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No foreplay. Just play.
Win The Three Point Line
It is as true today as it was three weeks ago when I wrote it. about the first match up. These are two teams that are very similar. The offense works inside out when it is at its best. But the goal isn't to score inside. That's a bye product. The real goal is to collapse the defense and kick to open shooters at the three point line.
Because of that winning the Big East Championship will require the Bearcats to keep a Tight Heavy Lid on the three point line. No open looks for the Smiths (Chris and Russ) or Kyle Kuric. Louisville isn't a great team defending the three point. Neither is UC for that matter. But Notre Dame didn't have a ton of trouble getting good shots. Not wide open shots but good ones, they just didn't fall. The Bearcats don't need to shoot 45 per cent from three to win. Given how many they take 35 per cent would be considered in the plus column.
Yancy Gates
Yancy has been playing out of his skull in the Garden. In consecutive matchups with Henry Sims and Fabricio Melo Yancy has gone toe to toe with two of the biggest and most physically imposing centers in the league. In those two game Yancy has scored 20.5 points per game and grabbed 7.5 rebounds per game. The only guy he hasn't faced in the tournament like those two is Jack Cooley of the recently departed Fighting Irish.
Now in the championship game he takes a step down in weight class if you will. Gorgui Dieng is a uber athletic 6'11" center who covers a ton of ground defensively and can be a nightmare for most opposing posts. Yancy is not most posts. In the first game UofL had nothing for gates in the post. Yancy took him where he wanted him whenever he wanted him there. If you look up and down Louisville's roster you won't find anyone who is a good matchup for 34. UC didn't fully exploit that fact in the first game. They have to tonight. A Championship is at stake.
50/50 Balls
I hate to be so pedantic about it. But its a must. Random bounces of the ball decide one off games like this one more often than not. UC got back into the Georgetown game by forcing errant ball handling mistakes and beating them to the spot for the ball. That's a must tonight. It championship time. and 50/50 balls are where championships are won.
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What are your keys to the game. Oh and Go Bearcats!