Open Game Day Thread: (3) Stanford vs. (2) Texas

by awiggo on Mar 28, 2008 4:39 PM CDT in Basketball

#3 Stanford Cardinal (28-7, 13-5) vs. #2 Texas Longhorns (30-6, 13-3)

Friday, March 28, 2008 • 6:27 p.m. CT

Reliant Stadium (44,000) • Houston, TX

Television: CBS (Regional Coverage) Billy Packer and Jim Nantz

Radio: 98.1 FM / 1300 AM (Austin) / Westwood One (Nationally)

I've just arrived in Houston and am about to head down to Reliant. I've already seen lots of burnt orange in my hotel and can't wait to see the stands tonight.

To win, Texas must...:
1) Stay out of foul trouble. Connor Atchley, Gary Johnson, and Damion James must stay on the court tonight. If even one of them gets into early foul trouble and is forced to sit for extended minutes, Texas will be in trouble. Their effort on the defensive glas will be especially important. There is a chance that Alexis Wangmene, Clint Chapman, or Dexter Pittman will factor in the decision, but more likely, Texas will sink and swim with the post defense and rebounding of Atchley, Johnson, and James.

2) Get a strong shooting performance from AJ. If Abrams shoots like he did in Little Rock, Texas will march on. It's that simple.

3) Play multiple defenses well. In our tourney talk earlier this week, PB and I discussed how best to defend the Stanford big men. We quickly came to the conclusion that no one defense is going to work. Expect Barnes to play some man with quick double downs on the Lopez twins, to play some 2-3 zone with the interior packed tightly, and also play some full court pressure defense to increase the tempo and hopefully create some turnovers.

Sweet 16. Houston. Against a slow team. This is what we wanted. Time to prove it on the court.

Hook 'em!

--AW--

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Anyone have a link for Craig Way's broadcast?

Not being offered on Yahoo Sports for some reason. Any help appreciated. I'm not in Texas so can't listen on local radio.

Hookem.

by FroggyBaby on Mar 28, 2008 5:15 PM CDT 0 recs

1300thezone.com won't allow it

But sometimes the San Antonio sports radio website will air UT games. Try woai.com and then select the option on the left, news radio 1200. I'm not sure if that will work, but it's worth a try.

by hornbone on Mar 28, 2008 5:20 PM CDT up 0 recs

Thank you

That's the one I was looking for. Couldn't remember the call letters.

by FroggyBaby on Mar 28, 2008 5:37 PM CDT up 0 recs

Regardless of what happens

if we lose, I don't want to hear any Barnes criticism, because he doesn't deserve it. You know the ignorant bandwagon fans will though, just like they thought we should've done well last year just because we had the best player in the game. I'm sure they'll once again point out that ridiculous stat of Barnes losing to lower seeded teams.

by goingforthecorner on Mar 28, 2008 5:31 PM CDT 0 recs

Packer?

Glad I picked up some more beer.

by FutureMan on Mar 28, 2008 6:08 PM CDT 0 recs

And ...

The Horns would benefit from getting Stanford into foul trouble ... and then we need to make our free throws.

Hook 'Em!

by CyHorn770 on Mar 28, 2008 6:20 PM CDT 0 recs

Love all the Orange in the stands

by pchorn on Mar 28, 2008 6:30 PM CDT 0 recs

Not good

that first basket was so ridiculously easy.

by goingforthecorner on Mar 28, 2008 6:30 PM CDT 0 recs

On TV, it doesn't sound very loud at all

Not even close to UCLA fans in Anaheim.

Ugh... James went with a reverse layup when he could've just dunked it.

by goingforthecorner on Mar 28, 2008 6:31 PM CDT 0 recs

Atch Offensive Rebs -- Need that!

by pchorn on Mar 28, 2008 6:33 PM CDT 0 recs

If Atch is on fire offensively - GREAT!

by pchorn on Mar 28, 2008 6:34 PM CDT 0 recs

Stanford leaving AJ wide open

but he can't make them. Not a good feeling.

Lob to James!

I don't really have a problem with our defense, I like not doubling the twins, even if it means they go off today. I'd rather have huge games from the twins instead of a balanced effort where their guards get involved.

by goingforthecorner on Mar 28, 2008 6:35 PM CDT 0 recs

I agree as long as ...

The twins don't start becoming automatic every time down the court or we start picking up quick fouls.

by CyHorn770 on Mar 28, 2008 6:38 PM CDT up 0 recs

Wow

Stanford is slow ... big advantage for us.

Atchley has got to avoid picking up a second foul early!

by CyHorn770 on Mar 28, 2008 6:36 PM CDT 0 recs

Actually, don't know what to think.

But if we can keep shooting and out-quicking them, this will work for a while. And if AJ starts hitting, it's curtains.

by whills on Mar 28, 2008 6:37 PM CDT 0 recs

Man ...

If Dex could jump he would get a lot of powerful, in your face dunks.

by CyHorn770 on Mar 28, 2008 6:40 PM CDT 0 recs

Dex is in.

RB is finding out what else works or can work.

Dex has to take on the the Damion persona when he gets a rebound in traffic.

by whills on Mar 28, 2008 6:41 PM CDT 0 recs

3 seconds on taj finger?

yeah i live in houston
and yeah i could be watching the game at a bar
but shoot
i have 60 inch tv and a fridge full of beer
and i'm yelling at every chance we get
god i hate watching this on cbs
no analysis
every stop in play is a commercial
ugh
i want stats!

by abcdmetrius on Mar 28, 2008 6:41 PM CDT 0 recs

and no shot clock :(

by afaeguy on Mar 28, 2008 6:44 PM CDT up 0 recs

Rebounds and pace

will be important. We're staying with them on the boards and...so far...limiting second chanced. I hope we don't do ourselves in by too quick a pace, but I'm not sure Stanford has the stamina for us.

by pchorn on Mar 28, 2008 6:41 PM CDT 0 recs

God...

I hate packer

by SaintBevo on Mar 28, 2008 6:45 PM CDT 0 recs

Ditto - slobbering over Stanford

by pchorn on Mar 28, 2008 6:46 PM CDT up 0 recs

Good work by AJ to get his shot. nt

by whills on Mar 28, 2008 6:45 PM CDT 0 recs

we can run them out of the gym

as long as we stay out of foul trouble

by abcdmetrius on Mar 28, 2008 6:46 PM CDT 0 recs

I think so...

Finger looked really winded as they went to time out

by pchorn on Mar 28, 2008 6:47 PM CDT up 0 recs

here come commercials

by abcdmetrius on Mar 28, 2008 6:47 PM CDT 0 recs

How many extra possessions

are we going to give to them?

by goingforthecorner on Mar 28, 2008 6:47 PM CDT 0 recs

I am hating the East Coast

The online feed is playing like slideshow at my house. Ugh!

So take that.

by Kahuna on Mar 28, 2008 6:47 PM CDT 0 recs

I'm there too

by SaintBevo on Mar 28, 2008 6:48 PM CDT up 0 recs

Second that

ugh...

by Texas Wahoo on Mar 28, 2008 6:49 PM CDT up 0 recs

All these damn commercials are slowing our game.

Jeez, I hate interrupting the flow.

by whills on Mar 28, 2008 6:48 PM CDT 0 recs

It's annoying for sure

by anonyMoose on Mar 28, 2008 6:49 PM CDT up 0 recs

Rebounds

We are giving up way to many when playing D. Stanford will start finding their range/game if they keep getting multiple sets each time down.

by CyHorn770 on Mar 28, 2008 6:48 PM CDT 0 recs

Agree. Their deflections have been lucrative. nt

by whills on Mar 28, 2008 6:49 PM CDT up 0 recs

both teams

seem to be dragging. not a lot of energy in the stadium (at least from a tv standpoint)

by owenh on Mar 28, 2008 6:48 PM CDT 0 recs

We need to start rebounding

They can't drop it in the ocean right now, but the rebounding is keeping it close.

by SaintBevo on Mar 28, 2008 6:49 PM CDT 0 recs

We're 0-5 from three

Not good, but they are shooting just 21% from the field over all. We are undefeated when we hold a team to under 40%

by goingforthecorner on Mar 28, 2008 6:49 PM CDT 0 recs

Not any more!

by pchorn on Mar 28, 2008 6:51 PM CDT up 0 recs

DJ just got one.

And Robin just got a foul. More, more, more.

by whills on Mar 28, 2008 6:51 PM CDT up 0 recs

Wangmene, Pittman already with PT

Will Johnson play at all today? Won't be surprised. While he's a good inside scorer, it would be hard to score inside today with his size disadvantage on either Lopez guy.

by goingforthecorner on Mar 28, 2008 6:51 PM CDT 0 recs