Next year is huge for this program.

[Rico444]

Come on. This team, arguably, had the talent to make a solid run. But a 9 seed is exactly what a $ hit record in a $ hit conference gets you. You can ignore the conference schedule all you want, but it is a serious factor in how far you can ultimately go in March.

So you'll be upset if we go 11-7 but make a Final Four?

All I said was that our goal should be to be at our best in March. Our teams in the past have proven you can win go far in the tournament even without a great conference record. Of course it's easier if you win the conference, but my biggest expectation for next year is to go far in the tournament.

 

[gtcam]

Kansas doesn't have more size, they have bigs that know how to play. But I do agree with you, I think we'll be great next year as long as KO doesn't manage the team like he did this year. We'll have a mix of great talent and experience with most of the key players. I'd also like to see us play a faster tempo next year, we'll have the depth and playing up-tempo exposes talent difference more.

wrong - they had more size
height is just one measure
it was man body vs boy body

 

[Palatine]

stop being so dire, next year is not the defining season for this program

Since I didn't say that, I agree.

 

[Palatine]

So you'll be upset if we go 11-7 but make a Final Four?

All I said was that our goal should be to be at our best in March. Our teams in the past have proven you can win go far in the tournament even without a great conference record. Of course it's easier if you win the conference, but my biggest expectation for next year is to go far in the tournament.

If we go 11-7 in the AAC we ain't making the final four.

By the way those teams that made runs were higher seeds than #9. If we are a middle of the pack team in the AAC next year, their will be plenty of writers eager to type our obituary. Time to step up especially in this awful conference.

 

[UConnSwag11]

From the days of 17-1, 16-2 in the toughest conference in America to 11-7 and 9-9 are very tough to handle I agree. And as you say, if we want to still play with the big boys and recruit with them consistently we are going to need to start winning 13-17 games in that conference a year eventually.

forgot calhoun is still coaching

 

[Matrim55]

KO can recruit. He can sell the program to top HS players. He can coach in-game, despite all the negativity on this board this season. We'll be alright as a program, it'll just take a few more years.

Great post. Only point upon which I differ is that I think we're already alright as a program, and in a few more years (or, if everything breaks right, by next year) we'll return to true season-long greatness.

 

[Lefty2one]

Great post. Only point upon which I differ is that I think we're already alright as a program, and in a few more years (or, if everything breaks right, by next year) we'll return to true season-long greatness.

True, we are alright. We got past the scariness and uncertainty of 2013 and 2014 with the shirtstorm this program had to deal with.
I guess I meant that we'll be back to having seasons where we're firmly in the Top 25 consistently from start to finish (not teetering between 20th and unranked). We haven't had a great wire-to-wire season since 2009. Now, of course I wouldn't trade in our '11 and '14 titles + regular season mediocrity for seven years of great regular seasons but no titles but it'll be nice to start kicking butt again in the regular season. I think we're a couple of years away from that.

 

[UconnFanNVa]

I'm not so sure we will be much better.
Purvis, dham and AB, I really hope they all improve and if they do we will be pretty good, but I won't believe they are improved until I see it.
Jalen I'm really hoping he takes a big step forward, but that is just hope. He has already proven to have lots of talent, excited to see what being an upperclassmen does for him.
Enoch, let's see what him and faces do too, but again you can't expect huge strides.
And we would be foolish to expect anything from a freshman, we will see what we get when they step in the court.
Larrier, I'm expecting a player that can play defense and is athletic, not expecting anything on offense.

We have as many question marks going into next season as we had going into this season, mainly because we have a lot of the same players.

 

[intlzncster]

I've never said that. Ever.

We have never been in this situation before. Relatively new coach, not JC. Bad finishes in a made up conference two straight years. Two years of mediocre regular season play.

If we want to be elite, we need to step up and next year is critical. We played much worse than our talent this year. That's just a fact. It's huge.

We won the conference tournament this year. Won a game in the NCAA before running into the best team in the tournament. That's not a bad finish at all. By any measure.

Our regular season was lackluster to be sure, but that's what happens when you have to integrate too many new pieces.

 

[JMick]

I think going forward, every year we're in the AAC is huge for this program. We need to keep making the tournament, winning conference titles, etc. Ollie is recruiting great right now but a slide at this point while not in a P5 conference presents its own issues.

 

[tzznandrew]

We're treading on cesspool ground. Let's not cesspool this.

 

[BUHusky]

We're treading on cesspool ground. Let's not cesspool this.

While I agree with that, didn't this year's mojo verdict pretty much Cesspool this entire board...?

 

[tzznandrew]

While I agree with that, didn't this year's mojo verdict pretty much Cesspool this entire board...?

Yeah. Not my favorite, but never actually veered much into a political argument, like I feared it might.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

Just looked it up. UConn needs to make the dance next year and get a high seed because the East Regional will be at MSG again.

1st Four: Dayton
1st & 2nd Round Sites: Buffalo, Greensboro, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Orlando, Tulsa, Sacramento, & Salt Lake City
Regionals: East - NYC (MSG), South - Memphis, Midwest - Kansas City, West - San Jose
Final 4: Phoenix

 

[raf46]

I don't care what our conference record is next year. This team is, and has always been, judged by what we do in March. If we go to the Elite 8 or further next year, it doesn't matter what we did in the regular season.

That being said, I think we've got a chance to be very good. Adams and Hamilton could be the two best players in the conference.

it does matter. being a 9 seed is unacceptable.

 

[Towney007]

As KO said to the press their bigs got what they wanted when they wanted. Our bigs were manhandled as expected. We need to get stronger immediately to be able to compete against these teams, where it comes from who knows.

Is there space for a big man via transfer? It just seems like the one *gaping* hole this team has is beef up front. Love our backcourt situation next year. Just like to see some added beef. Any idea on what's out there?