Yahoo!: The Dagger's Preseason Top 25 (UCONN at 9)

[CGarr]

Nothing great here but thought I'd post it. Definitely the highest I've seen UCONN ranked in any preseason poll.

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/ncaab...-case-and-worst-case-scenarios-172911761.html

--------------------
9. UCONN
Last year's record: 32-8, 12-6
Key returners: G Ryan Boatright, C Amida Brimah, G Omar Calhoun, G Terrence Samuel, F Philip Nolan, F Kentan Facey
Notable newcomers: G Rodney Purvis, G Daniel Hamilton, G Sam Cassell Jr. F Rakim Lubin
Best-case scenario: It seems unfathomable UConn's backcourt could be as good as last year's without Shabazz Napier, but the Huskies don't drop off at all. Boatright has a Napier-like season now that he's the focal point, scoring or distributing off the dribble, sinking timely jumpers, playing sticky on-ball defense and providing senior leadership. Hamilton and the NC State transfer Purvis live up to their reputation as former top 20 recruits at wing. Calhoun reemerges as the game changer many expected him to be a year ago in the role of first guard off the bench, Cassell, a top 10 junior college recruit, contributes immediately and Samuel builds on his strong finish to last season as well. Though neither Brimah nor Nolan provide much frontcourt offense, UConn doesn't require it. All the Huskies need is for Brimah to block shots and protect the rim and for Nolan to play sound defense and attack the glass, which both do. The result is a UConn team that is much better than last year's pre-postseason. The Huskies hold their own against a strong preseason schedule, hit their stride in league play and roll into the NCAA tournament as a No. 2 seed. From there, it's like last March all over again — only everyone knows better than to sleep on UConn this time. By the time the Huskies edge Kentucky in the national title game for a second straight year, plans are being made in Storrs to erect a statue of Kevin Ollie and the ACC and Big Ten are in a bidding war to add UConn.
Worst-case scenario: Without Napier, UConn's backcourt isn't close to as formidable as last year's. Boatright isn't Napier no matter how hard he tries. He jacks up too many contested shots trying to fill his former teammate's shoes, and most of them miss. Purvis, whom Ollie referred to last season as "a Ferrari sitting in the garage that I can't drive," turns out to be more Honda Accord than Testarossa. Hamilton and Cassell are slow to adjust to Division I ball, Calhoun continues last year's disappearing act and Samuel's strong finish last year turns out to be fool's gold. Though Brimah and Nolan defend and rebound as expected, having two non-scoring threats on the floor hurts UConn's offense and puts more pressure on the struggling backcourt. The Huskies flounder against a preseason schedule featuring six NCAA tournament teams from last year, cede the American Athletic Conference title to SMU and sneak into the NCAA tournament as an underachieving No. 10 seed. From there, it's nothing like last March. UConn exits in round one, Ollie never gets his statue and the Big Ten and ACC openly laugh at the Huskies' desperate pleas for membership. Says Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany snidely, "They're in the 30th biggest TV market in the country and their football team lost to Temple this season by four touchdowns? Get real."

 

[UConn17]

I love the best case scenario so much. Funny, but pretty good analysis overall

 

[Husky25]

I could make due with that best case scenario, but what about Nnamdi Amilo and Pat Lenehan walking up hill both ways in the snow to Farmington after practice to find a cure for cancer?

What about Diaco leading the Football team to 6 straight wins and bowl eligibility?

How about if the above doesn't come to pass, just mention that Husky25 lost 90 lbs. to get back below 200? How about that?

 

[bear]

From there, it's like last March all over again — only everyone knows better than to sleep on UConn this time. By the time the Huskies edge Kentucky in the national title game for a second straight year, plans are being made in Storrs to erect a statue of Kevin Ollie and the ACC and Big Ten are in a bidding war to add UConn.

Cuse's forum would collapse into itself like a dying star.

 

[ctchamps]

Man CGarr! Nothing great here? Are you kidding me. I dreamt that best case scenario since Hamilton changed his mind about going to UCLA. I was going to start a thread Dare to Dream with that scenario. You saved me a lot of time. And this thread is precious. One of my favorites. Glad you posted it!

And I"ll smoke a cigar if it comes true in your honor! No 26 mile bets from me. I know better than JJ.

 

[uchuskies14]

Should have probably added which scenario he thinks is more likely and why. That's analytical journalism 101 right there

 

[Leebo]

Should have probably added which scenario he thinks is more likely and why. That's analytical journalism 101 right there

Seeing as they are both "best case" and "worst case" it's kind of implied that they are unlikely outliers.

 

[UConNick]

I love the sound of that best case scenario hahahaha!!!! The season can't start soon enough! 11 days to First Night!!!!

 

[Kitaman]

Anyone want to take a stab and merge the two into a middle case scenerio?

 

[CallMeBruce]

Anyone want to take a stab and merge the two into a middle case scenerio?

Probably about #9 in the country.

 

[huskyniner]

Reading that best case scenario gave me a semi

 

[nomar]

Seeing as they are both "best case" and "worst case" it's kind of implied that they are unlikely outliers.

Certainly. But while I'm as big a fan of sarcasm as anyone, a "probable outcome" would have been nice...I get that the #9 ranking indicates they're thinking more good than bad, but some specific predictions would be cool. But that was clever at least.

 

[KingOPancakes]

Anyone want to take a stab and merge the two into a middle case scenerio?

The guards struggle to carve out well defined roles to begin the season and KO has trouble finding a combination that works well. Purvis comes out of the gate as the star most UCONN fans hope he is and expect him to be, but it takes most of the season for Hamilton to acclimate to D1 college ball. That leaves a lot of minutes for Omar who, while he's better than last year, only really gets back to how he played freshman year. Brimah is the exact same player he was last year and a more muscular nolan is able to be more physical on the boards. Facey and Lubin play exactly as well as you'd expect an inexperienced sophomore and a raw freshman to play. They spend most of the season contributing while learning how to defend without fouling. The guards take a month or so to iron out the kinks, and unfortunately they lose to Duke and a few others. Once conference play begins, they've figured everything out and the chemistry on this team is sky high. The rest of the AAC is in trouble. They're able to beat Florida, but go on a mini slump in February @SMU and @Memphis. It's over from there, as they roll through the rest of conference play and the conference tourney being held in Hartford is a joke. Nobody else stands a chance. They enter the tourney as a 4 seed and end up meeting Louisville in the elite 8 on their way to their 5th national championship.

I tried to be as objective as possible, but I can't bring myself to end it any other way.

 

[Jay-Bone]

I really like the premise of this article. Why try to pinpoint it? Those most likely to hit their best case scenario, rise to the top of this ranking, but otherwise it's so wide open. And Uconn fans, due to recent history, should most appreciate the non-predictability that is college basketball. '11 & '14 rose to their best case scenario that most didn't think had any chance of happening. We've stolen the days of a top five team always winning it all. This article gives hope to that, and it is possible.

Also, he seemed to do more research than the usual, mentioning the likes of Samuel and Cassell and whatnot. The most glaring thing I thought he missed was not mentioning in the worst case scenario that our front court might be prone to foul trouble, lack of depth, and inexperience. But based on some new potentially huge key pieces that are still relatively unknown (Purvis, Hamilton, Cassell, Lubin and essentially Facey), there is a big high side here that allows us to pop in the top 10 opposed to the 14-16 range we see in other polls that attempt to pinpoint. Now if he had us at 25, then I wouldn't like the article.

 

[intlzncster]

Anyone want to take a stab and merge the two into a middle case scenerio?

Absolutely. We kind of suck during the regular season, then put together a couple of good games in the AAC tourney (but don't win it), and then run the table becoming your 2015 NCAA Champions. Just like last year.

 

[James]

This UNC hype is pretty laughable.

 

[Bryan Lord]

Best case: we win it all
Worst case: we win it all and KO goes pro

 

[CallMeBruce]

I'm not going to start worrying about KO going anywhere until, at the very least, his daughter graduates from high school. He's made it pretty clear he doesn't want to leave CT while his kids are in school.

 

[huskies20]

Did anyone else almost have an O reading that best case scenario?

 

[intlzncster]

Best case: we win it all
Worst case: we win it all and KO goes pro

I wouldn't sign up for that in a million years. While I'd love to win one, I'd much prefer Ollie at the helm for the next 10-20 years.

 

[intlzncster]

Did anyone else almost have an O reading that best case scenario?

That's a little agressive. I was closer to @huskyniner .

 

[huskies20]

That's a little agressive. I was closer to @huskyniner .

Hence the "almost".

 

[David 76]

I think 9 is much more reasonable than previous polls listed us.