MBB NCAA Final: Louisiana 55, Tennessee 58

[Louisiana84]

That was bad of course, but I go back to 1982 game in the ncaa tournament and Dale Ellis scored 23 against the Cajuns.

I'll never forget that game. We didn't have a prayer. It was like they threw a blanket over Graylin Warner.

[Swamp]

4 Tenn (23-10) vs 13 LA (26-7)

As per espn this morn:

TENN: Lost to lower seed in last 4 NCAA Tournaments
TENN: 2nd-best defensive efficiency in D-1
TENN: BPI chance to win national title: Tennessee 13%

CAJUNS: Last NCAA Tournament win was in 1992
CAJUNS: Jordan Brown: 19.0 PPG, 10.8 RPG in last 10 games
CAJUNS: BPI chance to reach Round of 32: Louisiana 5%

Let's Geaux.

[ZoomZoom]

If and when they double team Brown and Brown passes it back out to the wide open guards they have to be money on those 3 point shots for us to have a chance. We have to make our FT’s as well.

And that’s a big IF on the double team. Tennessee has two bigs that are good, one slows JB down enough could work for them.

Shock the world.

[RaginDave]

And that’s a big IF on the double team. Tennessee has two bigs that are good, one slows JB down enough could work for them.

Shock the world.

I know we have faced very few teams with the ability to single team JB and maybe Tennessee can. What we saw over the SBC tournament is that one of the only teams in the belt with that ability (you may have thought) was USA, but even Kevin Samuel could not do it. USA decided to attempt to double and sometimes triple team JB. I think UT will attempt in the beginning to play man to man on him without sending a double, but if he starts scoring down low then they will make a switch. This is where the Cajuns have to get scoring from Greg Williams, Jalen Dalcourt, Kentrell Garnett, Themus Fulks, Michael Thomas and others from the outside. If they double him because he is scoring we have to hit our outside shots, if we don't it will be a long night.

The other question is the health of GW, I know he got stepped on in the conference finals, if he is healthy we are in good shape if not it could be tough. We have a very small margin for error in this game. I think we can win, but we have to play very well, the other key is going to be FT shooting. If JB gets to the line he has to shoot close to 75%, we can not have a 2-11 game from him from the line. No one in the SBC goes to the line more than JB, when he is hitting them even at 65% we have a chance, but if he is shooting 35% it's going to be a long night.

Geaux Cajuns!!!!

[UL_Cajuns]

Correct and timing is an issue too. He has to move the ball quickly when he realizes the doubles. He was slow on that early on.

Yes. Timing was an issue. Guards would be wide open for a 3 and Jordan would not pass it back. Then Guards would be wide open and still not take the 3 wide open. The announcers couldn't believe it. They would pass it back to Brown. I am sure they are practicing this and should expect it. Then if we start nailing 3's they may back off Brown.

[ZoomZoom]

I know we have faced very few teams with the ability to single team JB and maybe Tennessee can. What we saw over the SBC tournament is that one of the only teams in the belt with that ability (you may have thought) was USA, but even Kevin Samuel could not do it. USA decided to attempt to double and sometimes triple team JB. I think UT will attempt in the beginning to play man to man on him without sending a double, but if he starts scoring down low then they will make a switch. This is where the Cajuns have to get scoring from Greg Williams, Jalen Dalcourt, Kentrell Garnett, Themus Fulks, Michael Thomas and others from the outside. If they double him because he is scoring we have to hit our outside shots, if we don't it will be a long night.

The other question is the health of GW, I know he got stepped on in the conference finals, if he is healthy we are in good shape if not it could be tough. We have a very small margin for error in this game. I think we can win, but we have to play very well, the other key is going to be FT shooting. If JB gets to the line he has to shoot close to 75%, we can not have a 2-11 game from him from the line. No one in the SBC goes to the line more than JB, when he is hitting them even at 65% we have a chance, but if he is shooting 35% it's going to be a long night.

Geaux Cajuns!!!!

I’d bet the farm UL will see a 1-3-1 zone at some point. Briefly struggled with that in the tournament until the corner 3s started falling.

100% agree, JB can’t have a meh night from the line.

My biggest concern though is the pattern P5s have in the NCAA’s in first round games. They go right at the best player and foul trouble follows. JB usually has a pretty clean slate, so he has the smarts, it just depends how hard Tennessee comes at him.

UL has a good team IQ. They’ll find a way.

Geaux Cajuns.

[CajunFun]

8:30 is not terrible

Remember, Louisiana is the only Louisiana team in the tournament.

I'll take 8:30.

[JayWalker]

The statistic that jumps out at me about Tennessee is they force turnovers on 24% of the opponent's possessions. That's an amazing stat to me.

In addition to the aforementioned, which I agree with, you can add a low turnover total to the list.

I'm stereotyping here, but it seems that every time a team seeded 12 or lower pulls an upset, it's because they shot the **** out of it from the perimeter. We have shooters. They have to shoot a really good pct.

[fanof71]

Can't have a bunch of empty posessions...have to make it or get to the line. Unforced errors will kill UL no matter what they shoot...Faulks will have to have a game like he had vs South Alabama, if that happens and JB gets his, we're on to the next round...

[CajunNation]

....I'm stereotyping here, but it seems that every time a team seeded 12 or lower pulls an upset, it's because they shot the **** out of it from the perimeter. We have shooters. They have to shoot a really good pct.

I have been screaming this for decades. Mid majors make runs because they have guys that are unconscious shooters first and foremost.

[JamesTheJeweler]

I’d bet the farm UL will see a 1-3-1 zone at some point. Briefly struggled with that in the tournament until the corner 3s started falling.

100% agree, JB can’t have a meh night from the line.

My biggest concern though is the pattern P5s have in the NCAA’s in first round games. They go right at the best player and foul trouble follows. JB usually has a pretty clean slate, so he has the smarts, it just depends how hard Tennessee comes at him.

UL has a good team IQ. They’ll find a way.

Geaux Cajuns.

This is something I was thinking as well, Zoom. Richard's may have to have a big game as well in his time on the floor. But I think Terence Lewis may be the X factor in this game.

[Boomer]

Remember, Louisiana is the only Louisiana team in the tournament.

I'll take 8:30.

…..So why do I worry that there is a Louisiana team (lsu ladies)…..Bet they get preference in the Lafayette DA……so why ever get the Laf paper!