12 hardest teams to gauge this season - UConn is one

[HuskyHawk]

Badly written, poorly researched and featuring a conclusion with no basis in fact. What a winner this is.

I don't think anyone who has any actual knowledge of the team would conclude that the roster we have going into this season is worse than the roster we had three games into last season. And that roster was deeply handicapped by a lack of depth in the back-court, a problem this team does not have at all. We have depth at every position.

 

[CL82]

We weren't really that undersized in 2011 (mostly thanks to Lamb and Okwandu), but this is clearly where the rosters differ. We don't have the 5* experienced center, who may be underwhelming on offense but still anchors the paint and rebounds. Or the borderline 5* freshman PF who at least protects the rim. Or the senior backup big who commits a lot of fouls, but, again, at least protects the rim.

Actually, Onuorah might be that last one at least.

Yeah I thought about that comment when I wrote it, and stand by it. I think the better argument against it is Oriaki, who ended up being very effective, but still was undersized. Lamb was 6-4 165 when he verballed to UConn and not all that much bigger when he got here, so undersized is fair. Okwandu averaged 2.8 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in 15.4 minutes per game. I think he is a good analogy to Onuorah, who is only 6'9" averaged 5.0 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.6 blocks and had an overall FG percentage of .505 his junior season (played only one game senior year.)

 

[Stainmaster]

I'm not sure any of the front court are as good as freshman Amida or freshman Kentan. Are they closer to Nolan, to Sellers, to Adrien, to Jake? Who knows. But a front court with a Nolan ceiling will limit any backcourt no matter how good they can play. The loss of Steve and Juwan were critical losses.

Everyone save for Onuorah has a better offer list than freshman Brimah. As for freshman Kentan, I don't recall him contributing at all except for a blowout win against USF in the middle of winter where he popped a 3.

 

[auror]

Yeah I thought about that comment when I wrote it, and stand by it. I think the better argument against it is Oriaki, who ended up being very effective, but still was undersized. Lamb was 6-4 165 when he verballed to UConn and not all that much bigger when he got here, so undersized is fair. Okwandu averaged 2.8 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in 15.4 minutes per game. I think he is a good analogy to Onuorah, who is only 6'9" averaged 5.0 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.6 blocks and had an overall FG percentage of .505 his junior season (played only one game senior year.)

All true, but you're overestimating other teams' size. We were 35th tallest out of 345 in effective height for the year. Oriakhi also has good length (7'3" wing span), so it's hard to consider him undersized at wingspan and 240 lbs. Hopefully Cobb is a clone on the defensive end.

 

[CL82]

All true, but you're overestimating other teams' size. We were 35/345 in effective height for the year. Oriakhi also has good length (7'3" wing span), so it's hard to consider him undersized at wingspan and 240 lbs. Hopefully Cobb is a clone on the defensive end.

Oriaki was 6'9" in shoes. He was undersized for a center. I agree that he was very effective for us 2010-2011, notwithstanding.

That brings us back to my point that this year's team has some close parallels to the 2011 NC team.

We are still doomed.

 

[Hurleyman216]

I think we are all overly worried about the front court, but I'm actually not as worried as some. First of all, the front court for UConn typically does not co tribute a lot of offense. If we get more than 25% of our points from those 2 positions I'll be shocked. The one way I believe we could is if Larrier plays the 4, Vital primarily plays the 3 and Gilbert/Adams share the 1 and 2. That might end up being what we see a lot of this year. Wouldn't be surprised to see some combo of Diarra/Carlton and/or the 2 transfers fill that 5 role.

My point is, I'm not so worried about the front court offensively because it really isn't that important. If our front court can rebound and defend I think we'll be better than most of the projections to date (assuming JA, AG, CV and TL stay healthy). We have plenty of offense.

 

[kobe]

It's right up there with Jim Calhoun's run to the 2015 title as a #4 seed.

Was that the year that Jerome Dyson nailed a 75footer against us to send the game to a 4th OT in the Conference USA Tournament?

 

[BUConn10]

I blame twitter. Any bozo with a junior high degree can take a photo wearing a shirt and tie and get that little blue "verified" check next to their name, making them a reporter overnight. What a brutal 5 sentences of journalism.

 

[Wordbomar]

Was that the year that Jerome Dyson nailed a 75footer against us to send the game to a 4th OT in the Conference USA Tournament?

No it was the year that Donnell Beverly hit a three pointer to beat Tulane and their coach Cick Mronin in the Conference of States United semis was mad

 

[kobe]

No it was the year that Donnell Beverly hit a three pointer to beat Tulane and their coach Cick Mronin in the Conference of States United semis was mad

Ah I remember now. Roy Cocaine was a beast in that game.

 

[jibsey]

I think we are all overly worried about the front court, but I'm actually not as worried as some. First of all, the front court for UConn typically does not co tribute a lot of offense. If we get more than 25% of our points from those 2 positions I'll be shocked. The one way I believe we could is if Larrier plays the 4, Vital primarily plays the 3 and Gilbert/Adams share the 1 and 2. That might end up being what we see a lot of this year. Wouldn't be surprised to see some combo of Diarra/Carlton and/or the 2 transfers fill that 5 role.

My point is, I'm not so worried about the front court offensively because it really isn't that important. If our front court can rebound and defend I think we'll be better than most of the projections to date (assuming JA, AG, CV and TL stay healthy). We have plenty of offense.

This is part of the problem. There are going to be times when the guards are off, shots not going in, and we need more than just rebounding and defense from the frontcourt. Going inside to them if they are capable helps the guards free up, and we see how closely our perimeter is guarded because of the deficiency down low. We’ll soon see.

 

[TheChamps990411]

Look a run like the 2011 NC happens once in a lifetime, right? Well except that it pretty much happened again for the 2014 NC. It is the Husky formula for success and no one does it as well as us.

Thats the craziest thing bout `14. After the `11 i said no team would ever make a run like that again and fully believed it and wasnt just saying Uconn i meant any team. So when that run in happened in `14 by the time we tipped the ball in the elite 8 i was thinking two things "are you kidding me" ?!! and "I can feel the Mojo We`re winning it all again ftw"!
I can see the similarities with this team and hopefully it does play out again. Im not betting on it but im sure as hell not betting against it as ive learned my lesson.

 

[Towney007]

Don’t necessarily agree with the talent statement. Where’s our *talent* in front? I hope this is not true but our frontcourt with so little experience could be a foul factory. As they learn on the court will they be rotating and helping as they should? Blocking out is as basic as it gets but not all big men do it well. The next part is how are they going to shoot fouls? We went off on Enoch last year for this same stuff and against good oponents early I think we get a reading and that determines what our season is because your backcourt can’t do this by itself all the time.

Well I did say the front court wasn't all that talented.... so...

But I don't disagree with your assessment that it's not the most talented group - but it's definitely serviceable and we've gotten by being a little bleh up front in the past. **IF** the backcourt can all hit and be what we hope they can be - the front court doesn't necessarily HAVE to be sensational, just serviceable. But i'm with you - I dunno if they can be. I'm not saying they can't, but there's just so little from the last three years for me to be left with a sense of optimism, I feel like it has a better chance of being more of the same rather than hitting. And that's the reason i'm more cool on this team than hot.

Like I said there's a good chance this group ends up being really good. There's as good a chance they're a frustrating mess again.I dunno.

 

[jibsey]

Well I did say the front court wasn't all that talented.... so...

But I don't disagree with your assessment that it's not the most talented group - but it's definitely serviceable and we've gotten by being a little bleh up front in the past. **IF** the backcourt can all hit and be what we hope they can be - the front court doesn't necessarily HAVE to be sensational, just serviceable. But i'm with you - I dunno if they can be. I'm not saying they can't, but there's just so little from the last three years for me to be left with a sense of optimism, I feel like it has a better chance of being more of the same rather than hitting. And that's the reason i'm more cool on this team than hot.

Like I said there's a good chance this group ends up being really good. There's as good a chance they're a frustrating mess again.I dunno.

We start each season with question marks, and last year I remember thinking that Bimah and Facey were going to take that big step, I was sure of it and we were going to be great. Injuries deep sixed a lot if that even though they weren’t injured. We are due for a big surprise in some frontcourt players that goes our way for a change (like Vital last year) who knows maybe it will happen.