[calgldnbear]

GO BEARS!!!!!!

It should be a low scoring tough defensive battle .... I have seen USF play and it is BOOOOOOORRRRRINNG!!!!

[dimitrig]

Originally Posted by calgldnbear

GO BEARS!!!!!!

It should be a low scoring tough defensive battle .... I have seen USF play and it is BOOOOOOORRRRRINNG!!!!

If Cal is playing.

[socaltownie]

Originally Posted by calgldnbear

GO BEARS!!!!!!

It should be a low scoring tough defensive battle .... I have seen USF play and it is BOOOOOOORRRRRINNG!!!!

What do they do since you are maybe the only guy on the board who admits to seeing them play

[liverflukes]

Originally Posted by socaltownie

What do they do since you are maybe the only guy on the board who admits to seeing them play

I know a guy who says HE knows a guy who watched them play in the preseason. He says we have a shot but to not put any money on the game.

[OneKeg]

Early money appears to be on USF. Spread is 2.5 now on my service.

Man, a little 3 game win streak right here to make the sweet 16 would work wonders. Very unlikely but not out of the question since Sagarin Predictor rates Cal higher than USF, Temple, and Michigan, believe it or not, and Pomeroy does the same except Michigan is slightly ahead of Cal.

Sagarin Predictor:
California #25 (#31 in composite Sagarin rating)
Michigan #30 (#23 in composite Sagarin rating)
Temple #37 (#36 in composite Sagarin rating)
South Florida #73 (#70 in composite Sagarin rating)

Pomeroy:
Michigan #25
California #28
Temple #36
South Florida #66

That being said, Cal is not playing like a top-30 or even a top-40 team right now. Hopefully we find a spark and Monty pulls some magic.

[KoreAmBear]

Originally Posted by liverflukes

I know a guy who says HE knows a guy who watched them play in the preseason. He says we have a shot but to not put any money on the game.

Sounds like a 5 star play.

[KoreAmBear]

Does Michigan play like Beilein used to do it at West Virginny? 3-4 guys out chucking up treys?

[BGGB2]

Originally Posted by OneKeg

.......
Sagarin Predictor:
California #25 (#31 in composite Sagarin rating)
Michigan #30 (#23 in composite Sagarin rating)
Temple #37 (#36 in composite Sagarin rating)
South Florida #73 (#70 in composite Sagarin rating)

Pomeroy:
Michigan #25
California #28
Temple #36
South Florida #66

That being said, Cal is not playing like a top-30 or even a top-40 team right now. Hopefully we find a spark and Monty pulls some magic.

Exactly. I'd have more faith in Sagarin's or Pomeroy's numbers if the Bears didn't look like they were wheezing to the finish line over the last 6-7 games. I don't blame Monty for doing so, but the heavy minutes for the starters look like they've really taken their toll. Making the NCAA tourney - even if only by the skin of our teeth - was the goal. So it looks like Monty played it just right.

Hopefully the guys can suck it up and win this play-in game, and then I'll be satisfied. The Temple game looks winnable on paper, but with the travel plus probably a bruising game vs. USF, I'm not exactly optimistic.

[alarsuel]

Originally Posted by KoreAmBear

Does Michigan play like Beilein used to do it at West Virginny? 3-4 guys out chucking up treys?

No, they shoot a fair amount of 3's and they do have a few specialists, but most of their stuff is motion and isos for Burke and Hardaway, Jr.

[TheDayTheTreesDied]

this will be an ugly, ugly game but if cal can stay within a couple possessions of USF at worst, they will likely succeed. CMM is a far superior game manager than stan heath

[R90]

Originally Posted by BGGB2

...but the heavy minutes for the starters look like they've really taken their toll.\

I don't think that's the case - we didn't look tired in the Colorado game at Staples. I think teams have learned our weaknesses and are exploiting them.

If they can move the ball well to open players for 3-point shots when we hedge the high screens it hurts us. If they defend Jorge's drive to the glass and don't let Crabbe get open it hurts us. If they get in Smith's face when he's trying to run the offense it really hurts us.

We've been making adjustments, though, and I'm hoping we'll be good to go for Wednesday, Friday and even Sunday.

[burritos]

Is it me or does it always seem like we never win these types of games, not at home, against someone we have never played before, we are favored, basketball and football.

[NYCGOBEARS]

Originally Posted by burritos

Is it me or does it always seem like we never win these types of games, not at home, against someone we have never played before, we are favored, basketball and football.

Unfortunately, my sentiments exactly.

[OneTopOneChickenApple]

What adjustments?

[socaltownie]

Originally Posted by OneTopOneChickenApple

What adjustments?

Monty is trying to have Crabbe penetrate from the top more. I have yet to see us try to make much of an adjustment on the defensive end - and I think that is because there really isn't much we CAN do without SOLO. HE would have been SO helpful in the LA game against the Buffs

Here is another thing teams are doing against us (but it isn't clear that this is a common commodity). They are spreading out AND bringing a big up top to DRIVE. Think Caveman in the Furd game.

More I think about Florida the more I think we are going to zone em or MAYBE, play the Triangle and 2 that Monty used against Oregon. You want to have Jorge and Cobbs have "fun" defending a young back court that has turnover problems. You want to take even more of the air out against a team that has problems scoring.

Right now I would say the key is Jorge and Cobbs. Crabbe is going to get the 6'6" guy THEY use to shut folks down - IF that guy can get through off ball screens. That means Jorge and especially Cobbs HAVE to hit open jumpers and take advantage of perimeter stuff that is given to them.

Looking forward to Wednesday - though I wish it wasn't the play in game!