our new coach. Who better than the old boss to serve as Consigliere to the new boss?
It's a great point if you're using analytics. However, just like analytics in football, the fatal flaw is that analytics can't account for momentum of a game and psychology of players/teams. If you use more than half of your allotment before half of the game is over, you feel as if you're at a deficit. Then, you become either tentative or more reckless.
Utah St was playing well. They let a couple of Edey plays cause them to panic. They started rushing shots, taking bad ones, and now this game has gotten away from them. I think I just heard Rod Moore call 'game'.
Yeah, the Buffs never did stop Kolek from going left. He was good down the stretch.
Smart would have been a great hire too... if he would have been available. He's in a good spot, and building good teams while basically being at home. I doubt he ever leaves Marquette, especially if he wins big.
I don't think it's fair to question May's coaching ability by looking at his first 3 years at FAU. You called those years 'average'. But, average for who? Surely not FAU. It's important to understand where he started with FAU. From where he started, I'd say his first 3 years at FAU are impressive.
It's not like he had a lot to sell recruits at FAU. It's apparent the May can coach. The only real question is can he succeed at a school with higher expectations, and much stiffer competition.
It was Marquette who almost blew the game. They had a solid lead for virtually the entire game, but a few bad shots and a couple defensive lapses on some 3 pointers let the Buffaloes back in it. The game shouldn't have come down to the final minute. Marquette hit a couple of big shots late. They definitely 'won' it.
No hand-wringing over this hire from me. I don't think that I had a problem with any candidate on some of the reported lists. I'm just pleased to have a coach who has coaching experience in the college game, and a few years of head coaching already under his belt.
May has built a team, and he's had success with the team that he built. He has a philosophy, and an identity, that he's implemented. He meets the baseline for what we should want in a coach. Having turned around a program and making a Final Four... that's gravy. Go get 'em, Dusty! Go Blue!
Damn right! Give me the 'Bama matchup over the FSU matchup. If we can't beat the best college coach ever (arguably), and a team with loads of individual talent, then we don't deserve to be National Champions. I love the competitive tension of big games, and I'd like them to play more than 2 per year (PSU and OSU). So, if we have to go through 'Bama anyway, let's do it right away. What is there to be afraid of? Our level has come up, and this isn't the 2010's Crimson Tide. 2 SEC schools have been the standard bearers, and we get to change that narrative against one of them. I'm excited as hell! Michigan vs Everybody - BET!
Damn, you just expect to have to guard a college guy 30 feet from the basket with 5 seconds left. I'd let him take that wannabe Steph shot every game. He hit it, though. smh
A Brady Hoke fan here, no doubt! He restored my hope after the RichRod debacle, and I'll forever be thankful for that. Since he's retiring, I'd love to see him as an honorary captain at a game next year.
106-108 Those three pics of Blake's 22 yard touchdown are phenomenal!
157 Mike Barret with the Jumpman pose.
808-811 is another great series of Blakes TD, and 808 is one of the most epic photos that I've ever seen. It should hang on a wall in one of the football facilities.
Yeah, I think that knee injury has been tough to come back from. It may have seriously affected his entire athletic psyche. And, I think they had him playing out of position as an inside backer in a 3-4. Here, he was solid sideline to sideline, and downhill middle linebacker. If he had gone to team that runs a 4-3, he would have acclimated more easily.
He earned his roster spot as a good special-teamer as a rookie. But, even then they slower worked him onto the field as a safety. If I remember correctly, an injury to someone got him some playing time, and just as he did here, he steadily improved to a quality, quality player.
Seriously, not the time or place for that conversation. And, really, Bo and Anderson have been dead for 15+ years. Who is left to punish? What's the purpose of rehashing this? U of M has settled with the victims to the tune of $400m, so why post this now?
5th season in, what is the identity of a Juwan Howard team? What are the coaching and recruiting philosophies?
It's hard to develop that, on the fly, in a HIGHLY pressurized situation. This is his first head coaching job, and whereas most coaches are able to engage the on the job training out of the spotlight, Howard was chosen to do his at a top 15 program. This has been a disservice to him... and a disservice to the program.
This is good work finding the Thamel article, Comrade! The Vast Network needs to compile all necessary information that exposes just how overblown Sign-gate has become. Sign stealing is common place, trade craft, among college programs, and the Big Ten and the media are treating Michigan like the progenitors of a technological advancement that forever threatens competitive balance.
Michigan has been caught breaking a rule that's murkier than swamp water. Let the punishment be commiserate to the perceived crime, if proven, after all thorough investigations are completed.
Well, there's always Fox Sports for Mel. Big Noon already employs Urban "The Shocker" Meyer, may as well hire Mel "The Stroker" Tucker to go along with him.
Fox could rename the pregame show to... Shock and awwwwwe.
Very sad news. I always rooted for him. Be careful out there everyone. I have a beach vacation to the Gulf coming up soon. I'll think of Ryan and be extra diligent.
Congratulations! The married life is the good life!
I'm 24 years in with my wife (who I met at our beloved university), and I read something very early on that still sticks with me. Remember the 3 C's - Communication, Cooperation, and Conflict Resolution.
Always keep the lines of communication open, and communicate what's wanted/needed.
Always cooperate - don't be dogmatic and intransigent.
Learn how to resolve conflict - conflict happens, have rules for how resolve disputes, and how to argue. In the last few years, my wife and I have learned to text each other when arguing. You can get said what needs to be said without any emotional interruptions, and without misreading of body language, etc. That method has really helped when one party has misheard what was being said.
Ah, one of the stories that gave NYC the reputation of being a cold, distant, uncaring city. I'm gonna give this a watch. It seems like a fascinating analysis of how the media and public (mis)perception of New York came to be.
Yeah, even after watching you still don't grasp how it happened. Signs were missed, and then there really weren't signs of her having a serious problem. And, the fact that the title came from one of the kids phone calls is still haunting to me.
I kept HBO for years because of all the great documentaries they air. Most of their library is viewable On Demand. If you want a heavy, but short watch, In The Shadow of the Towers is about the high school students whose school was within sight of the Twin Towers (Stuyvesant High School). It's only about a half hour, but it's real heavy.
If you like getting a little chill down your spine watch Night Stalker on Netflix. They almost caught Ramirez twice before actually getting him.
If you like a little information about what 'makes' a serial killer, then Crazy, Not Insane on HBO is the the ticket. It was one of the more fascinating explorations into the human mind that I've ever seen. It's a little worrisome, too.
I was a Hunter fan, antics and all. And, he probably is a borderline top 20 accomplished player in Michigan history. However, that'll be hard to quantify because most will remember a '21 team that was experienced and deep, not led by Hunter, but led by Livers, Brooks, and Smith. Then, they'll remember the '22 and '23 teams that finished just above .500. And, also remember how he was a good player, but never a dominant player. He put up a few stats, but 2/3 teams he was on were vastly underwhelming.
It'd be hard for me to put him in the top 5 Michigan players in the last decade - Burke, Stauskas, Walton, Mo Wagner, Simpson. The first 2 had several individual accolades. Wagner played BIG when it mattered. Simpson was instrumental in more Michigan wins than any other player. And, Derrick Walton singlehandedly willed a team to a Big Ten Tournament Title, and Sweet 16 spot.
Hunter is at least behind 3 of the Fab 5, several guys from the '80's (Rice, Robinson, Tarpley, Grant), and then quite a few more from contending teams in the 60's and 70's. So, borderline top 20 is about right.
I was shocked to read about the prior cocaine use. She was so young. She did need help. It's a shame that so many other things piled onto her troubles. We all need to do better reaching the youth in our circles.
At some point, society has to address the overriding narrative in these types of incidents - alcohol. The deification of getting inebriated leads to young people, in some senses at their least discerning age, engaging in behavior they would not have if sober. Our boys and girls need to understand that getting drunk and losing total control of your behaviors ofttimes have quite deleterious consequences. Alcohol lowers one's inhibitions, and in an aroused state, it just may make you more sexually aggressive and manipulative. It may also cause you to be less aware of choices you are making to engage in sexual behavior. The culture is the problem. And, until society stops promoting the drinking of alcohol as an enjoyable exercise, instead of the danger that it is, we will continue to see these murky and tragic situations occur.
I don't want to get pedantic about this, but in the title game alone Rice provided 83% of the 3pt scoring, while Higgins was 1/4 from 3 and 3/10 for the game. No one else scored outside the arc.
Check the Illinois game, Rice scored twice as many points as any other Wolverine. Higgins was could not replace Rice's voluminous production... see the next season. Same core, minus Rice and Hughes (6ppg)... out in the 2nd round.
No doubt it was a very talented team. However, Glen Rice averaged 25ppg during the season, and almost 31ppg during the tournament. His hot streak carried the team through the tournament. Contrast that to Kemba Walker who averaged 23.5ppg during their tourney run. If Glen has one subpar game in the '89 tourney, Michigan has no title. Walker scored 16 in one game and 18 in 2 others. (I only use Walker as a comparison because he is the most recent example of one singular player driving a team to victory in the tourney).
I think that lately UCONN hasn't been talked about because they went through a bad stretch where (since their last Title run) they missed out on the tournament 4/5 years, and lost in the first round in consecutive years after that. That's a really rough stretch. Plus, they didn't have a proven coach at the time. When Calhoun was still there, they were consistently talked about and ranked highly. If Hurley can rebuild the consistency that Calhoun had, then they won't be overlooked anymore.
Further, I don't think it's a matter of humility when it comes to Michigan, or the Big Ten, not being able to win the National Title. The Big Ten just simply hasn't had the best team, or gotten on the best run in the tourney. Plus, many teams in the Big Ten don't accumulate talent at the level of some other schools. Outside of Indiana, Michigan, MSU, and OSU which Big Ten schools have the cache to consistently build overly talented rosters? Illinois occasionally. Purdue? A player here or there. Minny, Wisconsin? Iowa? How about the best coaches? Outside of Izzo and Beilein who else from the Big Ten has been mentioned in that class in the last 20 years?
It's just a bad stretch for Big Ten hoops. Some bad luck and some buzz saws have prevented titles. If the Big Ten wasn't getting to the Final Four, then, yes, I'd think there was some systemic problem. But, they get there... frequently! Us, MSU, Wisconsin, Indiana, Illinois all have played in the title game during this stretch. It just has to be the right team, at the right time.
Well, of UCONN's 5 titles, the first 3 were due to the fact that they had a top 3 coach and talent in the game. The 4th title was similar to our 1989 title run... there was a transcendent player who carried them. The team that won tonight was also a good team, with a coach who seems to be really, really good.
Michigan has had only one really good coach (John Beilein), and only during one stretch had top 5 talent (Fab Five, and possibly the Burke title runner-up). I don't think it has ever been a case of the Big Ten teams choking in the Final Four. They have rarely had the better coaches or the better teams and talent.
2013, yes, Trey Burke would have easily been the best player on the court. '14 couldn't beat a non-dominant Kentucky team. As much as love the '17 and '18 teams, UCONN's size and length would have wore them down.
There are reasons Wilt shot so many free throws. There are reasons why Shaq, Moses Malone, LeBron, have shot so many free throws. It's hard to guard guys who are bigger and stronger than you. UCONN has 2 big men to throw it to in the paint. SDSU does not have the size to play in the paint.
It's not fixed or a conspiracy... it's basketball logic.
Recent Comments
LOL quite a different perspective, indeed.
That's an odd analogy. Milam and Bryant were racist killers buoyed and supported by a racist system that encouraged targeting innocent people.
OJ killings were boilerplate domestic violence. And, the acquittals were completely different, as well. An all white jury acquitted racists, while a multiracial jury acquitted an obsessive ex-husband.
Maybe instead of trying to prove that... whatever you're trying to prove, you could maybe 'celebrate' OJ's death with that of Claus Von Bulow, or Robert Durst, or Robert Blake, etc...
NC State is missing wide open shots that could keep the game close. It's starting to get away from them now. Nice story for this tournament, but no glass slipper on Monday.
Ok Bud, just keep moving the bar.
I think the temper issue arose because he felt overwhelmed, because he knew that he was in over his head. Juwan was done a disservice by being given the head coaching job. He was ill-prepared to be the head coach of a major, top 15 college basketball program.
Not only did he not have any head coaching experience, his only experience with the college game was as a player 25 years prior to his hiring. Everything about the job was going to be on the job training. I don't know why so many folks (him and Warde included, apparently) thought that this unprecedented hiring would reap benefits. Aside from the weird Covid year, the team underperformed every season.
I think he is a good dude, as well. The circumstances simply got the better of him.
I think that door is wide open now. AD Manuel seeking him out, and Coach May, obviously, being receptive to Coach Beilein's influence creates a scenario where our former coach can be a trusted advisor to our new coach. Who better than the old boss to serve as Consigliere to the new boss?
LOL Warde is playing Wordle while his detractors are playing hangman.
Good job, AD! Go Blue!
It's a great point if you're using analytics. However, just like analytics in football, the fatal flaw is that analytics can't account for momentum of a game and psychology of players/teams. If you use more than half of your allotment before half of the game is over, you feel as if you're at a deficit. Then, you become either tentative or more reckless.
See Campbell - NFC Championship Game
LOL you're right, I'm talking about Purdue.
Utah St was playing well. They let a couple of Edey plays cause them to panic. They started rushing shots, taking bad ones, and now this game has gotten away from them. I think I just heard Rod Moore call 'game'.
Yeah, the Buffs never did stop Kolek from going left. He was good down the stretch.
Smart would have been a great hire too... if he would have been available. He's in a good spot, and building good teams while basically being at home. I doubt he ever leaves Marquette, especially if he wins big.
I don't think it's fair to question May's coaching ability by looking at his first 3 years at FAU. You called those years 'average'. But, average for who? Surely not FAU. It's important to understand where he started with FAU. From where he started, I'd say his first 3 years at FAU are impressive.
It's not like he had a lot to sell recruits at FAU. It's apparent the May can coach. The only real question is can he succeed at a school with higher expectations, and much stiffer competition.
It was Marquette who almost blew the game. They had a solid lead for virtually the entire game, but a few bad shots and a couple defensive lapses on some 3 pointers let the Buffaloes back in it. The game shouldn't have come down to the final minute. Marquette hit a couple of big shots late. They definitely 'won' it.
No hand-wringing over this hire from me. I don't think that I had a problem with any candidate on some of the reported lists. I'm just pleased to have a coach who has coaching experience in the college game, and a few years of head coaching already under his belt.
May has built a team, and he's had success with the team that he built. He has a philosophy, and an identity, that he's implemented. He meets the baseline for what we should want in a coach. Having turned around a program and making a Final Four... that's gravy. Go get 'em, Dusty! Go Blue!
Damn right! Give me the 'Bama matchup over the FSU matchup. If we can't beat the best college coach ever (arguably), and a team with loads of individual talent, then we don't deserve to be National Champions. I love the competitive tension of big games, and I'd like them to play more than 2 per year (PSU and OSU). So, if we have to go through 'Bama anyway, let's do it right away. What is there to be afraid of? Our level has come up, and this isn't the 2010's Crimson Tide. 2 SEC schools have been the standard bearers, and we get to change that narrative against one of them. I'm excited as hell! Michigan vs Everybody - BET!
Go Blue!
Damn, you just expect to have to guard a college guy 30 feet from the basket with 5 seconds left. I'd let him take that wannabe Steph shot every game. He hit it, though. smh
A Brady Hoke fan here, no doubt! He restored my hope after the RichRod debacle, and I'll forever be thankful for that. Since he's retiring, I'd love to see him as an honorary captain at a game next year.
106-108 Those three pics of Blake's 22 yard touchdown are phenomenal!
157 Mike Barret with the Jumpman pose.
808-811 is another great series of Blakes TD, and 808 is one of the most epic photos that I've ever seen. It should hang on a wall in one of the football facilities.
Yeah, I think that knee injury has been tough to come back from. It may have seriously affected his entire athletic psyche. And, I think they had him playing out of position as an inside backer in a 3-4. Here, he was solid sideline to sideline, and downhill middle linebacker. If he had gone to team that runs a 4-3, he would have acclimated more easily.
He earned his roster spot as a good special-teamer as a rookie. But, even then they slower worked him onto the field as a safety. If I remember correctly, an injury to someone got him some playing time, and just as he did here, he steadily improved to a quality, quality player.
Haha, Michigan still abusing OSU - Metellus forced another fumble from Fields!!!
Seriously, not the time or place for that conversation. And, really, Bo and Anderson have been dead for 15+ years. Who is left to punish? What's the purpose of rehashing this? U of M has settled with the victims to the tune of $400m, so why post this now?
I was logging in to post this exact video. This is a touching gesture. It's really The Michigan Difference.
5th season in, what is the identity of a Juwan Howard team? What are the coaching and recruiting philosophies?
It's hard to develop that, on the fly, in a HIGHLY pressurized situation. This is his first head coaching job, and whereas most coaches are able to engage the on the job training out of the spotlight, Howard was chosen to do his at a top 15 program. This has been a disservice to him... and a disservice to the program.
Tip off is now 6:30 ESPNU
Well, wait until the law firm of Grant, Graham, and Jenkins crashes his pocket all day tomorrow, he'll really be limping then.
Uhh, thank you, Coach... I think.
This is good work finding the Thamel article, Comrade! The Vast Network needs to compile all necessary information that exposes just how overblown Sign-gate has become. Sign stealing is common place, trade craft, among college programs, and the Big Ten and the media are treating Michigan like the progenitors of a technological advancement that forever threatens competitive balance.
Michigan has been caught breaking a rule that's murkier than swamp water. Let the punishment be commiserate to the perceived crime, if proven, after all thorough investigations are completed.
Well, there's always Fox Sports for Mel. Big Noon already employs Urban "The Shocker" Meyer, may as well hire Mel "The Stroker" Tucker to go along with him.
Fox could rename the pregame show to... Shock and awwwwwe.
Very sad news. I always rooted for him. Be careful out there everyone. I have a beach vacation to the Gulf coming up soon. I'll think of Ryan and be extra diligent.
Congratulations! The married life is the good life!
I'm 24 years in with my wife (who I met at our beloved university), and I read something very early on that still sticks with me. Remember the 3 C's - Communication, Cooperation, and Conflict Resolution.
Always keep the lines of communication open, and communicate what's wanted/needed.
Always cooperate - don't be dogmatic and intransigent.
Learn how to resolve conflict - conflict happens, have rules for how resolve disputes, and how to argue. In the last few years, my wife and I have learned to text each other when arguing. You can get said what needs to be said without any emotional interruptions, and without misreading of body language, etc. That method has really helped when one party has misheard what was being said.
Congrats again!
Ah, one of the stories that gave NYC the reputation of being a cold, distant, uncaring city. I'm gonna give this a watch. It seems like a fascinating analysis of how the media and public (mis)perception of New York came to be.
Yeah, even after watching you still don't grasp how it happened. Signs were missed, and then there really weren't signs of her having a serious problem. And, the fact that the title came from one of the kids phone calls is still haunting to me.
I kept HBO for years because of all the great documentaries they air. Most of their library is viewable On Demand. If you want a heavy, but short watch, In The Shadow of the Towers is about the high school students whose school was within sight of the Twin Towers (Stuyvesant High School). It's only about a half hour, but it's real heavy.
Wow, was that a tough, sad watch! It was about 10 years ago, and yes indeed it sticks with you. I may watch it again.
If you like getting a little chill down your spine watch Night Stalker on Netflix. They almost caught Ramirez twice before actually getting him.
If you like a little information about what 'makes' a serial killer, then Crazy, Not Insane on HBO is the the ticket. It was one of the more fascinating explorations into the human mind that I've ever seen. It's a little worrisome, too.
I was a Hunter fan, antics and all. And, he probably is a borderline top 20 accomplished player in Michigan history. However, that'll be hard to quantify because most will remember a '21 team that was experienced and deep, not led by Hunter, but led by Livers, Brooks, and Smith. Then, they'll remember the '22 and '23 teams that finished just above .500. And, also remember how he was a good player, but never a dominant player. He put up a few stats, but 2/3 teams he was on were vastly underwhelming.
It'd be hard for me to put him in the top 5 Michigan players in the last decade - Burke, Stauskas, Walton, Mo Wagner, Simpson. The first 2 had several individual accolades. Wagner played BIG when it mattered. Simpson was instrumental in more Michigan wins than any other player. And, Derrick Walton singlehandedly willed a team to a Big Ten Tournament Title, and Sweet 16 spot.
Hunter is at least behind 3 of the Fab 5, several guys from the '80's (Rice, Robinson, Tarpley, Grant), and then quite a few more from contending teams in the 60's and 70's. So, borderline top 20 is about right.
I was shocked to read about the prior cocaine use. She was so young. She did need help. It's a shame that so many other things piled onto her troubles. We all need to do better reaching the youth in our circles.
Dragon, I'm not advocating for Prohibition, I'm advocating for de-emphasizing the alcohol based party lifestyle.
Denard, I would proffer that all involved were intoxicated. Futher, the voyeurism culture needs to be addressed, also.
At some point, society has to address the overriding narrative in these types of incidents - alcohol. The deification of getting inebriated leads to young people, in some senses at their least discerning age, engaging in behavior they would not have if sober. Our boys and girls need to understand that getting drunk and losing total control of your behaviors ofttimes have quite deleterious consequences. Alcohol lowers one's inhibitions, and in an aroused state, it just may make you more sexually aggressive and manipulative. It may also cause you to be less aware of choices you are making to engage in sexual behavior. The culture is the problem. And, until society stops promoting the drinking of alcohol as an enjoyable exercise, instead of the danger that it is, we will continue to see these murky and tragic situations occur.
I don't want to get pedantic about this, but in the title game alone Rice provided 83% of the 3pt scoring, while Higgins was 1/4 from 3 and 3/10 for the game. No one else scored outside the arc.
Check the Illinois game, Rice scored twice as many points as any other Wolverine. Higgins was could not replace Rice's voluminous production... see the next season. Same core, minus Rice and Hughes (6ppg)... out in the 2nd round.
No doubt it was a very talented team. However, Glen Rice averaged 25ppg during the season, and almost 31ppg during the tournament. His hot streak carried the team through the tournament. Contrast that to Kemba Walker who averaged 23.5ppg during their tourney run. If Glen has one subpar game in the '89 tourney, Michigan has no title. Walker scored 16 in one game and 18 in 2 others. (I only use Walker as a comparison because he is the most recent example of one singular player driving a team to victory in the tourney).
I think that lately UCONN hasn't been talked about because they went through a bad stretch where (since their last Title run) they missed out on the tournament 4/5 years, and lost in the first round in consecutive years after that. That's a really rough stretch. Plus, they didn't have a proven coach at the time. When Calhoun was still there, they were consistently talked about and ranked highly. If Hurley can rebuild the consistency that Calhoun had, then they won't be overlooked anymore.
Further, I don't think it's a matter of humility when it comes to Michigan, or the Big Ten, not being able to win the National Title. The Big Ten just simply hasn't had the best team, or gotten on the best run in the tourney. Plus, many teams in the Big Ten don't accumulate talent at the level of some other schools. Outside of Indiana, Michigan, MSU, and OSU which Big Ten schools have the cache to consistently build overly talented rosters? Illinois occasionally. Purdue? A player here or there. Minny, Wisconsin? Iowa? How about the best coaches? Outside of Izzo and Beilein who else from the Big Ten has been mentioned in that class in the last 20 years?
It's just a bad stretch for Big Ten hoops. Some bad luck and some buzz saws have prevented titles. If the Big Ten wasn't getting to the Final Four, then, yes, I'd think there was some systemic problem. But, they get there... frequently! Us, MSU, Wisconsin, Indiana, Illinois all have played in the title game during this stretch. It just has to be the right team, at the right time.
Well, of UCONN's 5 titles, the first 3 were due to the fact that they had a top 3 coach and talent in the game. The 4th title was similar to our 1989 title run... there was a transcendent player who carried them. The team that won tonight was also a good team, with a coach who seems to be really, really good.
Michigan has had only one really good coach (John Beilein), and only during one stretch had top 5 talent (Fab Five, and possibly the Burke title runner-up). I don't think it has ever been a case of the Big Ten teams choking in the Final Four. They have rarely had the better coaches or the better teams and talent.
No doubt, I stated earlier how I dislike off the ball fouls. But, they called them both ways. There were some off ball calls against UCONN, as well.
2013, yes, Trey Burke would have easily been the best player on the court. '14 couldn't beat a non-dominant Kentucky team. As much as love the '17 and '18 teams, UCONN's size and length would have wore them down.
There are reasons Wilt shot so many free throws. There are reasons why Shaq, Moses Malone, LeBron, have shot so many free throws. It's hard to guard guys who are bigger and stronger than you. UCONN has 2 big men to throw it to in the paint. SDSU does not have the size to play in the paint.
It's not fixed or a conspiracy... it's basketball logic.
UCONN - 23
…
Free Throws -
UCONN - 23
SDSU - 21
All this being said, the better team is still winning. UCONN is better offensively, has better interior defense, and is deeper.
Hard to win a basketball game when you're shooting in the low to mid 30% range.