18-13

[Austin316]

I imagine CV printed out the boneyard posts and stuck them in everyone’s locker before the UCF game.

Every game is a must win. NOVA has been marked on my calendar since Nom (Vietnam)

 

[Fishy]

They fell pretty hard after alignment. Football for some reason gets a highlight win every now and again but basketball?? What the hell happened?

They pushed out the good coach they didn’t realize was a good coach and hired a guy that no one else wanted because the other good coaches they targeted said no.

Basically, Pitt got what Pitt deserved.

 

[Austin316]

They lost their NYC pipeline

Ah... makes sense why we are where we are. Good thing we have a good coach lol smh

 

[Fishy]

Would a final regular season record of 18-13 get us into the NIT?

Yes.

I think that’s a tall order, though.

They’re likely going to be underdogs over their next seven games.

They’ll need to win three of the next four to start thinking about that kind of finish.

 

[Austin316]

They pushed out the good coach they didn’t realize was a good coach and hired a guy that no one else wanted because the other good coaches they targeted said no.

Basically, Pitt got what Pitt deserved.

Well... at least we haven’t hit rock bottom yet. 9-7 (2-2) is slightly better than 8-9 (0-4) I suppose.

 

[Storrs South]

Would need a marquee win against Wichita, Cincy, or Nova in my opinion. And an SMU win at home wouldn’t hurt.

I think there is a verryyyy slim chance of tourney this year but we can hope.

I agree. The post wasn't to illustrate that I believe this will happen but more that all 3 possibilities are still in play and are somewhat realistic:

• They can make the tourney (would be hard but despite botching OOC the opponents and opportunities are still there)
• NIT (likely just need to be over .500 and appealing enough for them to want a brand name at their tourney)
• A repeat of last season -- season ending in a loss in the AAC Tournament

The game last night gives me hope for the middle option as I was certain we were slated for door #3. That being said, if they play like they did last night going forward with steady improvement (a big if), option #1 isn't out of the realm of possibilities.

 

[Ewekon]

UConn isn't .500 year end. No top 30 recruits next year. On it will go.

 

[Fishy]

Well... at least we haven’t hit rock bottom yet. 9-7 (2-2) is slightly better than 8-9 (0-4) I suppose.

They definitely have worse losses than we do and I suspect we’re a little better...but we’d likely be 0-4 with their conference schedule, too.

 

[Chief00]

I am trying to be optimistic - I think we will marginally surprise on the upside as our chemistry improves with a shorten rotation.

 

[scdono]

Let me ask you this: does a team with an RPI 57 and SOS 30 with a 18-13 record make the NCAA Tournament? Because if you play around with the numbers at RPI Forecast that's where UConn could end up. I'm not saying that's going to happen, especially since we have seen 1 quality win since November (it happened last night), but just know all possibilities are still in play. For those wondering what assumptions I used ROS:

Win @ Tulane
Win @ Memphis
Loss v. Nova
Loss v. SMU
Win @ Temple
Loss @UCF
Loss v. Cincy
Win v. USF
Loss @ Wichita St.
Win v. Tulsa
Win v. ECU
Loss @ Cincy
Win v. Memphis
Win v. Temple
Win @Houston

While I’m not sure we beat temple twice, we clearly have a chance to make some noise. If things come together, 17-20 wins is not out of the realm of possibility. Chemistry and team growth will be the key. They need to bring it for 40 minutes and limit the bonehead plays and play lockdown defense.

 

[AdamaNation]

As long as the kids are having fun and getting some exercise everything will be okay.

Laugh line

 

[mdkhusky]

Sad that people are hopeful for NIT. And this is the coach some of you want back?

 

[Woof 101]

Would a final regular season record of 18-13 get us into the NIT?

WOW....No attack on you but this gives me flashbacks of early fandom days in The Yankee Conference. The dream was to just make the top 25 and be mentioned in the national picture. That would include making The NCAA tournament or The NIT which at the time still meant something. We got there and beyond any of my dreams by winning a NC and more.
With 68 teams now included in the NCAA event the NIT is now The Nobody Interested. I am still a fan and listen to games on the radio for the ones not on my cable package. I will not however be jumping up and down or the least bit excited about making the NIT. Jaded, spoiled, I don't know. I watch a lot of college ball but no longer consider that tournament to be of much value. The NIT is simply practice for next year, nothing more.

 

[intlzncster]

Sad that people are hopeful for NIT. And this is the coach some of you want back?

Why even watch then? What's the point?

 

[tzznandrew]

Sad that people are hopeful for NIT. And this is the coach some of you want back?

I forgot, we thought they were going to win a title this year, right? Especially after Gilbert went down.

Seriously, the NIT sucks, but it would show improvement from last year.

 

[HungryHuskies]

Sky's the limit. They still have some opportunities to grab some quality resume builders. I'm predicting (hoping) this team is going to click at the right time in typical Ollie fashion.

 

[jibsey]

It was a nice home win, but if we were to beat Cincy or take the Nova game to the wire, and until we can compete with a quality team, I’m not there yet for .500, forget 18-13

 

[uconnbill]

If UConn can get decent three-point shooting they have a chance, but without it, they are bound for something similar to last year.

 

[UconnFanDC]

Hold me too this, Uconn will have a 20 win season!

 

[CTBasketball]

I think Nova will be the turning point. If we get our doors blown off that’s a bad sign. If we play and win, I think we have a chance at 20 wins.

 

[intlzncster]

It was a nice home win, but if we were to beat Cincy or take the Nova game to the wire, and until we can compete with a quality team, I’m not there yet for .500, forget 18-13

I don't think the Nova game will tell us anything. They are on another level entirely atm.

 

[Balker]

I don't think the Nova game will tell us anything. They are on another level entirely atm.

Possible outcomes to Nova game:
1. get blown out by 35
2. keep it close and lose by 10 but never feel we had a chance
3. control the game then collapse in the last 2 minutes
4. kwintin williams goes for 24 on 12/12 FG shooting (all dunks of course) and we win

All of these potential outcomes told me something.

In all seriousness, Nova isn't perfect. They don't have a big 4-5 guy that's going to kill us down low. If we guard them well, turn them over, and shoot well, there is no reason at all we can't win. We matchup well. Plus the game will mean a heck of a lot more for us than them, and it's at home. And it's Nova... this is a Big East matchup. Anyone could win it easily.

 

[intlzncster]

Possible outcomes to Nova game:
1. get blown out by 35
2. keep it close and lose by 10 but never feel we had a chance
3. control the game then collapse in the last 2 minutes
4. kwintin williams goes for 24 on 12/12 FG shooting (all dunks of course) and we win

All of these potential outcomes told me something.

In all seriousness, Nova isn't perfect. They don't have a big 4-5 guy that's going to kill us down low. If we guard them well, turn them over, and shoot well, there is no reason at all we can't win. We matchup well. Plus the game will mean a heck of a lot more for us than them, and it's at home. And it's Nova... this is a Big East matchup. Anyone could win it easily.

This is what I'm looking at.

Yikes. They might shoot 70% against us. We don't match up well with that.

 

[Storrs South]

Nova isn't perfect. They don't have a big 4-5 guy that's going to kill us down low.

Here's the thing, though, all these years KO has been the coach, the one thing he has never let happen is superior bigs dominating the limited one's he has to work with. This season in particular, all these physically imposing bigs like Bridges and Ayton have done nothing. Even think back to Randle in 2014 was smothered for the entirety of the championship game and I believe Young in the Final Four v. Florida was the same.

The problem this team has currently is perimeter defense. They can't keep guys in front of them causing the defense to collapse and thus allow open 3s. Brunson can feast on that unless guys decide to start guarding the ball better.

 

[intlzncster]

The problem this team has currently is perimeter defense. They can't keep guys in front of them causing the defense to collapse and thus allow open 3s. Brunson can feast on that unless guys decide to start guarding the ball better.

Ain't just Brunson. See my post above yours.