2022-2023 Record Prediction

[ucbart]

This year we play a total of 31 regular season games. If all goes right in Husky Land, we will then play 3 BET games and 6 NCAAT games, for a potential total of 40 games. I'd like to see a general board consensus(I hope this isn't a thread I've missed) of 3 potential record scenarios we could have next April after the final buzzer sounds on the season.

Best | Worst | Probable

Best: 38-2
(Big East Regular Season + Big East Tournament + Champions National Champions)
Losses - @ Tennessee | vs South Carolina

Worst: 28-9
(Big East Regular Season + Big East Tournament Champions)
Losses - vs. Texas | vs. NC State | vs Iowa(PK Classic) | @ Notre Dame | @ Creighton | @ Maryland | vs. South Carolina | @ Tennessee | S16 loss

Probable: 33-5
(Big East Regular + Big East Tournament Champions)
Losses - vs. Texas | @ Notre Dame | @ Tennessee | vs. South Carolina | E8 loss

Now-I could see the 5th loss in my probable prediction be against Texas, NC State, Iowa, or Maryland. I just picked Texas because it's so early in the season.

Thoughts?

 

[GEAinAustin]

Probable 39 -1, win vs, Texas, it' early in the season for them as well on the road, win over N. D. in a rock fight, lose to Tenn. and win over S. C., think they matchup well this year with the gamecocks and then win the N.C.

 

[Bone Dog]

I'm hoping for 40-0 and an NC!!! But I won't be surprised by 38-2, with losses to SC and Texas, but still an NC!!!!

I don't think we lose to Tennessee, but ND is possible, which means 37-3... and an NC!!!!

35-5 means another FF at least.

Ok, enough for my irrational expectations.

 

[Zanzman]

You lost me at loss to TN

 

[CTtoSanDiego]

I predict a winning record. I am 100% confident in my prediction!

 

[Zarathustra]

As they say " way too early to predict " ( not knowing who is
fully healthy and playing up to our hopefull expectations and ...with some
very ++ expected improvements and
confidence concerning our Freshman " learning the system" ). So , for "fun" here we go:

Best 38 - 2 regular season losses to ... U South Carolina and Notre Dame , we win the N.C.!

Worse 33 - 6 regular season losses to ... USC, N.D, Texas, Tenn,
and Maryland. We have early season losses ( late to South Carolina ) and lose in the final 4
Semi or Finals to U. South Carolina ( darn it!) 38 or 39 total games

Probable 35 - 4 regular season losses to .... USC, N.D. Tenn, and a
Final Four "finals" close loss to somebody ( South Carolina gets tripped up in the NCAAs
prior to the finals ).
Actually I haven't a clue, and I have some concerns about Texas and North Carolina State,
but I'm more concerned about N.D. getting Egbo ( 6'4") s transfer from Texas and
the transfers streaming into the U of Tennessee... this will be very interesting... Go Huskies!

 

[BBallF]

I'm hoping for 40-0 and an NC!!! But I won't be surprised by 38-2, with losses to SC and Texas, but still an NC!!!!

I don't think we lose to Tennessee, but ND is possible, which means 37-3... and an NC!!!!

35-5 means another FF at least.

Ok, enough for my irrational expectations.

I don't think any of them are irrational. A big uncertainty is always injuries not just to our team but also to our opponents. I don't think we lose a BE game but our out of conference schedule is brutal. This may be our biggest team ever with three 6'5" players and two 6'3" ish players plus Aubrey, who if healthy, plays bigger. It's not just height it's also power. This is not a "run the table" type of schedule and probably not that kind of team without Paige. I think though that it will be a very tightly knit team with great chemistry, all bound together by the loss of Paige.

However, several of our tough opponents, like Maryland and Texas as examples, not to mention ND and SC, improved themselves in the NCAA's version of flying the surrender flag, otherwise known as the transfer portal, and will be very tough. I see losses, as many as 3 pre-tourney, but I don't think it matters. Losses aren't always a bad thing if they are in the regular season. Of course they do affect the NCAA seedings and that can be an issue, but they also expose weaknesses, create opportunities for other players, and in some instances make a team better. We transform in February every year. It will happen again this year also. We will be a FF team. Beyond that, no clue.

 

[EricLA]

No idea why you have us losing to Tennessee. They have nowhere near the talent that we do - to put a loss to them under the "best" case prediction is ... mildly insane.

 

[Carnac]

I predict a winning record. I am 100% confident in my prediction!

CT…………you went wwaaayyyyy out there on a limb with that prediction didn’t you? You have every right to be comfortable and confident in that prediction.

 

[Stymie]

I myself can see them dropping one, maybe two in the early season Non con games- but then meshing and becoming comfortable with their new style of play and quick development of the new additions.
Smooth out new style against Big East schedule- get down to a science in the BE tournament- loaded for bear (and gamecock) in the Big Dance.
I can handle and am prepared for a couple of losses while this team finds themselves early on.
I suspect many in the WCBB universe are under estimating our freshman class.

 

[Carnac]

I don’t think this team will go undefeated. I would love to be wrong. There are teams out there that can play UConn even. We must recognize and understand that there are some teams that are extremely talented also.

This UConn team is top heavy with shooters and scorers. This team should regularly score an average of 65-75 ppg. The question is how many ppg will they allow? I don’t think UConn will lose any conference games this year. If UConn loses, it will be on the road to a top 25 team that catches them at the right time when the Huskies can’t get anything to fall, and get off to a real cold/slow start.

Every team that UConn plays this year has that game circled on their calendar. UConn is going to get the best game and best effort from all of those teams. It’s impossible for UConn to get up for all 31 games. The ranked teams, yes. The Butlers and Georgetowns, no. How do you get up for a team you’re picked to beat by 35?

To answer the question, I don’t see UConn losing more than 2 games. UConn needs to take very seriously South Carolina, Tennessee, NC St, Oregon State and Texas. All of these programs have the talent, size and experience to beat UConn.

Texas is up first. We’ll find out just how good our team is after THAT game. The Longhorns will gelive us as good a test as anyone. They will be a top seed in the NCAAT.

 

[Bone Dog]

This team should regularly score an average of 65-75 ppg.
I predict we average >80/g

How do you get up for a team you’re picked to beat by 35?

This may be our biggest team ever with three 6'5" players

They get up for every game because they’re doing for Coach P… and Jamelle.

Three 6’5” players? I’ve been wondering this same thing, just because in recent photos Ice looks to be roughly the same height as Dorka and Amari.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Last year, was a s#$%show and we still won 30 games. I think our best case is 39-1 and worst case is 32-6. We'll have a sense of things after the Texas game. I'm going with 37-3.

 

[Bigboote]

Best 40-0. The odds are slim but nonzero.

Worst: 32-6. Five regular-season losses plus the Final Four

My prediction: 38-2 with regular season losses to (South Carolina, Texas, NC State, Notre Dame and Tennessee). The bigs learn a lot from going up against the big front lines of Texas and South Carolina during the season and own the paint and the boards during the postseason.

 

[ucbart]

You lost me at loss to TN

Why? Horston, to me, is the most underrated player in the country; who will now be able to player her natural position. A front line of her, Rackea Jackson, and Tamari Key is pretty good. They have shooters, a PG, and a great transfer from Minnesota. Plus, the game is on the road where there will be 23k in TBA.

I might be wrong, but there is no way I'm overlooking this team and these are all Jolly's players now.

I don't was to lose to them, obvi. But I don't think this is a guaranteed win.

 

[UConnCat]

Why? Horston, to me, is the most underrated player in the country; who will now be able to player her natural position. A front line of her, Rackea Jackson, and Tamari Key is pretty good. They have shooters, a PG, and a great transfer from Minnesota. Plus, the game is on the road where there will be 23k in TBA.

I might be wrong, but there is no way I'm overlooking this team and these are all Jolly's players now.

I don't was to lose to them, obvi. But I don't think this is a guaranteed win.

23,000?

When was the last time Tennessee had even 15,000 at a home game? It's been a while, even counting games against SC.

There were less than 4000 fans when UConn played at TBA 2 seasons ago. There will be more this season but 23k?

 

[jdubct]

35-4.

 

[Carnac]

Best 40-0. The odds are slim but nonzero.

Worst: 32-6. Five regular-season losses plus the Final Four

My prediction: 38-2 with regular season losses to (South Carolina, Texas, NC State, Notre Dame and Tennessee). The bigs learn a lot from going up against the big front lines of Texas and South Carolina during the season and own the paint and the boards during the postseason.

The formula for winning #12. Iron sharpens iron. I completely agree that our BIGS will determine how successful UConn is this year.
I say that because of the very positive AFFECT Aliyah Boston has on her team. SHE is the major reason SC won the NC last year. She was a double-double machine. A nightmare for their opponents. She backed down from no one!!! THATS the kind of post play I want!!! If she puts back that offensive rebound she missed two years ago against Stanford, SC might have won back-to-back championships. Let's see how dominant SC is next year after Boston moves on to the WNBA in May of 2023. Boston was recognized (voted) as the best post in the country last year. A dominant post player is worth her weight in gold.

Our bigs can have the same affect on our team. Control the paint, get rebounds and 3+ offensive rebounds/put-backs per game. That's 6-10 points right there, plus you might get some fouls called on the other team.......hopefully their post player, causing her to sit.

 

[Charliebball]

Impossible to make any kind of realistic prediction until we see how this team plays together. That said, if the key players stay healthy throughout the season and Griffin returns to earlier form, I could envision UConn only losing two or three games during the regular season and making it to the Final Four again...........

 

[Bigboote]

The formula for winning #12. Iron sharpens iron. I completely agree that our BIGS will determine how successful UConn is this year.
I say that because of the very positive AFFECT Aliyah Boston has on her team. SHE is the major reason SC won the NC last year. She was a double-double machine. A nightmare for their opponents. She backed down from no one!!! THATS the kind of post play I want!!! If she puts back that offensive rebound she missed two years ago against Stanford, SC might have won back-to-back championships. Let's see how dominant SC is next year after Boston moves on to the WNBA in May of 2023. Boston was recognized (voted) as the best post in the country last year. A dominant post player is worth her weight in gold.

Our bigs can have the same affect on our team. Control the paint, get rebounds and 3+ offensive rebounds/put-backs per game. That's 6-10 points right there, plus you might get some fouls called on the other team.......hopefully their post player, causing her to sit.

I should also have said, "AND going against each other in practice." Dorka and Amari are tall. Ice and Aaliyah are big and strong. Ayanna is strong and "jumps out of the gym." Aubrey jumps out of the gym and never saw a rebound she didn't fight for.

AND they have Jamelle Elliott and Chris Dailey. Jamelle was the hardest-working undersized post I can remember. If she can put 10% of her fire into these kids they'll be doing well. Chris knows how to get the most out of her post players. You can bet she has set up some sort of competition among them to see who boxes out best, moves the best laterally, reads the shot the best. . . Whatever needs to be done, I think UConn's frontcourt players and coaches will make sure it gets done.

49-22, 21-6. I hope that's pasted onto each frontcourt player's locker. That was the rebound margin (total and offensive) in the title game last year. The November game was 42-25, 19-6. They need to make sure that doesn't happen again.

 

[GEAinAustin]

"No idea why you have us losing to tenn,". For the same reason they are preseason #4, and are playing U Conn late in the season at home and would be a well prepared unit with their new found talent from the transfer portal. As far as Texas, I live in Austin and don't believe they will be the same team they will be later in the season. The crowd and travel will be alot to overcome for this new Lady Longhorn team, except for one position.

 

[eebmg]

I think the OP analysis is quite good and sober. We will need things to go pretty darn well to get to the final 4 and some very big jumps in performance to go further.

 

[Carnac]

I should also have said, "AND going against each other in practice." Dorka and Amari are tall. Ice and Aaliyah are big and strong. Ayanna is strong and "jumps out of the gym." Aubrey jumps out of the gym and never saw a rebound she didn't fight for.

AND they have Jamelle Elliott and Chris Dailey. Jamelle was the hardest-working undersized post I can remember. If she can put 10% of her fire into these kids they'll be doing well. Chris knows how to get the most out of her post players. You can bet she has set up some sort of competition among them to see who boxes out best, moves the best laterally, reads the shot the best. . . Whatever needs to be done, I think UConn's frontcourt players and coaches will make sure it gets done.

49-22, 21-6. I hope that's pasted onto each frontcourt player's locker. That was the rebound margin (total and offensive) in the title game last year. The November game was 42-25, 19-6. They need to make sure that doesn't happen again.

Preach Brother!!!!! If they could watch some of Jamelle's games, and see the passion and desire she played with, that would be better for them than anything anyone could say to them. If Jamelle could do it at under 6 feet, we certainly can do it at 6-3 and above.
Keep in mind that DePaul's double-double machine Aneesah Morrow is only 6'1".

Jamelle: “As a player I was undersized,” Elliott told UConn Today in June 2019. “I won't say my height, but I'm less than 6 foot. I made up for it with with strength, and the determination to stay one step ahead. I knew I had to earn my time on the floor. My competitive spirit gave me a niche in the program.” She was a beast!! I mean that in a very respectful way. She played with fire and desire. Basically......she had heart (grit).

 

[UConnCat]

I think the OP analysis is quite good and sober. We will need things to go pretty darn well to get to the final 4 and some very big jumps in performance to go further.

What OP analysis?