Very Early Pre-Season 2016-17 Team Predictions

[RayIsTheGOAT]

Feel free to make a list or let me know where you disagree.

MVP
Rodney Purvis- He didn't come back for his last year of eligibility to play second fiddle. For this team to do well, he needs to be our best defender, our energizer and best scorer. He's an ambassador for the program, and all these young guys will look up to him to be in control of the team with consistency.

Most Improved
Steve Enoch- It sounds like he's playing very well overseas, and he's got the frame of an NBA player. I've got to believe he takes a huge leap from his freshman year in which he showed flashes and gives us much needed help rebounding and scoring in the low post. Although his performance with Armenia could be fools gold considering the competition. But at this point I don't think we can realistically expect Facey to make a considerable step to the point where he gets significant playing time

Best Defender
Amida- He will come up huge next season, and give us 9 points, 6 boards and 3 blocks a night.

Impact Freshman
Vance Jackson-Alterique will be a huge spark off the bench, but it will be hard for him to wrestle minutes away as a freshman from Jalen and Purv. Vance immediately fills a void, a big who can shoot. For us to do well he will need to be a Sr. Niels Giffey.

Biggest Disappointment
Terry Larrier- I obviously hope I'm wrong, but he's been away from actual gameplay for a while so it might take a while for him to find his footing. He also shot 26% from 3, and 34% overall at VCU, and if Vance can give us a couple treys a night while playing adequate defense, I think Ollie might favor Vance over Terry at that position for the time being.

6th Man
Alterique Gilbert- The Shabazz Napier to Adams' Kemba, in the making?

This team fails if...
Purvis goes back to inconsistency and just doesn't have the makeup to lead this team to the promise land. Brimah's progress is stagnant, and the freshman are still freshman. Adams proves to be more of a 2 guard, while Alterique isn't ready to take the reins at PG yet. We feel the void of D-Ham on the wing.

This team succeeds if...
Purvis drops 16 a night and when the other team goes on a run, Rodney is the one to get the team together and make plays on both ends of the floor. Brimah is again among the best shot blockers in the country, and he and Enoch combine for 13 boards a night. Jalen Adams takes the next step and shows he is ready to take over this team in 2017 with Alterique as his Robin. Everyone else finds a suitable complementary role.

Ultimately,
We will sweep both the AAC regular and post season. Cinci will give us a push, but in the end, we have more talent than them. There will be growing pains and slip-ups, but by conference play and as postseason begins, this team will find their footing.
23-7
6 Seed, Sweet Sixteen.

 

[JMick]

some of the criteria here are beyond unnecessary. "Biggest Disappointment."

Really, you thought that was a good idea?

 

[JimHurley]

MVP
Rodney Purvis- Will have the best year of his career. With Adams and Gilbert being penetrating guards, Purv will get plenty of outside looks. Also, based on his past two GHPA games, he's much more in control and let's the game come to him. I'd expect around 17 PPG.

Most Improved
Rodney Purvis- Yes, Purvis again. Purvis has slightly underachieved in his two years but this year he will show us why we were so excited to get him from NC State. I'd also expect him to finish his layups this year.

Best Defender
Amida Brimah- It was tough not to say Gilbert but I'll go with Brimah. While I don't think he'll average double digits scoring, I do think he will be a force around the rim.

Impact Freshman
Alterique Gilbert- This kid is a stud in the making. He can shoot from outside, take it to the rim, and defend. He will be an instant impact player for us, no doubt.

Biggest Disappointment
Christian Vital- Don't see him doing too much this year. He'll be behind 3 great guards.

6th Man
Terry Larrier- I think the starting 5 will be Adams, Gilbert, Purvis, Facey and Brimah leaving Larrier as the 6th man. I say he comes off the bench and averages 10-12 PPG and also does very well in the fast break.

This team fails if...
Purvis and Brimah aren't ready to lead. It's a very young team who will need these two as mentors.

This team succeeds if...
These freshman are as good as we think they can be.

Ultimately,
Cincy will win the AAC regular season but UConn takes the tournament and locks up our bid. Adams, Gilbert and Purvis will become a great backcourt. Facey will pleasantly surprise us averaging 8 and 8.
22-8
7 seed, Sweet Sixteen

 

[JSM1970]

It will be interesting to see what that 3-4 look like, we know 1-2, 5 with JA, RP, AB.

Without seeing much I like the idea of Vance @ 3 and Facey @ 4 and then spelling with TL, SE, etc. Expect little from Vital and Diarra and expect Durham to RS or be used in limited minutes.

Agree with general 22-8 type record and seed of 6-7, mainly because AAC is viewed so poorly. S16 would be solid and maybe upside to e8 if they have a great shooting game and catch a 2-3 on an off night.

 

[CTBasketball]

What is concerning is that our bench is very young. Getting production from our bench will be an important factor because the only players that can actually go out and get their own basket is Purvis and Adams. Possibly Larrier.

 

[Brochacho]

MVP
Rodney Purvis- No other option, in my opinion. Think he has a Buddy Hield kind of jump this year.Not calling him Buddy Hield, obviously; I just think the leap from Jr. to Sr. Purvis can mirror the improvement seen in Hield from his Jr. to Sr. year.

Most Improved
Rodney Purvis- Going off the first pick, I think Purvis develops from a guy who we could say, "hey, that guy's pretty good" into a "hey, that guy might be an All-American."


Best Defender
Amida Brimah- Going to block a ton of shots and as his absence showed last season having a rim protector is pretty important to our team. Grab a rebound, please.

Impact Freshman
Alterique Gilbert- I think going from a Gibbs/Adams PG rotation to a Adams/Gilbert will be very noticeable.

Biggest Disappointment
Kevin Ollie- He will come to disappoint us once again this season. Since joining the AAC he has a 33-21 record in conference, and in OOC, we are 5-7 against teams that would go on to the NCAA tournament. I expect there to be head scratching losses in conference play again this year, putting UConn firmly on the bubble once again.

6th Man
Alterique Gilbert- Likely to be the most talented player not to start.

This team fails if...
The guys will perform as the guys will perform. Don't think failure will stem from poor play, but rather poor results. Need to do well in Maui. Better beat the piss out of Auburn. While the games are on the road we likely can't afford to lose to Georgetown or Ohio State. Please don't lose to Syracuse, again. Let's beat Houston.

This team succeeds if...
Dominate the AAC.

I think UConn should win the AAC regular season and tournament this year. But this is a green team on the whole; 5 freshman, a transfer, and Enoch/Facey will be asked to take on roles they may not be accustomed to. 16 games are away from home, and Kevin Ollie is 22-20 when not playing at Gampel or XL in the regular season since joining the AAC. So for my predictions:
Dream: 31-3 (15-3) AAC tournament & regular season champions. 1 seed.
More likely: 23-11 (11-7) AAC tournament champion. 10 seed.

 

[InKembaITrust]

I don't understand why almost everyone has Facey starting next season. Don't get me wrong I appreciate his effort on the glass, but I don't think it's realistic to have 2 twigs starting down low for us. Don't be surprised if KO goes with Enoch at the 4. Get a big NBA body down there to muscle the opposing team's biggest guy. Enoch has a great attitude and work ethic so I expect a big leap from last year for him. If he gets his timing down on defensive rotation and boxing-out he's gonna be a pleasant surprise.

Facey would make for a great energy guy off the bench for the front court, along with Mamadou.

 

[huskiesNhoos]

I agree with OP, don't think we need a biggest disappointment in this discussion...

 

[Dogbreath2U]

MVP
Jalen Adams - He needs to be the MVP for this team to have a very good year, so I hope he really steps up.

Most Improved
Jalen Adams- Jalen can be a whole lot better than we saw last year.

Best Defender
Alterique Gilbert- Here's hoping he can be an impact defender on the perimeter right away, but I would love to see Rodney become a real shutdown defender. Amida should be the biggest impact defender IF he can keep his foul totals down.

Impact Freshman
Alterique Gilbert- How ready he is to play solid ball with relatively few mistakes will make a big difference this year. Could be Juwan if healthy.

Biggest Disappointment
Bunky's impact on Iona's recruiting.

6th Man
Alterique Gilbert- 6th man to start the year, but might be starting before long if we can make a smaller lineup work.

This team fails if...
they don't make the tourney.

This team succeeds if...
Sweet Sixteen

Ultimately,
can this team come together and become a real threat for the following year?

Biggest question marks...

Can Amida play smarter and limit his fouls consistently?

Can Terry Larrier contribute at an all-around high level after the first third of the season?

Can at least two freshman (including Alterique) contribute in a significant way?

Can Steve Enoch defend and rebound at a reasonably solid level?

 

[raf46]

Feel free to make a list or let me know where you disagree.

MVP
Rodney Purvis- He didn't come back for his last year of eligibility to play second fiddle. For this team to do well, he needs to be our best defender, our energizer and best scorer. He's an ambassador for the program, and all these young guys will look up to him to be in control of the team with consistency.

Most Improved
Steve Enoch- It sounds like he's playing very well overseas, and he's got the frame of an NBA player. I've got to believe he takes a huge leap from his freshman year in which he showed flashes and gives us much needed help rebounding and scoring in the low post. Although his performance with Armenia could be fools gold considering the competition. But at this point I don't think we can realistically expect Facey to make a considerable step to the point where he gets significant playing time

Best Defender
Amida- He will come up huge next season, and give us 9 points, 6 boards and 3 blocks a night.

Impact Freshman
Vance Jackson-Alterique will be a huge spark off the bench, but it will be hard for him to wrestle minutes away as a freshman from Jalen and Purv. Vance immediately fills a void, a big who can shoot. For us to do well he will need to be a Sr. Niels Giffey.

Biggest Disappointment
Terry Larrier- I obviously hope I'm wrong, but he's been away from actual gameplay for a while so it might take a while for him to find his footing. He also shot 26% from 3, and 34% overall at VCU, and if Vance can give us a couple treys a night while playing adequate defense, I think Ollie might favor Vance over Terry at that position for the time being.

6th Man
Alterique Gilbert- The Shabazz Napier to Adams' Kemba, in the making?

This team fails if...
Purvis goes back to inconsistency and just doesn't have the makeup to lead this team to the promise land. Brimah's progress is stagnant, and the freshman are still freshman. Adams proves to be more of a 2 guard, while Alterique isn't ready to take the reins at PG yet. We feel the void of D-Ham on the wing.

This team succeeds if...
Purvis drops 16 a night and when the other team goes on a run, Rodney is the one to get the team together and make plays on both ends of the floor. Brimah is again among the best shot blockers in the country, and he and Enoch combine for 13 boards a night. Jalen Adams takes the next step and shows he is ready to take over this team in 2017 with Alterique as his Robin. Everyone else finds a suitable complementary role.

Ultimately,
We will sweep both the AAC regular and post season. Cinci will give us a push, but in the end, we have more talent than them. There will be growing pains and slip-ups, but by conference play and as postseason begins, this team will find their footing.
23-7
6 Seed, Sweet Sixteen.

We make the NCAA's. We win number 5 !

 

[PAHusky]

MVP
Jalen Adams - He makes the sophomore leap. Purvis will be fantastic this year but Jalen makes the offense run.

Most Improved
Kentan Facey - I'm not expecting him to be an all-american candidate, but I think having a traditional guard oriented office will give him the opportunity to do what I think he's capable of - rebound at a tremendous level and score on put backs. I think the drive and kick offense centered around jalen/rowdy rodney/alterique gives him more of a traditional four role, rather than the less convential DHam initiated sets we saw the last few years.

Best Defender
Purvis - Have to love the way he relishes the idea of going up against the other team's best guard.

Impact Freshman
Alterique - I really would love to say Juwan here, as I think his skill set would bring a really unique aspect to the team as it stands, but I'm not sure about his injury history. I think Alterique will have some early season struggles a la Adams last year, but I think the one thing he has going for him that Jalen didn't last year was trust in his outside shot, which could open lanes up for him much more easily.

Biggest Disappointment
This message board after the first AAC loss - I'm as guilty as the next guy of drinking the blue kool aid and thinking we're going undefeated in conference play, but the kvetching and ritual seppuku that occurs on the boneyard after the first WTF loss of the year makes it borderline unreadable for a week (ok, for a day really, but the point stands).

6th Man
Terry Larrier - If he doesn't start, Larrier offers a hyper athletic scoring option off the bench like RP did a few years ago. Having a non-guard that comes off the bench putting up buckets against another team's second unit will be fun to watch.

This team fails if...
They don't find an identity by conference play. I don't want to lay the blame solely at the feet of DHam, because he did some great things in a UConn jersey, but it seemed as if KO was hellbent on molding the team around him rather than working on getting him to play within the flow of the team. If we can get back to what I consider the quintessential UConn basketball - junkyard dog guards, intimidating rim protection, lockdown defense - we will be just fine (yes, I realize the obviousness of that observation approaches John Maddenesque idiocy).

This team succeeds if...
Purvis finishes half of his drives. Jalen Adams gets the confidence in his outside shot, thus making his already absurdly effective bombing runs to the rack nigh unstoppable. Brimah and Facey toughen up and focus on nothing but guarding the paint and rebounding. Two of the five freshman step into huge roles. Larrier plays at a Lexus level. Bunky enrolls in a PHD program.

Ultimately,
We win both the regular season and AAC tournament titles, dropping a few complete melon scrathers along the way (but also beating an OOC opponent or two we probably shouldn't - looking at you, Maui tournament). We get screwed on selection sunday and the ritualistic AAC bashing takes on an even greater frenzy. A hungry, hungry Adams and Purvis take us to the elite 8, where it's anyone's shot from there. Pass me some more of that kool aid baby

 

[Kauffmak10]

Feel free to make a list or let me know where you disagree.

MVP
Rodney Purvis- He didn't come back for his last year of eligibility to play second fiddle. For this team to do well, he needs to be our best defender, our energizer and best scorer. He's an ambassador for the program, and all these young guys will look up to him to be in control of the team with consistency.

Most Improved
Steve Enoch- It sounds like he's playing very well overseas, and he's got the frame of an NBA player. I've got to believe he takes a huge leap from his freshman year in which he showed flashes and gives us much needed help rebounding and scoring in the low post. Although his performance with Armenia could be fools gold considering the competition. But at this point I don't think we can realistically expect Facey to make a considerable step to the point where he gets significant playing time

Best Defender
Amida- He will come up huge next season, and give us 9 points, 6 boards and 3 blocks a night.

Impact Freshman
Vance Jackson-Alterique will be a huge spark off the bench, but it will be hard for him to wrestle minutes away as a freshman from Jalen and Purv. Vance immediately fills a void, a big who can shoot. For us to do well he will need to be a Sr. Niels Giffey.

Biggest Disappointment
Terry Larrier- I obviously hope I'm wrong, but he's been away from actual gameplay for a while so it might take a while for him to find his footing. He also shot 26% from 3, and 34% overall at VCU, and if Vance can give us a couple treys a night while playing adequate defense, I think Ollie might favor Vance over Terry at that position for the time being.

6th Man
Alterique Gilbert- The Shabazz Napier to Adams' Kemba, in the making?

This team fails if...
Purvis goes back to inconsistency and just doesn't have the makeup to lead this team to the promise land. Brimah's progress is stagnant, and the freshman are still freshman. Adams proves to be more of a 2 guard, while Alterique isn't ready to take the reins at PG yet. We feel the void of D-Ham on the wing.

This team succeeds if...
Purvis drops 16 a night and when the other team goes on a run, Rodney is the one to get the team together and make plays on both ends of the floor. Brimah is again among the best shot blockers in the country, and he and Enoch combine for 13 boards a night. Jalen Adams takes the next step and shows he is ready to take over this team in 2017 with Alterique as his Robin. Everyone else finds a suitable complementary role.

Ultimately,
We will sweep both the AAC regular and post season. Cinci will give us a push, but in the end, we have more talent than them. There will be growing pains and slip-ups, but by conference play and as postseason begins, this team will find their footing.
23-7
6 Seed, Sweet Sixteen.

I were to ever create a post like this, (and smart money is on that never happening) you nailed exactly how I feel about this team next year.. Don't disagree with any of it..

 

[Tenspro2002]

MVP
Jalen Adams- Purvis's return, loyalty, and ambassadorship for our program are a great story. However, the best and most important player on this team, like it has been now for most of the decade, is our PG. Towards the end of the year, Adams was beginning to take the reins, most notably in telling Hamilton to STFU and pass him the ball for the Hail Mary against Cincy. This guy has the requisite toughness and basketball IQ to lead this team, and his basketball skills (shooting included) should make a big jump from freshman to sophomore year.

Most Improved
Steve Enoch- Going out on a limb a little bit here, but given his potential and youth, there's a lot of room for growth. It would be great if Enoch could develop into a guy poised to take over the starting 5 spot after Brimah's departure, or even push Brimah to the bench this year if he hasn't improved. If the staff can't get more out of Enoch, it's fair to question their ability to coach up big men.


Best Defender
Rodney Purvis- Shot-blocking is not the be-all and end-all. In today's basketball environment, the ability to shut down guard penetration and defend the 3 point line is paramount. Purvis has the toughness and physicality to shut down the 1 through 3 position.

Impact Freshman
Alterique Gilbert- He won't start, but he'll get significant minutes in the '09-Kemba/'11-Bazz role, shifting Adams to the 2 and Purvis to the 3 when we go small (which, given our question marks at the 3/4, will be often). He has great moxie and shiftiness off the dribble and will inject excitement to the lineup.

Biggest Disappointment
Terry Larrier- He's gotten a lot of hype, but his freshman-year numbers at VCU were disconcerting. Purvis was crucified at times his first year here, and Larrier comes in with less of a high school and college pedigree. Given the adjustment period needed on top of that, and I think Larrier will struggle more than he will excel.

6th Man
Alterique Gilbert- See "Impact Freshman"

This team fails if...
The 3/4 spots revert to being a black hole. Of the guys expected to get minutes at the 3/4, we have an incoming transfer (Larrier), a freshman coming off injury (Durham), a freshman coming off a mediocre senior year (Jackson), a freshman with limited offensive game that would clog the lane (Diarra), and a senior who hasn't shown any significant improvement over 3 years (Facey). That's a lot of question marks. If we get nothing out of those positions, our studs (Adams, Gilbert, Purvis) will be that much easier to guard, and our offense will look like our 2015/2016 worst.

This team succeeds if...
We get something out of the aforementioned forwards, Brimah anchors the paint and becomes at least an occasional offensive threat, Purvis plays smart, and Adams becomes the on-court leader we all expect him to be.

Ultimately...
Given our conference situation, our season will be defined by what we do within its first month. If we come out and plow through the non-conference slate, like we did in 2010-11, we'll be in good shape to earn a top seed. If we come out not ready to play, if the freshmen/transfers take longer to adapt, as would be understandable, we could drop 4-5 games by January 1 and be in real trouble. I think under Adams's leadership, we'll romp through the AAC regular season (15-3) and win the AACT. Unfortunately, given poor performance early in the year, that's only good for a 25-8 record and an 8 seed in the NCAAT. We reach the 2nd round and, like this past year, run into a strong #1 seed. We put up a much better fight, but ultimately fall. However, with the core we have returning, and hopefully a strong 2017 incoming class, we're poised for better things in 2018.

 

[Ricker]

Hopes:
Adams and Gilbert breakdown defenses with dribble penetration possession after possession and make good decisions kicking out to Purvis and Jackson for 3's, lobbing high to Brimah, taking it to the rim themselves and finishing, or dumping down low to bigs who finish and one.

A healthy Juwan Durham = Freshman Donyell Marshall with off the ball shot blocking and some in the paint to the foul line offense. His health drastically increases the upside for this team against major competition as a matchup nightmare at the 4.

Purvis, Jackson, and Gilbert make 3's greater than 40%

Brimah stays on the court in the first halves and plays 13 min or so before foul #2. Threat of lobs keeps defenses pinned back for our penetrating guards, and defensively we have rim protection.

Diarra plugs the hole when there is foul trouble and gives us defensive rebounding and attitude. I bet he plays more minutes than people expect primarily due to fouling of other bigs. I think Diarra can play without fouling and can be important when we are really trying to run and pressure.

Expect:
Gilbert to play too quick at times. He says he wants to avoid freshman mistakes but I bet he ends up making plenty, at least early in the season. I'm ok with that.

Good defensive ball pressure from our guards.

I expect all our guards to shoot 75% from the line - including Purvis.

Wildcards for me:
Enoch, Facey, Larrier, and Vital. They all have strengths and capabilities. I expect them each to tease with good play against match ups and styles that suit them. I'd love to see Enoch use his power with out fouling, Facey rebound and make a 15ft jump shot occasionally, Vital help control the ball as a 3rd guard against pressure, and make foul shots, and Larrier is such a wildcard for me I don't know what to project on him.

What I don't want is Injuries.

Season Results:
Maui will determine whether we play the season fighting uphill looking for quality wins or whether we are playing the rest of the season for seeding. By mid conference season we could win Maui, but an early season test with many new players is a real challenge. I'll say 22-8 gets us a 6 seed we win 2 in the ncaa to get to the sweet sixteen, then it will be matchup dependent game by game but we will be able to play with anybody.

 

[James]

I think purvis is going to massively improve, i fully expect him to be our best player. and i'm far for a purvis fan, its just that he was the only one who showed up to play vs kansas. Hamilton and adams wanted nothing to do with the moment.

Gilbert and Jackson are no doubt impact level guys, AG with his blinding first step and jackson with his renowned floor spacing ability, but i wouldn't be surprised if vital has his moments. I agree with the rest of the board larrier is probably not going to live up the hype (calling himself paul george), and i doubt durham sees the floor at all with all the bodies in front of him. he honestly should just redshirt ( probably will).

 

[BFieldHusky]

I have to say I have a different view of Maui then some of you. If UConn get can past their first round opponent in Maui, they probably are looking at 2 games against Top 10 teams. Most people have Oregon and UNC as Top 5, and Wisconsin as Top 10. I think it is a lot to ask of a young team to travel 5,000 miles and win 3 games in 3 days, with 2 of those being against the nation's elite.

If we come back from Maui 2-1, with a win over Chaminade/Ok St/Tennessee and a split against Wisconsin/UNC/Oregon, I will be thrilled.

We still will have games against Syracuse/Ohio St/Georgetown/Auburn. Yes, other than Cuse those other 3 teams may not be elite this year, but wins will help the RPI.

And call me crazy, but I see the American as a 4-5 bid league this year. UConn and Cincy should be solid. I think SMU has a chance to be a Top 30 team this year, and I think Houston is a sleeper team. And watch Tubby with Memphis...they could surprise people.

Avoid a bad loss to start in Maui, win the games you should in the league. We were an 8 seed last year not because of our OOC play. We were an 8 seed because we lost 7 games in the American.

 

[lange10]

I think purvis is going to massively improve, i fully expect him to be our best player. and i'm far for a purvis fan, its just that he was the only one who showed up to play vs kansas. Hamilton and adams wanted nothing to do with the moment.

Gilbert and Jackson are no doubt impact level guys, AG with his blinding first step and jackson with his renowned floor spacing ability, but i wouldn't be surprised if vital has his moments. I agree with the rest of the board larrier is probably not going to live up the hype (calling himself paul george), and i doubt durham sees the floor at all with all the bodies in front of him. he honestly should just redshirt ( probably will).

I don't get this. How are you not a fan of someone who suits up in a UConn uniform? He's a damn good player, give him some support. Jeesh.

 

[James]

I don't get this. How are you not a fan of someone who suits up in a UConn uniform? He's a damn good player, give him some support. Jeesh.

i just said he was going to be the best player on the team. Some players games are not aesthetically pleasing to me i can't help it sorry.

 

[lange10]

i just said he was going to be the best player on the team. Some players games are not aesthetically pleasing to me i can't help it sorry.

Just odd to me that you're in no way alone. Many aren't a fan of his, which is mind blowing to me.

 

[7774]

I don't get this. How are you not a fan of someone who suits up in a UConn uniform? He's a damn good player, give him some support. Jeesh.

I mean, he is extremely frustrating. This scenario happened multiple times last year: Purvis makes a great steal, goes down and misses the transition layup, and our opponent gets the rebound and heads the other way getting a wide open 3 or 2 before we have a chance to set up our half court defense.

I'd be thrilled if he was the exact same player as last year except for eliminating those sequences.

 

[champs99and04]

I love Adams. He strikes me as the most UConn player to come here since Boatright or Napier and he probably has more talent than both of them. That said, I wouldn't be surprised if he disappointed some people next season, especially early. I think he's a year away from being great. You'll get some great games from him next year, but I expect him to still being in that figuring-it-out phase.

I'm in the dark on Purvis, honestly not sure what to expect. He got a lot better last year, but as 7774 says, he's just a frustrating player and I'm not sure if it's realistic for me to expect that to change. That said, I do think he's probably our best player.

Brimah is in that same category. He improved last year, but that improvement was mostly disguised by foul trouble and injuries. If he can stay on the floor he might be our best player, but there is no reason to expect that he will.

Assuming Gilbert is healthy, I see no reason he can't fall into the lineage of other great UConn point guards who come off the bench their first year and consistently give us something. The other freshman, you're guess is as good as mine.

I'd look at Larrier to be about what Purvis or DeAndre Daniels were their second years in college. Not real familiar with his game, though.

Usually I have a pretty good handle on what to expect from a UConn team, but last year was not one of those seasons. I thought we'd be really good and we weren't. This year, I'm lower, mostly because we lost a lot (what, three of our top four scorers?) and because we're still young. I'm inclined to set my tentative bar about where tenspro did - second round, but with high hopes for the following season. It's far from outside the realm of possibility, though, to think we could be very good...it's just impossible to predict how some of these guys will develop.

 

[gtcam]

Biggest Disappointment
Kevin Ollie- He will come to disappoint us once again this season. Since joining the AAC he has a 33-21 record in conference, and in OOC, we are 5-7 against teams that would go on to the NCAA tournament. I expect there to be head scratching losses in conference play again this year, putting UConn firmly on the bubble once again.

For cry'n out loud can we wait for the season to start before knuckleheads start to bash KO
JSMH

 

[navery12]

MVP
Rodney Purvis - Obviously we need someone to step up and take a leadership role on the team, I think Purvis is going to do this, with a lot of help from Jalen as well. But down the stretch, last possession of a game I have a feeling Purvis will be the guy with the ball in his hands

Most Improved
Jalen Adams - Giving Jalen the slight edge of Terry Larrier here. I think Jalen is going to step up and show that he's capable of running the offense effectively. Just a gut feeling but I think he'll also improve his 3 point shooting as well

Best Defender
Amida Brimah - He's going to continue to be the anchor of our defense. I think him and Facey will play a decent amount of minutes together and with another big who can rebound the ball his aggressive block attempts will lead to less OReb for the other team and that should help our defense a lot

Impact Freshman
Vance Jackson - Taking a chance here with this pick but I feel that Vance should get 15 minutes off the bench consistently for most of the season as long as he shows he can knock down his 3's. He'll have an impact all season for this reason, while I think Gilbert will get eased in to his role as a PG. It seems like that's what happened with Jalen last year, and I'd expect the same to happen with Alterique. By midseason he could very well be starting or getting 25-30 min off the bench, but Vance will have an impact from day 1

Biggest Disappointment
Boneyard Readers - when I skip this question because I'm taking a positive outlook on this season

6th Man
Alterique Gilbert - For basically all the reasons I alluded to in the impact freshman explanation. I think he'll be closing games with our 3G lineup by midseason, which to me makes him an extremely useful player to be able to have come off the bench

This team fails if...
We're unable to find any players to step up and take on a leadership role and help all of the younger players adjust quickly, because we're going to need contributions from at least a few of them early on in the season

This team succeeds if...
We have leadership from Purvis and Adams on the offensive side of the ball and Brimah and Facey on the defensive side. Terry Larrier is able to shake off the rust of sitting out a year quickly and grab a firm hold on a starting spot. And the "Top 5" are able to seamlessly integrate themselves into our system and adjust from being the man in HS to complementary pieces this year until their time arrives.

Ultimately,
25-5(15-3)
Regular season and AAC tourney champs
3 seed and a deep run in the tournament

 

[jbreen]

undefeated going into ncaa tourny where we demolish everyone up until our title game vs duke where rodney drills a 3 at the buzzer in ot to win it

 

[80shusky]

MVP
Rodney Purvis. He will be our senior leader this year for a young team. Just as he is an ambassador for the program he will lead this young team. I expect some big scoring from him this season and I believe he will lead us in scoring. His defense of the other teams opposing guards will be formidable and his nurturing of our young players excellent.
Most Improved
Jalen Adams. I fully expect Adams to have a breakout season this year. Assuming Ollie hands him the keys and let's him run the offense like he did so effectively at times last season Jalen becomes a force. He ends up making others around him better, leads the team in assists, shoots better both mid range and from three and ends up being our catalyst all season long. The coaches, Purvis, and Brimah need to let him know he is running the team and let him do it.
Best Defender
Amida Brimah. Assuming Brimah goes uninjured this year he continues his shot blocking prowess and allows Adams, Purvis and the other guards to defend tightly on the perimeter limiting our opponents ability to score on us from deep. I think he actually improves slightly as a rebounder this year and benefits from having Adams feeding him in the post to score some.
Impact Freshman
Mamadou Diarra. Diarra's relentless motor and rebounding make him an Ollie favorite. He ends up being at quality defender at the 4, scores some on offensive rebounds and his activity in the paint means he pushes Facey for starting minutes.
Biggest Disappointment
None. None of these Huskies, coaching staff included, should ever, not ever, be seen as a disappointment to us unless they do something illegal or immoral. Based solely on their play and performance alone there is no reason they should be seen as a disappointment. We might be disappointed with their play in a particular game, if they go 4-17 shooting or turn the ball over 10 times or step out of bounds or make a bad pass, but we should never consider them a disappointment.
6th Man
Alterique Gilbert. Gilbert provides excellent defense and ball handling off the bench and scores some as well. He will be seen as the guard in waiting at UConn after this year. He is a lock down on ball defender during his freshman campaign and does some scoring and distributing to make the offense work while spelling Adams.
This Team Fails If....
The coaching staff doesn't let Adams run the team from the get go. Last year the team seemed to be seeking a leader and the staff was letting Gibbs run the offense when it was obvious that wasn't the best way to use him. And them sometimes they would run the offense through Hamilton and that worked sometimes but seemed disjointed. Give Jalen the team and let him run the offense. Make him the floor general and let him be in control from jump so there is no question who is in charge on the floor.
This Team Succeeds If....
The players gel, Adams runs the show and some of the freshman step up to take a prominent role. Vance knocking down some big threes and doing some rebounding. Diarra providing activity, rebounding and energy in the post. Purvis scoring from all over the floor especially in transition. Gilbert coming off the bench and providing lock down defense, running the offense in Adams' stead and a little scoring. Facey scoring some from the 4 and Enoch getting some run, showing his strength as a rebounder and space eater in the paint and contributing.
Ultimately
The team should actually win the American regular season for a change finally given the rest of the league. We do well in non-conference for the most part and due to strength of schedule end up with a 6 seed or so or possibly better if some things go our way at Maui. A tournament bid and Sweet 16 berth should be doable.