The Athletic on a disappointing finish
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Less chaos in the early rounds of the NCAA Tournament, in this age of power teams stockpiling talent, would mean classics galore when the stockpilers faced each other in the later rounds. That’s what they said. OK, that’s what a lot of us said. But this just wasn’t a very good NCAA Tournament. It floundered at the finish. It did not befit the season that led up to it, a season that delivered one of the best freshman classes of all time, new stars, new powerhouse teams, tremendous nonleague matchups, prolific offenses and high fan interest. The best thing the tournament delivered was a spectacular champion. The Michigan Wolverines cranked out a 69-63 win over Connecticut on Monday at Lucas Oil Stadium — the first six-point “blowout” in championship game history. Seriously, even when Alex Karaban attempted a deep triple to cut it to a single point with seconds left … the game never felt as if it were in the balance. The shot never looked like it had a chance. Just as UConn never looked like it had a chance to actually overtake a much better team. Dusty May’s Wolverines finish 37-3 and will be discussed among the best men’s college basketball teams of all time. Just like Dan Hurley’s UConn team of two years ago. So I guess we can start by blaming the Huskies, because their dominance was a big part of both of those Final Fours going 0-for-3 in the search for great games....
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Message Thread | This response ↓
Illinois vs UCONN. Final Four thread - AceFrehley April 4, 2026, 12:01:04
- I’m very upset my scUM winning - WesMantooth Today, 9:06:23
- I need to hear more about the getting out coached thing - Learning_and_Labor Today, 8:55:56
- Hey, I haven't paid any attention since Sat night; anything important happen? * - osklister Today, 8:19:25
- The Athletic on a disappointing finish - Potomac Today, 7:39:10
- Just absurd scUM wins a football natty after cheating, has a mega scandal - WesMantooth Yesterday, 22:34:23
- if this was us right now, we'd blow it..miss all Fts* - Mismysteri Yesterday, 22:16:32
- Uconn gooning it up lol* - Xar Yesterday, 21:40:01
- Mullins 1/7 from 3. 3/13 overall. - AceFrehley Yesterday, 21:38:06
- UCONN got every shot to bounce in. Now they are getting the Illinois treatment* - AceFrehley Yesterday, 21:30:14
- Let's go nobody??!!!* - Mismysteri Yesterday, 19:54:48
- Congratulations to the Orange and Blue, Auburn, former home of Bruce Pearl, on continuing - fratstud Yesterday, 11:53:59
- WNBA: chief me-bounder traded for two first-rounders - Potomac Yesterday, 10:43:58
- Blackwell in the portal. Sure, I could learn to like him on our team* - Potomac Yesterday, 10:11:10
- i have retired from attending final fours.* - arthurkirkland Yesterday, 8:46:23
- there should be a third place game - Xar April 5, 2026, 20:06:15
- Two scenarios for Wagler: 1. Enter the draft, get drafted around 8th, get a few million, live NBA - groupguy April 5, 2026, 20:01:10
- watching The Crown..OK/WVa..gonna have cbb withdrawals soon:)* - Mismysteri April 5, 2026, 17:17:43
- West Va wins The Crown* - Mismysteri April 5, 2026, 18:52:44
- OT baby!* - Mismysteri April 5, 2026, 18:40:54
- I mean they are cranking YMCA, gotta love it* - Mismysteri April 5, 2026, 17:50:54
- Women's FF was two crappy semis and a blowout final* - Potomac April 5, 2026, 17:29:17
- Better off winning THE CROWN than the trash run we had* - fratstud April 5, 2026, 17:22:02
- Wow UCONNs fans are assholes* - Learning_and_Labor April 5, 2026, 11:41:56
- There's got to be a morning after... * - osklister April 5, 2026, 9:08:27
- also, waay back when I said we played better without Bos...seems I could have been correct? And - Mismysteri April 5, 2026, 8:46:48
- very interested to see how we do without Wagler next year* - Mismysteri April 5, 2026, 8:44:00
- great team. great season. - Playoff Rondo April 5, 2026, 0:58:44
- Losing to scum by 20 would have been unbearable - WesMantooth April 4, 2026, 21:59:45
- If Michigan wins tonight and Monday, I win my pool* - Potomac April 4, 2026, 21:57:15
- The coach's kid is going to be in soon.* - AceFrehley April 4, 2026, 21:57:04
- This game is no way to finish the night. This is like UNLV Duke in 90* - AceFrehley April 4, 2026, 21:56:41
- decent chance if Drej starts the game, we don't dig such a hole, imho* - Mismysteri April 4, 2026, 21:48:54
- MI up 11 already..Morez looking good* - Mismysteri April 4, 2026, 20:34:11
- Himey! Glad to see you are alive and kicking. - OskeeWowWowDig April 4, 2026, 20:18:17
- Clearly the weakest of our three FF teams, right? - Potomac April 4, 2026, 20:17:28
- Dear Lord. This Naismith thing is cringe af* - AceFrehley April 4, 2026, 19:46:22
- They hit their miracles. We couldn’t hit our gimmes. That’s it* - AceFrehley April 4, 2026, 19:35:31
- Proud of our guys up to tonight. We fell short. Our offense seemed off the whole night - Learning_and_Labor April 4, 2026, 19:32:20
- Rooting for Arizona I guess - kokomojo April 4, 2026, 19:29:03
- D+ performance from Illini. Continued shit strategy from Undy late - WesMantooth April 4, 2026, 19:28:44
- I am unconvinced UConn is a better team; they deserved the win though* - Potomac April 4, 2026, 19:26:07
- again, what I assumed...still great season and proud..need shooters who can actually shoot* - Mismysteri April 4, 2026, 19:25:31
- Brutal shooting. But at least Mirk made good comedy this week. * - OskeeWowWowDig April 4, 2026, 19:23:31
- oh, man that offensive rebound by them* - Potomac April 4, 2026, 19:17:55
- If we lose, here's the headline: Dismal shooting dooms Illini* - Potomac April 4, 2026, 19:08:19
- At least Brad was focused on "having fun" this week* - Xar April 4, 2026, 18:50:19
- Oh well. Good try* - Learning_and_Labor April 4, 2026, 18:48:22
- They must have changed the rules - kokomojo April 4, 2026, 18:46:26
- so many makeable shots!!!* - Potomac April 4, 2026, 18:44:56
- Are we sure Wagner is a lottery pick? Seems like he has a lot to work on* - DouchieHowser April 4, 2026, 18:39:30
- Refs will not even give us a chance to come back* - DouchieHowser April 4, 2026, 18:38:23
- Game. It's actually amazing they got this far - Xar April 4, 2026, 18:31:51
- Absolutely ridiculous call against Mirk* - DouchieHowser April 4, 2026, 18:27:46
- Smacked in the face. Then a shit call* - AceFrehley April 4, 2026, 18:27:11
- 6 points by Mullins loom large - DouchieHowser April 4, 2026, 18:19:12
- Focus on the fact that we couldn’t hit our open shots. That will improve * - AceFrehley April 4, 2026, 18:14:45
- Sigh...of course UConn gonna make more 3s tonight than they have all tourney. - OskeeWowWowDig April 4, 2026, 18:10:07
- Frustratin half. At least we don’t have to worry about blowing a big league - WesMantooth April 4, 2026, 18:07:04
- well it was fun. took the broken bracket as far as they could* - Playoff Rondo April 4, 2026, 18:02:18
- Tyler's offense couldn't break 30 in a half - Xar April 4, 2026, 17:59:52
- UCONN sucks so bad on offense. Bank is open for them* - DouchieHowser April 4, 2026, 17:59:26
- Offensively we are playing tight. Have to relax* - DouchieHowser April 4, 2026, 17:57:54
- could get ugly* - Mismysteri April 4, 2026, 17:56:15
- Shooting as badly as the crappy women last night* - Potomac April 4, 2026, 17:52:44
- Dismal capitalization* - Potomac April 4, 2026, 17:51:01
- Defense has stabilized w Z in there. He settled down* - DouchieHowser April 4, 2026, 17:49:00
- Too many poorly executed twos too* - Potomac April 4, 2026, 17:48:59
- Just make the good shots and we will win* - AceFrehley April 4, 2026, 17:48:42
- Man good look but he pulled the string. Be more aggressive * - DouchieHowser April 4, 2026, 17:48:05
- Did we make the FF with all these deep threes? No!* - Potomac April 4, 2026, 17:44:51
- Tomi the key to this game. We are blocking out when he’s in - DouchieHowser April 4, 2026, 17:43:36
- my god Boswell* - Xar April 4, 2026, 17:43:08
- He carried it. * - DouchieHowser April 4, 2026, 17:40:06
- 0/5 on 3 but at least only 5 attempts* - Learning_and_Labor April 4, 2026, 17:33:26
- make a freaking 3 for god's sake* - Mismysteri April 4, 2026, 17:32:23
- We are ice cold and only down 6. This is going to turn around. * - AceFrehley April 4, 2026, 17:31:27
- about what I feared..missed 3s..them hitting and getting boards* - Mismysteri April 4, 2026, 17:27:39
- not good. uconn is better. going to have to go nuts from 3 to keep it close* - Playoff Rondo April 4, 2026, 17:25:58
- Big Z is a liability. Can’t believe he fell for shot fake and he can’t block out - DouchieHowser April 4, 2026, 17:25:28
- What a block by Mirk though* - DouchieHowser April 4, 2026, 17:20:09
- Killing us on the boards.* - DouchieHowser April 4, 2026, 17:18:47
- Dorky white shooter from Indiana who didn’t go to Indiana. No way* - AceFrehley April 4, 2026, 17:16:58
- don't like the defensive game plan* - Xar April 4, 2026, 17:16:17
- Davis totally lost on defense* - DouchieHowser April 4, 2026, 17:16:13
- You know we have a massive crowd when the Indiana girl gets booed in Indiana* - AceFrehley April 4, 2026, 17:02:22
- I gotta buddy who is there. He’s a high school basketball coach. Sent me these pics - AceFrehley April 4, 2026, 16:57:36
- LETS EFFFFIIINNNNGGGG GGGGOOOOOOOOOOOO* - Learning_and_Labor April 4, 2026, 16:56:00
- BE NOT AFRAID* - Xar April 4, 2026, 16:53:31
- I’m sick to my stomach. But so happy we are here* - DouchieHowser April 4, 2026, 16:48:01
- I’m ready for some metaphorical gravy here in the Final Four* - Potomac April 4, 2026, 16:40:45
- I’m freaking out now* - Learning_and_Labor April 4, 2026, 15:53:01
- Hold tight everyone. Love one another just a little bit more right now. - osklister April 4, 2026, 15:44:31
- I wish I was as confident. - OskeeWowWowDig April 4, 2026, 14:03:51
- Pass the koolaid - Learning_and_Labor April 4, 2026, 12:23:11
- I locked Illinois into the championship game when Iowa beat Florida and - fratstud April 4, 2026, 12:03:48
- 18! whoa* - Mismysteri April 4, 2026, 12:43:36
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