Expectations for this year?

[EricLA]

I'll admit I know far less than many of the posters on here when it comes to the men's team, but as I look at the roster, I'm about as excited for this as I've ever been (not withstanding years where we were preseason top 5 with NC aspirations)...

It seems like we have a great mix of experience, smarts, strength, and skill. But with 2 graduate transfers (Gibbs, Miller) as well as newbies Adams, Enosch, and Larrier, not to mention hopefully 100% healthy Calhoun, it's a team that may well look a lot different and there may be times where the machine looks decidedly un- well oiled as everyone learns to mesh with so many new parts.

This may have been asked/covered already, but what realistic expectations do folks have for the team? It seems preseason most agree we are about the 15-20 range, but honestly, I'd be disappointed if we didn't make the sweet 16, or even go further. I think realistically we are a top 10 team (so I'm thinking elite 8 is very realistic - anything can happen after that) but... only if the GS transfers show leadership and the team is able to learn/mesh well.

It's a long season and I also expect that there will be several games people think we should win easily, but are close calls, and at least a game or 2 where we know we should have won but for whatever reason, it slips away, and hopefully several games where we really thump a solid team. One mark of a really good team is to not only say they learned from it, but to actually go out and not let it happen again.

Time will tell, but as I said, I'm as excited to see this team as any I can remember that wasn't expected to really vie for a NC...

 

[nomar]

You heard it here first, UConn will only have 3 losses all year

http://the-boneyard.com/threads/you...uconn-will-have-only-3-losses-all-year.66471/

 

[JimHurley]

This team is the most talented since I can remember. With starters like DHam, Purv, Sterling, Miller, and Amida this team is loaded. Then players like Facey and Adams coming off the bench. This team is deep and talented. Final Four or bust.

 

[BUConn10]

If this team didnt have the such depth and well rounded talent (on paper), then I wouldnt have homer expectations. But they do, and thus I really think this team is Final Four bound.

 

[uchusky32]

You heard it here first, UConn will only have 3 losses all year

http://the-boneyard.com/threads/you...uconn-will-have-only-3-losses-all-year.66471/

You heard it here first, UConn will only have 3 losses all year

http://the-boneyard.com/threads/you...uconn-will-have-only-3-losses-all-year.66471/

Nomar, you rascal! Don't you pull up old post on me, but Mau is another story!

 

[champs99and04]

March is unpredictable, so I don't think you can condense our expectations for the entire season to how we perform in March.

Obviously, any season that ends with a championship is a great one, but the inverse isn't necessarily true. If we have a really good team that happens to lose in the Sweet Sixteen, I'm not going to consider that season a failure by any means.

 

[Huskybass]

Nets and scissors.

 

[BFieldHusky]

I really think they key to this season is how quickly they can learn to play together. The talent is there for sure. Top 10 team like talent. If they can figure it out early with chemistry and beat some teams in Atlantis and in the non-conference, I think we are a 3 seed and a great chance to get to the Final 4.

 

[UConn990411]

Obviously a deep tourney run is the end goal, but it'd be nice to see them breeze through conference play for a change.

Been awhile since a UConn team's done that.

 

[intlzncster]

If this team struggles out of the gate, this board will collectively sh_t the bed.

 

[uconn34]

National Championship

 

[James]

I'll be disappointed if uconn isn't regular season champs in aac with a strong bid in the ncaas.

 

[johnhuskies95]

FWIW, Larrier isn't eligible this season.

 

[Jaker]

5th NC

 

[The Smart One]

You heard it here first, UConn will only have 3 losses all year

http://the-boneyard.com/threads/you...uconn-will-have-only-3-losses-all-year.66471/

Well ok I was obviously wrong. This year you heard it here first , we will have 15 losses and fail to make the tourney.

 

[AZHuskiePop]

This team has good components .
Successfull BB requires the components to blend as one to produce an entity that exceeds is parts. It's beautiful when that occurs.
That part is yet to be determined.

 

[Tenspro2002]

Great season: Win the AAC regular season and Tournament, 4 losses, 2 seed, Final Four
Disappointing season: 4th in the AAC, lose in AACT quarters or semis, 8 losses, 10 seed, 1st round loss
Expected season: 2nd in AAC, lose in AACT finals, 6 losses, 5 seed, Sweet Sixteen

 

[champs99and04]

Great season: Win the AAC regular season and Tournament, 4 losses, 2 seed, Final Four
Disappointing season: 4th in the AAC, lose in AACT quarters or semis, 8 losses, 10 seed, 1st round loss
Expected season: 2nd in AAC, lose in AACT finals, 6 losses, 5 seed, Sweet Sixteen

With the schedule we play, there's no way in hell 6 losses gets us a 5 seed. We'd be squarely on the two line, IMO.

 

[KingOPancakes]

With the schedule we play, there's no way in hell 6 losses gets us a 5 seed. We'd be squarely on the two line, IMO.

Even if those 6 losses are Michigan, Maryland, Ohio State, Texas, Georgetown, and SMU? We'd be nowhere near a 2 seed.

 

[Tenspro2002]

With the schedule we play, there's no way in hell 6 losses gets us a 5 seed. We'd be squarely on the two line, IMO.

Not in the AAC, dude.

In the Old Big East, sure. But not now.

Recall in 2014 we lost 8 games -- 3 of those were eventual #5 ranked Louisville -- and we ended up a 7 seed.

 

[Phorcys]

Doomed!


Serious question:

Is it possible for a college basketball team to go 0-40 for the season?

I only ask because my company is currently in negotiations with a t-shirt manufacturer in Thailand.

 

[OkaForPrez]

I think we will go through the first third of the season in lazy fashion and will play down to competition, could easily end up on the wrong side of the bracket on paradise island and maybe even get clipped by a mediocre team at home. Somewhere around Mid January, probably on the 9th when Memphis comes to gampel, something is going to happen to piss DHam off, and he's going to morph into angry Dham and the rest is history, one for the thumb.

 

[champs99and04]

Even if those 6 losses are Michigan, Maryland, Ohio State, Texas, Georgetown, and SMU? We'd be nowhere near a 2 seed.

Not in the AAC, dude.

In the Old Big East, sure. But not now.

Recall in 2014 we lost 8 games -- 3 of those were eventual #5 ranked Louisville -- and we ended up a 7 seed.

If our OOC schedule wasn't loaded, I might agree. But the strength of our OOC schedule, coupled with what should be a much improved AAC, should produce a two seed in this hypothetical. Not to mention, college basketball is going to be lacking at the top this year - one and two seeds will likely have more losses than usual.

The preseason tournament should yield at least two games against top 25/50 competition. Then, there is Maryland, Ohio State, Georgetown, and Texas. That right there gets you to six games against top comp (OSU seems like the one question mark). Win three of those, rack up 15 wins in conference play, and win the AAC tournament and you have yourself a 28-6 team with a pretty complete resume.

Say we beat Michigan, Syracuse, Maryland, and Ohio State. That still leaves us with losses to Texas, Georgetown, and, for the sake of argument, Gonzaga. Now say you split with SMU, Cincinnati, and Tulsa. You're at six losses, but you have roughly a dozen quality victories. That's a two seed.

 

[RayIsTheGOAT]

Boy do we take winning championships for granted. Did we forget how difficult it is to win a NC?

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

If this team struggles out of the gate, this board will collectively sh_t the bed.

Just more people to Ignore.