Championship Game

TommyD82

Freshman
Jul 6, 2025
102
63
18
Playing these games in these football dome stadiums is awful. The shooting is awful and there is no flow to the game. Jerry Carino is right and it is not just the fans that suffer.
 

CTF591011

Freshman
Jan 24, 2026
170
71
28
All UCONN need to is keep this 5 or 6 even within 2 minutes. Michigan hasn't even tested like this. I believe UCONN can make scenes and limbs flying.

Even then, UCONN playing better and real basketball than NCAA's new golden boy with SEC football conference.
 

joeyklings

Junior
Jan 27, 2024
369
270
63
I tried telling people that Silas was overrated. He was AWFUL tonight & only scored double figures (11) in one game in the tournament.

2pts, 2assists, 5 fouls. Yuck
 

CTF591011

Freshman
Jan 24, 2026
170
71
28
At least UCONN in 2023 and 2024 beat under seeded teams but they legit were playing great basketball. Arizona the forced golden boy Wildcats were laughable one seed to me.

Honestly "Bought" might be more for NCAA's and Big 10 new golden boys. At least St Johns players don't act like annoying punks unlike this mochcigan team outside Mara.
 

CTF591011

Freshman
Jan 24, 2026
170
71
28
Ughhhhhhh. ......it feels over. Man I gain more respect to UCONN. I hope they never leave the big east. Rivals but rather them than Nova or St Johns. UCONN played better ball. Don't want to be hypciorite cause I praised Michigan cause they play great ball, but so much BS for them bro tonight, but UCONN played great tactical ball.

I hope Hurley gets one or even couple more. I think he is a great coach and great character and don't hate him as much like other players and coaches in sports.
 
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Zeke15

Redshirt
Mar 21, 2026
7
7
3
I tried telling people that Silas was overrated. He was AWFUL tonight & only scored double figures (11) in one game in the tournament.

2pts, 2assists, 5 fouls. Yuck
Silas’s problem tonight was foul trouble, he barely played in 1H. He’s not a superstar, but he does a good job of running the offense for them
 
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CTF591011

Freshman
Jan 24, 2026
170
71
28
If UCONN had one of Castle and Clingan they beat this team. Honestly this team didn't really have great scoring options, though for me they always never relied a lot on pure scoring guards, but Ball and Demary just aren't elite creators.

I hope that Mullins kid stays for UCONN like Karaban did. I think he will be a good four year player and has potential to be better creator than Karaban. Karaban amazing payer as well. He is just not the most talented but amazing IQ, hustle, and uses his strength in shooting wisely.
 

Fishjam

All-Conference
Mar 27, 2016
665
2,331
93
Michigan won the game at the FT line. 25 for 28

I thought the turning point of the game was with 2:00 remaining. UConn had cut the lead down to 6, Tarris Reed makes a steal at midcourt, the ball comes loose, he runs it down under the backboard and passes to Solo Ball who misses a bunny layup. Michigan gets rebound, runs it down and hits a 3.

5 point swing there, down 9 instead of down 4 and gave Michigan a huge momentum boost.
 

dehere23

All-Conference
Feb 28, 2015
1,082
1,083
113
I thought Uconn was going to pull out another crazy W after Solo Ball banked in that 3, followed by the 2 FTs rimming out for Michigan. With all the things that have gone their way during the dance, from getting the Duke PG in a more hobbled state after he was able to gut out the Sweet 16, the Duke end of game turnover, avoiding SJU, Yaxelberg getting injured in the final 4, etc. Gutty effort though.
 

dehere23

All-Conference
Feb 28, 2015
1,082
1,083
113
Michigan won the game at the FT line. 25 for 28

I thought the turning point of the game was with 2:00 remaining. UConn had cut the lead down to 6, Tarris Reed makes a steal at midcourt, the ball comes loose, he runs it down under the backboard and passes to Solo Ball who misses a bunny layup. Michigan gets rebound, runs it down and hits a 3.

5 point swing there, down 9 instead of down 4 and gave Michigan a huge momentum boost.
I said the exact same thing Fishjam to the person I was watching the game with.
 

Fishjam

All-Conference
Mar 27, 2016
665
2,331
93
Also, hard to win when you lose the PG battle as bad as UConn did. Cadeau controlled every aspect of the game while Demary played poorly.

Michigan's length was a big factor as well. Their rim protection was excellent and UConn had a lot of trouble scoring close to the basket. Morez Johnson is a big, athletic old-school PF at 6'9" 250.
 

jack 1970

Sophomore
Feb 12, 2022
257
195
43
Playing these games in these football dome stadiums is awful. The shooting is awful and there is no flow to the game. Jerry Carino is right and it is not just the fans that suffer.
Unfortunatelt,they don't care about fans.They care about $$$ and the more people they can squeeze into a facility he better,
 
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NYShoreGuy

Senior
Jan 7, 2006
1,743
828
113
Unfortunatelt,they don't care about fans.They care about $$$ and the more people they can squeeze into a facility he better,
The NCAA made the entire Indy weekend a festival. Fan fest stuff 3 levels of title games Sunday at Gainbridge. If this was in arena maybe 15000 real fans see the game after all the sponsor giveaways and the nabc ticket allotments.
 
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BrklynGrad

Freshman
Feb 1, 2026
122
78
28
Silas’s problem tonight was foul trouble, he barely played in 1H. He’s not a superstar, but he does a good job of running the offense for them
Michigan was just better. Don't think their players acted like jerks. Seemed to be a lot of respect for UCONN and especially Harris.
Silas is very good but didn't have an impressive tournament. By the way, he is highest paid UCONN player at $1.1 mil. Mullins earns a tad above $800,000. Both reflect last year's market.
 

Seton75

All-Conference
Jun 3, 2001
36,390
2,527
113
UM too big. And very good. Got in Reeds head a bit. Yes, the sequence Fish mentioned was a killer. I am sure we all had a miracle redux in our heads. They really needed a hot hand from 3.

Losing never fun. But heads held high for the Huskies. No quit. Loved the play of Karaban and Mullin late.
 

PirateBlue08

Junior
Jul 25, 2025
379
385
63
The length and defense at the rim for Michigan was tremendous. Never felt UConn had much of a chance to win that game, even with Lendenberg hobbled. Mara 7'3 at the rim was hugely disruptive and took Reed right out of the game. I don't remember seeing a player that long since Hasheem Thabeet, although I'm sure I'm forgetting a bunch.

Yet still, UConn's offense was able to generate enough looks from 3 to keep it within striking distance.

They could have actually won it if they hit more of their open threes in the second half, which they had a bunch of. Mullins alone had a handful where nobody was near him.
 

NYShoreGuy

Senior
Jan 7, 2006
1,743
828
113
UM too big. And very good. Got in Reeds head a bit. Yes, the sequence Fish mentioned was a killer. I am sure we all had a miracle redux in our heads. They really needed a hot hand from 3.

Losing never fun. But heads held high for the Huskies. No quit. Loved the play of Karaban and Mullin late.
Felt while uconn has different offensive sets they run...Last 3 min they were so deliberate in what they ran....wish they had some quick hitters out of horns set
 
May 12, 2009
661
346
63
The length and defense at the rim for Michigan was tremendous. Never felt UConn had much of a chance to win that game, even with Lendenberg hobbled. Mara 7'3 at the rim was hugely disruptive and took Reed right out of the game. I don't remember seeing a player that long since Hasheem Thabeet, although I'm sure I'm forgetting a bunch.

Yet still, UConn's offense was able to generate enough looks from 3 to keep it within striking distance.

They could have actually won it if they hit more of their open threes in the second half, which they had a bunch of. Mullins alone had a handful where nobody was near him.
It is all about having a reliable shooter on your team . That is why I keep saying we need to spend money on a shooter especially since we lost Hynes .
 

TommyD82

Freshman
Jul 6, 2025
102
63
18
They can't do a fan fest outside a more conducive arena for basketball? Maybe it is me but all these final 4 games seem to have horrible shooting mostly both teams and lots of blow out games. And Indy is one of the smaller football arenas. It is worse at these 80K stadiums.
 

TommyD82

Freshman
Jul 6, 2025
102
63
18
Michigan shot 44% from three on Saturday lol
Like I said maybe it is me. They did hit some wide open 3s late after UC missed steals etc. Michigan' was 2-15 from 3 at one point. Maybe it just takes time to get used to shooting in these arenas. The start of these games in these domes are brutal.
 

jack 1970

Sophomore
Feb 12, 2022
257
195
43
Michigan is a beast, whew. Size and skill everywhere. What did they pay for those free agents? Cadeau is tremendous.

UConn played tough. I was hoping they’d steal it.
Michigan is a beast, whew. Size and skill everywhere. What did they pay for those free agents? Cadeau is tremendous.

UConn played tough. I was hoping they’d steal it.

Michigan is a beast, whew. Size and skill everywhere. What did they pay for those free agents? Cadeau is tremendous.

UConn played tough. I was hoping they’d steal it.
$10M.They spent it well.
 

Seton75

All-Conference
Jun 3, 2001
36,390
2,527
113
It is all about having a reliable shooter on your team . That is why I keep saying we need to spend money on a shooter especially since we lost Hynes .
If we started Ball, Karaban and Mullins, I think we would have been happy. But the team that shot 13% from 3 won cause they made more 2s and 1s.
 
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Bud Boomer

All-Conference
Dec 24, 2007
623
1,803
93
The key to beating UConn is taking away their ability to carve you up in the half court. Their half-court execution is next level good, but if you pick them up full court and apply a lot of ball pressure, they don’t have the time and space and run their stuff. This is how seton hall has found so much success against UConn under Shaheen.

Dusty - who is a great coach - clearly watched our game tape.
 

tru2ru1

All-Conference
Feb 5, 2003
5,676
3,345
66
$10M.They spent it well.
Pretty sure that Michigan spent much more then $10 million, Yaxel did an interview with CBS sports & said he turned down $7 million from Kentucky & took $5 million from Michigan, Michigan tried to get Braden Smith from Purdue to enter the portal & offered him $4 million but Purdue matched it , so Michigan went after Cadeau.
Have to believe that Mara & Johnson both cost some serious coin. Think they were in the $15 million range.
 

dehere23

All-Conference
Feb 28, 2015
1,082
1,083
113
The key to beating UConn is taking away their ability to carve you up in the half court. Their half-court execution is next level good, but if you pick them up full court and apply a lot of ball pressure, they don’t have the time and space and run their stuff. This is how seton hall has found so much success against UConn under Shaheen.

Dusty - who is a great coach - clearly watched our game tape.
Yup. The only team in the BE that doesn’t play that way which had real success against them the last few years was Creighton. Which had Kalk for some of those and excellent offensive execution.

We played them tough for reasons you stated and whatever karmatic ju-ju we have with Hurley (half kidding on the last piece).

Pitino has beaten UConn 4 of the last 5 times they played, which is pretty wild when you consider UConn’s success otherwise and in the OOC in particular. But playing that same way defensively at a high level.

Even when MQ beat Uconn this year to kill its BE regular season championship hopes, it was that type of attacking style you expected from Shaka defenses most of the time. At least that’s what I recall from watching part of that game.