NCAAM Final Game

[rulesmaven]

Originally Posted by Camron Rust

For that matter, neither team deserved to win last night...they both stunk it up.

It was not an aesthetically pleasing game. But I don't think Connecticut is getting enough credit for the defense it played. They closed out without fouling incredibly well.

[Judtech]

Originally Posted by rulesmaven

It was not an aesthetically pleasing game. But I don't think Connecticut is getting enough credit for the defense it played. They closed out without fouling incredibly well.

Really? I have the opposite opinion. I thought Butler did a great job playing defense the entire game, with exception to when they went zone. They forced 4 UCONN players to have a seat in the first half with 2 fouls each. They went zone, b/c, they had to do SOMETHING since they weren't making shots.
As for UCONN, I think it was more a case of Butler MISSING good and easy shots more then outstanding defense from UCONN.

[rulesmaven]

Originally Posted by Judtech

As for UCONN, I think it was more a case of Butler MISSING good and easy shots more then outstanding defense from UCONN.

Just don't see it. You don't go from being a 43 percent shooting team to a 16 percent shooting team randomly. The Butler coach said outside the locker room that it was the best close out team they had played all year, and it showed. Connecticut was long and athletic, and Butler had zero room to operate. By the end of the game, they were so spooked by the double digit blocked shots that they were putting up crazy shots even close in to try to avoid them. The game before, Connecticut held Kentucky to 33 percent shooting and their lowest point total of the year. Doesn't seem like a coincidence to me.

I can understand dumping on the game. It wasn't that fun to watch. But not to at least have someone write the story about CT's defense seems weird. Yes, Butler missed a couple of chippies late. (So did CT early.) But that doesn't tell the story.