Pick a surprising stat

[UCLJ0211]

At about the halfway point of the season, and almost halfway through conference play. There are a few team and individual stats that jumped out to me. Some were a little more “surprising” than others and I wouldn’t have necessarily expected them at the start of the season. Which of these jumps out at you? Any other surprising stats I didn’t list?

1. Spencer and Newton lead the team in scoring (I thought Cam would be good but maybe not THIS good. Newton not as much of a surprise.)

2. Newton leads the team in rebounds at 6.5 per game. He is a GUARD and we have a 7’2” guy on our team last time I checked.

3. Diarra is shooting 40% from 3. He has really improved from last year.

4. Karaban is our best FT shooter (min. 20 attempts) at 88.2%.

5. We are 7-1 in the Big East. For as good as we’ve been, it seems like a long time ago since we’ve had this much early season success in conference play.

6. The obvious one- we hit #1 in the country for the first time in about 15 years.

7. UConn has 7 Quad 1 wins this year, tied for top in the country.

8. UConn is still undefeated at home (10-0) on the year (doomed lol)

 

[Edward Sargent]

I think Hassan's 3pt and FT percentages are the most surprising

 

[BrassBonanza]

3. Diarra is shooting 40% from 3. He has really improved from last year.

I love Hass's improvement this season!

 

[Huskybass]

My hot takes.

Spencer is even better than I had hoped.
Newton is still somehow underappreciated.
Clingan impacts the game on both ends of the floor tremendously.
Castle plays like a man already. Hits important free throws.
Karaban can absolutely take over a game. Looking forward to seeing.more of it.
Hassan is an absolute badass. Way to step up.
Love the flashes I've seen from Stewart. So smooth and has great instincts.

 

[jibsey]

At this point last year what were we in the BE?

 

[bendm]

2. Newton leads the team in rebounds at 6.5 per game. He is a GUARD and we have a 7’2” guy on our team last time I checked.

shabazz did it too, maybe twice? it's weird how often a PG leads his team in rebs in college or the nba. seems to happen more often than a SG or SF doing it. maybe this is anecdotal.

 

[ctchamps]

What jumps out for me is that we are #1 and 17-2 at this stage of the season. We've had a favorable BE schedule which is 180 from last season's brutal start of BE games but look what we had coming back. Only two players who averaged more than 15 minutes playing together. Of course last year was just as crazy with the need to integrate lots of new players.

Additionally two of the starters have missed significant playing time.

To top it off we have an offense that's even better to watch than last season. Never would have guessed that. This all happening with Steph and Donovan about only 27.6543% the way from reaching their potential.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

Diarra

 

[Samoo]

What jumps out for me is that we are #1 and 17-2 at this stage of the season. We've had a favorable BE schedule which is 180 from last season's brutal start of BE games but look what we had coming back. Only two players who averaged more than 15 minutes playing together. Of course last year was just as crazy with the need to integrate lots of new players.

Additionally two of the starters have missed significant playing time.

To top it off we have an offense that's even better to watch than last season. Never would have guessed that. This all happening with Steph and Donovan about only 27.6543% the way from reaching their potential.

One reason Dan is such a very good coach is his ability to integrate players together to form a cohesive team. It really showed in last year's team and continues in the present.

 

[microfich]

I'd add Samson Johnson shooting .754 on twos as somewhat surprising. School FG% record is Chuck Alexsinas at .631 which was all twos before the 3pt era back in 1980-81.

Leaders-wise, according to sports-reference.com, in the NCAA the minimum # of makes per game to qualify for FG% is 5 (and playing in 75% of the team's games.) For the 2FG% leader it's just 2.5 makes/game.
Of his 69 twos taken, SJ is currently at 52 makes in his 19 games for an average of 2.7 makes/game.
At this rate he'll climb on top of the Morris Mountain in 2FG% but probably not in full FG%. Wouldn't that be something?

 

[Austin316]

At this point last year what were we in the BE?

I was comparing records last year vs today. Not sure about fine details in terms of Kenpom, NET, or general stats…

This time last year we lost by 3 at Xavier before finishing 9-1 to wrap up regular season.

2023
16-6 (5-6)
Somewhere in the mid-standings
Fell to #19 in AP 1/23
Fell to #24 in AP 1/30

2024
17-2 (7-1)
First place in standings
#1 in AP on 1/22
New poll TBA on 1/29

 

[XLCenterFan]

Wait until we are at 100% and clicking on all cylinders.

 

[XLCenterFan]

At this point last year what were we in the BE?

GREAT POINT...currently ready to run away with it.

 

[WlfdHusky]

Diarra's improvement and Spencer being the player he is are the biggest surprises for me based on that list.

 

[navery12]

At about the halfway point of the season, and almost halfway through conference play. There are a few team and individual stats that jumped out to me. Some were a little more “surprising” than others and I wouldn’t have necessarily expected them at the start of the season. Which of these jumps out at you? Any other surprising stats I didn’t list?

1. Spencer and Newton lead the team in scoring (I thought Cam would be good but maybe not THIS good. Newton not as much of a surprise.)

2. Newton leads the team in rebounds at 6.5 per game. He is a GUARD and we have a 7’2” guy on our team last time I checked.

3. Diarra is shooting 40% from 3. He has really improved from last year.

4. Karaban is our best FT shooter (min. 20 attempts) at 88.2%.

5. We are 7-1 in the Big East. For as good as we’ve been, it seems like a long time ago since we’ve had this much early season success in conference play.

6. The obvious one- we hit #1 in the country for the first time in about 15 years.

7. UConn has 7 Quad 1 wins this year, tied for top in the country.

8. UConn is still undefeated at home (10-0) on the year (doomed lol)

Hassan's 3 point shooting (and really just overall play). The others I either expected to happen (Spencer/top of the Big East) or expected something close (maybe not #1 but definitely top 5). I wasn't even sure Diarra would be in the rotation by midseason

 

[DogBoy]

Diarra

Has played starter good.

 

[87Xfer]

Has played starter good.

He has another year, right?

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

He has another year, right?

Correct

 

[Punkbo]

I’m most surprised by Spencer’s intensity and energy. I knew he’d be a good shooter, but his instincts and attitude are high-level.

 

[Fan1978]

Diarra's improvement and Spencer being the player he is are the biggest surprises for me based on that list.

Spencers defense has surprised me. He was touted as joey c who was marginal defender. Spencer is quite good. While he lacks foot speed he has such great bbiq that he is in the right place more than not for steals, deflections etc.

 

[WeAreUCONN]

Before the season started, I told my brother Cam could fill Hawkins shoes and maybe be even better than Hawkins was last year. So far he has been on an equal level as Hawkins. He’s better with the ball than Hawkins and a better passer. Cam has been amazing.
Not sure if anything surprises me other than Newton leading in rebounding.

 

[WeAreUCONN]

Spencers defense has surprised me. He was touted as joey c who was marginal defender. Spencer is quite good. While he lacks foot speed he has such great bbiq that he is in the right place more than not for steals, deflections etc.

I don’t think Cam is a good defender but I do think he’s good at picking his spots to get steals and rebounds when we need them the most.

 

[Hunt for 7]

Diarra’s improvement and leadership. On his current trajectory I think he starts alongside Ball next year with Nowell coming in off the bench. No knock on Nowell but a true freshman is going to have to be special to outplay a fifth year senior who seems to be getting better. Especially defense and leadership. I kind of look forward to that two headed PG rotation. Ala Bazz and Boat, Bazz and Kemba. I know Hurley loves big guards but he may have to play a bit smaller next year. Stewart is a big three and I think with him, Alex and hopefully a portal big we can put together a top three or four BE season. Continued excellence. Always in the top three and no lower than 4 or 3 seed in the tourney.

 

[Fan1978]

I don’t think Cam is a good defender but I do think he’s good at picking his spots to get steals and rebounds when we need them the most.

That sounds like a good defender?

 

[WeAreUCONN]

No, he consta

That sounds like a good defender?

No, Cam constantly gets beat off the dribble and overpowered down low. I do not think he is a good one on one defender but he does contribute to the overall team defense and more than makes up for his defensive inefficiencies with his offensive capabilities.

Newton is a lot more athletic than Cam and even Newton is not a good defender.