Next Opponent Southern CT State Ranked #2 in Nation

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

If you guys were laughing about this exhibition game November 4 (a week from Tuesday!) think again. Southern Connecticut is ranked #2 in the preseason division 2 poll. Game on!

http://www.southernctowls.com/news/2014/10/21/MBB_1021143854.aspx

 

[the Blades]

I was looking at their roster the other day since I'm stuck with tickets to the exhibition games
every year as a season ticket holder. Pretty impressive looking on paper with the 2nd to 9th
leading scorers coming back from a team who went 30-3. They also have a little height
(5 guys from 6-6 to 6-10.) compared to alot of these D-2 teams that Uconns played over the
years since the rules were changed away from the Marathon Oil's, etc.

Nothing could be worse than that KO favor to his former CBA coach Tyler Jones with that
Concordia- Chicago team he brought to CT last year, I swear they didn't have a guy over 6-4 on the squad.

This post was edited on 10/25 4:58 PM by the Blades

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

This SCSU team is NOT a joke, they are possibly the second best college team in Connecticut after UConn and have a real chance to win the D-2 championship as does UConn to win the D-1 championship which would make it a sweep for the State of Connecticut if it happens. Back in 1985 Sacred Heart won the D-2 championship with a team that had no starters over 6'5" (Tony Judkins on a good day might have been 6'5 and 1/4" but could jump to the moon). That team was a lot of fun to watch. Dave Bike would recruit the best local guys who were overlooked by division 1 schools due to size issues and the strategy worked with that team. They were guys like Kevin Stevens from Norwalk and Keith Johnson from West Haven and Judkins who was from the Hartford area and they all could play.

I am predicting that SCSU will give UConn a game for a half and then UConn will use superior size and athletes to pull away second half but this could be like a 15 point win. I don't expect this veteran, talented SCSU team to fold and get blown out. It will be a competitive game.

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

Just as an addendum, UConn did beat Southern CT State by 28 in an exhibition last season, and then beat Concordia-Illinois by 60. SCSU will be tougher this year with 9 of the top 10 players back.

 

[Ozzie3178]

We better win by 30 lolol

 

[Dominicfrank]

It shouldn't be close at all......i went to a top d2 basketball school who got blasted everytime we scheduled a top 50 D1 school.

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

My line is UConn -15 and you should all hope for a closer game than that. 30 point wins do not help the team. 30 point losses are actually better. In each of the last national championship season runs, UConn had bad double digit road losses at the end of the regular season. In 2004 it was a 10 point loss at Syracuse when an injured Okafor was hosed by a big white backup stiff center, in 2011 a blowout 20 point loss at St. John's (should have been 30 plus) when Lamb played zero defense, and last year 33 point blowout loss at Louisville when Napier and Boatright failed to show up and had the worst games of their careers. These losses show that historically there needs to be a gut wrenching loss to propel UConn. In an exhibition game that does not count for anything, you have to root for Southern CT to keep it close, cause defensive adjustments and give UConn things they need to work on. Easy wins do not help, that is the bottom line.

 

[Dominicfrank]

I disagree on this one though, no close games against D2 schools help.

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

I purchased my ticket for this game tomorrow. Only $10! And still plenty of good seats left for a tussle between two Connecticut teams that will be competing for division 1 and 2 national championships this year.

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

Tylon Smith of SCSU: SCSU out to "shock some people."

http://www.courant.com/sports/uconn-mens-basketball/hc-uconn-men-scsu-advance-1104-20141103-story.html

 

[Shaggydog84]

I don't follow your logic KSTW (with all due respect). If it were a D1 team, i get it. Would be shocked if any UC fans want a close game...but i can't speak for everyone. And, i can tell you from a coaches perspective, losing in any way to an inferior team is a hard pill...losing by 30? I'm sure your statements are more generally speaking and mine are relative to a D1 team, regardless if they are ranked #2.

When u scrimmage, there are things the coaches focus on, regardless of the score. So, again IMHO, you can get just as much out of a 30 point win as you would a 30 point lose. All in how it's evaluated.

I don't think fans are going to get too high or low based on the outcome of the game. and, you can certainly be right about the under 15 spread. I'm just lovin the fact that they're playin! Wish they were playin in NH instead of Storrs. Enjoy the game!

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

NH Register: UConn in for a fight tonight:

http://www.nhregister.com/sports/20141103/scsu-could-give-uconn-a-fight-in-exhibition-opener-at-gampel