Alex is back!

[Ricker]

 

[willie99]

Booking flights and hotel to San Antonio now!!!!!!

Funny, that's what my daughter in law said today

 

[alphasigko]

Note that both Diarra and Johnson can also be 3x NC winners

 

[HooperScooper]

Well since Alex always seems to get jipped from every award, it's time to flip the script.

 

[7774]

Why?

I see Ball and Mahaney as bigger factors, and with Karaban being able to handle the ball and run offense, we'll see 10 minutes each game with no Nowell and Diarra out there. You can run offense with Mahaney, Ball and Karaban.

Because he's way better than most people here give him credit for. He's probably going to be the best small defensive guard in the country next year. EvanMiya's website does metrics and rankings on players just like it does teams. They ranked 3006 players last year. Hassan was ranked 34.

 

[Peacefrog]

Rxn of other Big East coaches/fans

 

[navery12]

Why?

I see Ball and Mahaney as bigger factors, and with Karaban being able to handle the ball and run offense, we'll see 10 minutes each game with no Nowell and Diarra out there. You can run offense with Mahaney, Ball and Karaban.

It's not that we can't run successful lineups out there with no Diarra, it's that we're not going to want to. He was so important to last year's team, and very likely will be again

 

[Fan1978]

I have a hard time imagining Nowell playing 10mpg.

I do as well, 15-20 more likely

 

[Dove]

What are we doing?

Boneyardin'

 

[Citrusdog]

The leadership Alex will provide is immeasurable. Captain Alex - we are so happy you are back!!! Wow!!!

 

[Marat]

x.com

x.com

 

[Deepster]

This will be the deepest UConn team ever and the battle for minutes will keep everyone sharp and hungry, great players practicing against each other every day makes everyone better. I see the starting 5 ending up as Mahaney, Ball, McNeeley, Karaban, Reed. Our bench would probably sneak into the top 25.

I have to think Hass earned the start over Ball. No? Ball was basically garbage time the majority of Feb and March.

 

[bendm]

Regular Season Rotation:

Diarra 25 / Nowell 10 / Mahaney 5
Mahaney 20 / Ball 20
McNeeley 25 / Stew 10 / Ross 5
Karaban 30 / Stew 10
Reed 20 / Johnson 20

Bench: Abraham / Singare

30: Karaban
25: Diarra / Mahaney / McNeeley
20: Ball / Stew / Reed / Johnson
10: Nowell
05: Ross

The rotation gets shortened to 9 players for the BET so Ross drops out.

 

[Deepster]

I feel like that 22/23 team was able to honor and send off their own special core. Same in 23/24.

For Alex to really be a huge piece of both teams, it's kind of nice he'll have his own time and send off now and not just lumped in with one or the other groups. He is definitely a special Husky in every single way you can check a box.

 

[superjohn]

I have to think Hass earned the start over Ball. No? Ball was basically garbage time the majority of Feb and March.

I don't think anyone earns a starting position from what they accomplished the year before. Mahaney and McNeeley weren't on the team last season and I think they will most likely be two of our three best players.

Diarra will play plenty but I think Mahaney will be our starting point guard. Ball and Diarra will play a lot with him.

 

[Deepster]

I don't think anyone earns a starting position from what they accomplished the year before. Mahaney and McNeeley weren't on the team last season and I think they will most likely be two of our three best players.

Diarra will play plenty but I think Mahaney will be our starting point guard. Ball and Diarra will play a lot with him.

Fair point. Sure is a nice discussion to have.

 

[BuffaloHusky]

Alex wants to become one of the very few players in college basketball history with 3 title rings. Kareem. Walton, Laetner all had 2. No one has won

What starter in NCAA history has won three. I thought Kareem did but someone else referenced he only had two. Did Jamaal Wilkes maybe?

 

[NJHoops]

the security blanket returns, and everyone’s feeling pretty great about it!

 

[husky429]

Maybe, but who in that breakdown is he taking minutes from? Unless you're thinking he supplants Diarra as a starter or takes a few more of his minutes, not sure I see him as more deserving of minutes next year right now.

Simple, really. No one plays more than 25mpg and he gets 20.

 

[Duncan Idaho]

What starter in NCAA history has won three. I thought Kareem did but someone else referenced he only had two. Did Jamaal Wilkes maybe?

Bibby, Shackleford, Curtis Rowe. Maybe Sidney Wicks.

 

[August_West]

And you people didn't believe me. This makes us very, very dangerous.

Good call!

 

[Deepster]

I don't think anyone earns a starting position from what they accomplished the year before. Mahaney and McNeeley weren't on the team last season and I think they will most likely be two of our three best players.

Diarra will play plenty but I think Mahaney will be our starting point guard. Ball and Diarra will play a lot with him.

Hey - If you get a chance, hit me up on the inbox here.

 

[bendm]

Diarra will play plenty but I think Mahaney will be our starting point guard. Ball and Diarra will play a lot with him.

For Diarra and Nowell to have significant roles Mahaney can only play ~10mpg at PG so it doesn’t make much sense for him to start there

Mahaney 10 / Diarra 20 / Nowell 10
Ball 25 / Mahaney 15
McNeeley 25 / Stew 10 / Ross 5
Karaban 30 / Stew 10
Reed 20 / Johnson 20

 

[Milo65]

 

[alphasigko]

What starter in NCAA history has won three. I thought Kareem did but someone else referenced he only had two. Did Jamaal Wilkes maybe?

Kareem had 3 (Soph, Jr and Sr years as back then he could not play Varsity as a Frosh)