No. 4 Connecticut Vs. No. 13 San Diego

On Friday, March 21, the #4 seed University of Connecticut Huskies will face the #13 San Diego Toreros in round 1 of the 2008 NCAA Men's basketball tournament. The game is set for a 12:30PM EST start time, or 30 minutes after the game prior to theirs ends. It offers one of the better teams of the second half of the NCAA season with a Hall of Fame coach, against a balanced West Coast college team with a new coach.

The Huskies were considered one of the best college basketball teams for much of the second half of the 2007-08 NCAA season and have a 21-6 record. However they had recent poor play and lost games to Big East Conference foes like Providence, Villanova and then West Virginia in the regional tournament. It is unknown whether the Huskies will be bringing the same intensity they had during their impressive 10 game winning streak this season. Connecticut definitely has the advantage when it comes to height and athleticism. 7'3" Center Hasheem Thabeet will be manning the middle and is well known for intimidating opposing players and sending their shots into the stands. However, Thabeet has been a liability at times on offense and has become prone to foul trouble, which could be trouble for the Huskies as the game goes on. Both teams lack tournament experience, and UCONN has just 2 players who have "danced" before (Jeff Adrien, Craig Austrie).

The matchup to watch should be the point guard duel between Connecticut's AJ Price and San Diego's Brandon Johnson. The Toreros will look to their leading scorer, Johnson who is averaging 16.9 points a game. UCONN Guard AJ Price has been having an amazing season, is lead scorer with about 15 points a game, and was recently named the NCAA basketball All-American team. The guard who runs the show best and scores more, will most likely give their team the win. Also San Diego will rely on Gyno Pomare, who's adding 13.7 points a game and hauling down over 7 rebounds. Adrien, Robinson and Thabeet will also give the Huskies a big inside presence. The Huskies also outmatch San Diego in terms of depth as coach Jim Calhoun interchanges players regularly. San Diego's coach is in their first year, but studied under a great coach, Bill Self. Expect the Huskies to wear down their opponents, as Calhoun plays a strategic chess match with his bench.

The Huskies are the favored #4 seed, but since the matchup is in the West region, #13 San Diego really has the home court advantage. Also of note, San Diego went 2-1 against Gonzaga this past season, while Gonzaga defeated UCONN. Despite this, expect UCONN's athletic team, fast-pace offense and suffocating defense to help them win the game. It will come down to shooting consistency, point guard play, and Thabeet's ability to stay out of foul trouble. If the Huskies play inconsistent offense, it could leave the window open for San Diego to steal victory. However, UCONN has won plenty of close games and buzzer beaters this season, as well as a recent blowout against the Cincinnati Bearcats. On paper this matchup definitely plays out in favor of the Huskies. If they play consistently, expect Connecticut to defeat San Diego in the opening round by double digits, 80-65.

References & Sources Cited:

A Look at UCONN's Opponent: San Diego, by Mike Anthony, Courant.com

West Matchup: No. 4 UConn vs. No. 13 San Diego, by Bill Doherty, Sporting News