The FINAL FOUR

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Sports Argument Stadium > The FINAL FOUR

kiimo: Jul 24, 2003

Welcome to the Blue Blood Thread

https://www.reddit.com/r/CollegeBasketball/comments/ttnc9z/gif_war_meet_the_blue_bloods/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3

quote:

For the second time in the Self era, KU will play Villanova in the NCAA Tournament F4. It didn't end well the first time in 2018 as Villanova's athletes and five out/NBA style exploited a more traditional KU roster construction with center Udoka Azubuike struggling to cover the perimeter. Unfortunately for us, Villanova problematically plays the same five out/NBA style of basketball against a similarly structured KU roster centered around McCormack at the 5. As you'll recognize below, this has the potential to be an absolute matchup nightmare once again.

Villanova is one of the best offensive teams in the country and quite possibly the best offensive team KU has played all season (9th in adjusted offensive efficiency). Their efficiency is largely a product of their shot profile (they shoot threes on 46.1% of their field goal attempts, 20th in the NCAA), not turning the ball over (29th in turnover rate), and the highest team FT% in NCAA history (83%). They are likely the most analytically inclined program in the NCAA and like most/all NBA teams these days they look to get layups/get to the line or kick out to 3PT shooters every possession. Under Jay Wright (arguably top 5 coach in all of NCAA/NBA basketball), they are an incredibly disciplined and well coached team who value the ball, space the floor and take high efficiency shots at all times. Regardless of their personnel, with this style, they are incredibly difficult for any team to defend. They also purposely play the game at a snail's pace (345th tempo in the country) to limit their opponents' transition opportunities. As noted previously with Miami, limiting transition is especially important against a team in KU whose major strength is exactly that.

Villanova is also at their best when they are playing five switchable guards/wing types. The loss of Justin Moore makes that a bit more difficult for them, but Moore was Villanova's least efficient offensive player among their top 6 rotation players. No shots for him may simply mean more shots for more efficient players like Collin Gillespie (one of the best players in college basketball who shoots 41% from three) or Caleb Daniels (38% from three). Villanova also plays a 6'8 big (Eric Dixon) for much of the game who is the best shooter on the team (shooting 52% from three). He hasn't taken many of those shots this year (just 33), but without Moore he may be more inclined to take more. This spacing/three point shooting could be a serious issue for KU with McCormack stuck in the paint on defense. Will Self have to adjust and play Wilson at the 5 to address this during certain portions of the game? He may have to.

In addition to their effective offense, Villanova is also one of the best defensive teams in the country (17th in adjusted defensive efficiency) due to their ability to switch at all five positions. They have no major shot blocker, but they are so cohesive at that end and all five of their players are so adept at guarding one-on-one that they significantly limit any good shot opportunities. And as mentioned, their tempo is so slow that they allow almost no easy transition baskets.

Overall, Villanova is just a very solid, efficient, smart basketball team that poses matchup issues for more traditional lineups. While they may not have quite the talent the 2018 team did, you could not draw up a style more difficult for this particular KU team to deal with. KU will need to play easily their best game of the tournament to win. Better be ready.

Counterpoint: Villanova has five rotational players

Also there may be some other game but nobody cares about that one.

# ? Apr 2, 2022 16:39

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# ? Apr 29, 2024 15:16

Probably Magic: Oct 9, 2012; Looking cute, feeling cute.

The NCAA is rigged so Duke is going to win it all.

# ? Apr 2, 2022 19:40

Crazy Ted: Jul 29, 2003

Hello and gently caress Duke.

I'll hang up and listen.

# ? Apr 2, 2022 22:03

Aaaaaaarrrrrggggg: Oct 4, 2004; ha, ha, ha, og me ekam

gently caress Duke and Coach K and the NCAA for rigging it so that they'll win it all this year.

# ? Apr 2, 2022 22:25

RumbleFish: Dec 20, 2007

Go Heels baby.

# ? Apr 2, 2022 22:52

Doctor Teeth: Sep 12, 2008

villanova will want to start making shots soon

# ? Apr 2, 2022 23:13

Elephanthead: Sep 11, 2008; Toilet Rascal

This is gonna be embarrassing for Villanova

# ? Apr 2, 2022 23:13

Grittybeard: Mar 29, 2010; Bad, very bad!

Gillespie has been loving awful so far.

# ? Apr 2, 2022 23:14

RC and Moon Pie: May 5, 2011

An awesome job by that photographer not to get plowed.

# ? Apr 2, 2022 23:24

de curry GOAT: Oct 23, 2005

This boy Agbaji can�t miss

# ? Apr 2, 2022 23:25

Chieves: Sep 20, 2010

I'm ready to watch Coach K's final game ever. There will not be another one following this.

# ? Apr 2, 2022 23:28

Gunshow Poophole: Sep 14, 2008; OMBUDSMAN
POSTERS LOCAL 42069; Clapping Larry

de curry GOAT posted:

This boy Agbaji can�t miss

it is hard to defend against a team that gives literally everyone the option to casually and repeatedly drain sick 3-pointers

# ? Apr 2, 2022 23:30

Pinwiz11: Jan 26, 2009; I'm becom-, I'm becom-,
I'm becoming
Tana in, Tana in my mind.

Hey.

rcjh

# ? Apr 2, 2022 23:31

Grittybeard: Mar 29, 2010; Bad, very bad!

I do not believe there have factually only been 3 fouls in this game.

Not that it matters because Nova's just awful, but it seems to favor Kansas quite a bit in the theory that this game is ever anything sort of competitive.

# ? Apr 2, 2022 23:36

de curry GOAT: Oct 23, 2005

Villanova should try to stop Kansas from scoring or they might lose this!

# ? Apr 2, 2022 23:38

Probably Magic: Oct 9, 2012; Looking cute, feeling cute.

Grittybeard posted:

I do not believe there have factually only been 3 fouls in this game.

Not that it matters because Nova's just awful, but it seems to favor Kansas quite a bit in the theory that this game is ever anything sort of competitive.

I mean, the refs have been swallowing whistles all tournament, which favors Nova more since they're smaller and have less depth, but... well.

# ? Apr 2, 2022 23:40

chaoslord: Jan 28, 2009; Nature Abhors A Vacuum

de curry GOAT posted:

Villanova should try to stop Kansas from scoring or they might lose this!

I crunched the numbers and this is correct

# ? Apr 2, 2022 23:40

Gunshow Poophole: Sep 14, 2008; OMBUDSMAN
POSTERS LOCAL 42069; Clapping Larry

de curry GOAT posted:

Villanova should try to stop Kansas from scoring or they might lose this!

counterpoint: Villanova should try to score themselves, in order to keep up with Kansas doing so!

# ? Apr 2, 2022 23:44

Grittybeard: Mar 29, 2010; Bad, very bad!

Probably Magic posted:

I mean, the refs have been swallowing whistles all tournament, which favors Nova more since they're smaller and have less depth, but... well.

I wonder if it's a different crew thing because there were definitely a few games where the officials were more aggressive about...like doing their jobs. But yeah most of the most egregious officiating fuckups I remember this year have been guys just swallowing the whistle.

Anyway I was working on the theory that if Kansas's bigs are allowed to maul everyone inside it hurts Villanova but they're not exactly forcing the issue all that often.

# ? Apr 2, 2022 23:48

Probably Magic: Oct 9, 2012; Looking cute, feeling cute.

WHAT THE gently caress IS A CHARGE TO THESE PEOPLE

# ? Apr 2, 2022 23:53

Brolander: Oct 20, 2008; i am but a vessel

cmon villanova! i want to watch a game that's close!

# ? Apr 2, 2022 23:53

Doctor Teeth: Sep 12, 2008

Doctor Teeth posted:

villanova will want to start making shots soon

thank you

# ? Apr 3, 2022 00:29

stump collector: May 28, 2007

im barely able to watch the game right but that dunk before the break shouldve been an and1

stump collector fucked around with this message at 00:41 on Apr 3, 2022

# ? Apr 3, 2022 00:38

french toast: Jul 21, 2001; I EAT 3 CANADIAN CHILDREN EACH DAY!

If Agbaji isn�t going to miss, not even Bill Self can mess this up.

# ? Apr 3, 2022 00:38

stump collector: May 28, 2007

french toast posted:

If Agbaji isn�t going to miss, not even Bill Self can mess this up.

actually bill self can mess anything up

# ? Apr 3, 2022 00:43

OPAONI: Jul 23, 2021

Man I don't want to play Kansas neither.

# ? Apr 3, 2022 00:43

Elephanthead: Sep 11, 2008; Toilet Rascal

stump collector posted:

actually bill self can mess anything up

Especially ncaa investigations

# ? Apr 3, 2022 00:44

Wiltsghost: Mar 27, 2011

hell yeah

# ? Apr 3, 2022 00:53

de curry GOAT: Oct 23, 2005

Oooh that�s tuff

# ? Apr 3, 2022 00:53

RC and Moon Pie: May 5, 2011

The whole game's been a :fork:

for Villanova, but they can't buy a stop when they absolutely need one.

# ? Apr 3, 2022 00:54

french toast: Jul 21, 2001; I EAT 3 CANADIAN CHILDREN EACH DAY!

Not going to get back into it when off balance 30 footers are going in.

# ? Apr 3, 2022 00:55

Grittybeard: Mar 29, 2010; Bad, very bad!

Braun annoys me. Kansas annoys me.

It annoys me that I'm likely going to be the only person in the world rooting for Duke who hates them in a couple of days.

# ? Apr 3, 2022 00:59

Wiltsghost: Mar 27, 2011

Crazy, I wrote this team off after getting completely destroyed by Kentucky. Feels good man.

# ? Apr 3, 2022 01:06

Probably Magic: Oct 9, 2012; Looking cute, feeling cute.

Wiltsghost posted:

Crazy, I wrote this team off after getting completely destroyed by Kentucky. Feels good man.

Same.

# ? Apr 3, 2022 01:07

Elephanthead: Sep 11, 2008; Toilet Rascal

I hate every team left now

# ? Apr 3, 2022 01:12

Doctor Teeth: Sep 12, 2008

*frighteningly blank affect* gently caress duke

# ? Apr 3, 2022 01:36

Bird in a Blender: Nov 17, 2005; It's amazing what they can do with computers these days.

Elephanthead posted:

I hate every team left now

Same

# ? Apr 3, 2022 01:38

Kirios: Jan 26, 2010

I�ve never seen a Final Four thread so dead here. This is dire.

# ? Apr 3, 2022 01:40

TheAlmightyFrog: Oct 7, 2007; squeeeak

I want to watch with the hope that Duke will lose, but I know we live in a hell universe and Duke winning is inevitable, so I really don't want to watch. Watching would also mean cheering for UNC which I also don't want to do. I'd say meteor but New Orleans has been through enough recently to wish for that.

In short, gently caress Duke.

# ? Apr 3, 2022 01:45

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# ? Apr 29, 2024 15:16

Chief McHeath: Apr 23, 2002

Who the hell picked Dukes song lmao

# ? Apr 3, 2022 01:48

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