I think you gotta go with the BETTER ATHLETES...
OKLAHOMA in this one....not sure yet though about 5 or 6 yet...
HH
OKLAHOMA in this one....not sure yet though about 5 or 6 yet...
HH
Indiana.
Think back to the start of the tourney. You no doubt had them losing to USC in the 2d round. They got lucky to face #13 Wilmington, and they also got lucky to face the #10 seed Kent State (instead of Pitt or Alabama).
This is a team that could not even beat Iowa in the Big Ten Tourney. The team they faced during the season which most closely resembles Okla is S. Illinois. And S. Illinois beat IU by 12. S. Illinois is a good team, but they are clearly at least one notch below Okla on both ends of the court.
OU plays ferocious D against the 3. Opponents shoot only 29.2% on treys against OU. No way IU will repeat the lights out 3 point shooting that got the win vs. Kent State. Also, OU shoots about 36% on their threes, which IU has difficulty defending.
OU matches up very well vs. Indiana even if Coverdale is 100%. I'm treating this game at -5.5 as a 2 unit play on the assumption Coverdale is healthy. If he is not, I might go up to 2.5 to 3 units on the game. By the way, my gut tells me Coverdale is not going to be able to play. That was a wicked sprain on an already injured ankle. Expect IU to play it coy though and keep saying Coverdale is questionable or a game-time decision or whatever. Bottom line, it seems highly improbable that he will play at full strength and, even if he plays, there is the strong possibility of reinjury.
IU beat Duke, that's a great accomplishment. Typically the team that pulls the major upset in the tourney does not win it all. The one exception was the AZ Cats w/ Bibby, Dickerson, etc. who beat 3 #1s. IU does not have nearly the same kind of talent, particularly without Coverdale. It's a phenomenal season for them to make the final 4, much the same as it was for Kent State to make the elite 8. IU will go home by being beaten as badly or worse than they beat Kent State.
Make mine OU -5.5.
Think back to the start of the tourney. You no doubt had them losing to USC in the 2d round. They got lucky to face #13 Wilmington, and they also got lucky to face the #10 seed Kent State (instead of Pitt or Alabama).
This is a team that could not even beat Iowa in the Big Ten Tourney. The team they faced during the season which most closely resembles Okla is S. Illinois. And S. Illinois beat IU by 12. S. Illinois is a good team, but they are clearly at least one notch below Okla on both ends of the court.
OU plays ferocious D against the 3. Opponents shoot only 29.2% on treys against OU. No way IU will repeat the lights out 3 point shooting that got the win vs. Kent State. Also, OU shoots about 36% on their threes, which IU has difficulty defending.
OU matches up very well vs. Indiana even if Coverdale is 100%. I'm treating this game at -5.5 as a 2 unit play on the assumption Coverdale is healthy. If he is not, I might go up to 2.5 to 3 units on the game. By the way, my gut tells me Coverdale is not going to be able to play. That was a wicked sprain on an already injured ankle. Expect IU to play it coy though and keep saying Coverdale is questionable or a game-time decision or whatever. Bottom line, it seems highly improbable that he will play at full strength and, even if he plays, there is the strong possibility of reinjury.
IU beat Duke, that's a great accomplishment. Typically the team that pulls the major upset in the tourney does not win it all. The one exception was the AZ Cats w/ Bibby, Dickerson, etc. who beat 3 #1s. IU does not have nearly the same kind of talent, particularly without Coverdale. It's a phenomenal season for them to make the final 4, much the same as it was for Kent State to make the elite 8. IU will go home by being beaten as badly or worse than they beat Kent State.
Make mine OU -5.5.
LOCO
Solid write up....
HH
Solid write up....
HH
Guys, coverdale is already playing, he has already said that he will be a go. And I cant believe you said IU was lucky to face Kent instead of Alabama or Pitt. Alabama was flat out pathetic! They barely got by Florida Atlantic, IU dismantled Utah, tore apart UNCW till the end, and beat Duke, before dominating Kent the whole game pretty much. Give them some credit, Im not saying Oklahoma isnt gonna win, but for IU belongs and will give them a run. and by the way USC blows, I took UNCW to the bank and had UNCW in all my pools, USC sucks.
IU also plays super D, they are one of the best defensive teams in the country and this cannot be refuted, Oklahoma is too. IU has tremendous physical guards in Fife/MOye/Cov and big time shot blockers.
Getting beat by Iowa in Big Ten tourney wasnt a bad thing, IU beat them by double digits at Iowa and by 28 or so at home, Iowa has some solid players and brody boyd goes nuts against IU in the big ten tourney, he has the last 2 years now.
IU also plays super D, they are one of the best defensive teams in the country and this cannot be refuted, Oklahoma is too. IU has tremendous physical guards in Fife/MOye/Cov and big time shot blockers.
Getting beat by Iowa in Big Ten tourney wasnt a bad thing, IU beat them by double digits at Iowa and by 28 or so at home, Iowa has some solid players and brody boyd goes nuts against IU in the big ten tourney, he has the last 2 years now.
I'm not saying Indiana is not a good team. They are, they just happened to be overmatched vs. OU.
OU shoots better, defends as well on all FGs and significantly better against the 3 (29.2% against the 3 for OU; 37.9% against the 3 for IU). OU shoots FTs better (77.3% to 71.2%), has a much better turnover margin (+3.5 for OU; .7 for IU), and OU rebounds better (+6.5 for OU, +3.5 for IU).
Only area where IU has a significant edge is shooting 3s (40.4% for IU to 35.95% for OU), but the edge will be neutralized by the strongest part of OUs D.
Even with Coverdale, this game will go badly for IU. Without him, it could get downright ugly.
Still a fantastic year for IU. Mike Davis has done a great job, seems like a classy guy, and will now get his due. But he won't be coaching for the championship on Monday night b/c the Sooners will send him packing.
OU shoots better, defends as well on all FGs and significantly better against the 3 (29.2% against the 3 for OU; 37.9% against the 3 for IU). OU shoots FTs better (77.3% to 71.2%), has a much better turnover margin (+3.5 for OU; .7 for IU), and OU rebounds better (+6.5 for OU, +3.5 for IU).
Only area where IU has a significant edge is shooting 3s (40.4% for IU to 35.95% for OU), but the edge will be neutralized by the strongest part of OUs D.
Even with Coverdale, this game will go badly for IU. Without him, it could get downright ugly.
Still a fantastic year for IU. Mike Davis has done a great job, seems like a classy guy, and will now get his due. But he won't be coaching for the championship on Monday night b/c the Sooners will send him packing.
Good luck man. Haven't completed everything yet but am almost positive I am with you on the Sooners.
Hated to see Ducks go down. /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif Told wife we are back at Casino Magic now. LOL.
Hated to see Ducks go down. /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif Told wife we are back at Casino Magic now. LOL.
