Andy Katz discusses UConn at Atlantis

[RayRay19]

We have talent, experience, leadership, depth and a chip on our shoulder from last year.....We are clearly.....






Dooooooooomed!

 

[imno1]

Our car crashed at the end of the season. Its been rebuilt.

Now have few old but good working parts, lost an engine, upgraded a few parts and added some new accessories. Its hard to say what the car will look like and how it will run, even with our expert driver.

It is a good looking car that hasn't been driven.

 

[Adesmar123]

If an August prediction farts in the wind but nobody is around to hear it ... ?

Depends - what was for dinner?

 

[Blue Blood]

Our car crashed at the end of the season. Its been rebuilt.

Now have few old but good working parts, lost an engine, upgraded a few parts and added some new accessories. Its hard to say what the car will look like and how it will run, even with our expert driver.

It is a good looking car that hasn't been driven.

I like your analogy other than I can tell you exactly how a car that lost an engine and only upgraded a few parts and accessories will run. It doesn't end well.

 

[Tenspro2002]

I would like to enter the tourney next year from the 20 spot, where most of the media will be ignoring us as usual.

I would rather enter the Tournament at #1 and the overwhelming favorite.

This isn't like an ambush, where being unnoticed and having the element of surprise is an asset.

If we're going to be underrated in November, I would rather that misperception be rectified in December, with questions about our staying power answered resoundingly in January and February. I would rather not stumble through the regular season again and hope to catch lightning in a bottle in mid-March.

 

[Huskies4ever]

I would rather enter the Tournament at #1 and the overwhelming favorite.

This isn't like an ambush, where being unnoticed and having the element of surprise is an asset.

If we're going to be underrated in November, I would rather that misperception be rectified in December, with questions about our staying power answered resoundingly in January and February. I would rather not stumble through the regular season again and hope to catch lightning in a bottle in mid-March.

I agree. I think the program needs a season where they are on the national radar all season, and the subject of the talking heads. Especially being in a wasteland of a conference.

Don't get me wrong, I, like any fan, would take a repeat of 2013-14 in a heartbeat. It's just been awhile (2008-09) since we were a player (top 10) throughout the season. And, I'm not asking for top 10 throughout, but a great start, climb, and consistently top 10-15 season (and hopefully very magical run at the end). Would be nice, just sayin'.

 

[upstater]

I agree. I think the program needs a season where they are on the national radar all season, and the subject of the talking heads. Especially being in a wasteland of a conference.

Don't get me wrong, I, like any fan, would take a repeat of 2013-14 in a heartbeat. It's just been awhile (2008-09) since we were a player (top 10) throughout the season. And, I'm not asking for top 10 throughout, but a great start, climb, and consistently top 10-15 season (and hopefully very magical run at the end). Would be nice, just sayin'.

Isn't that what happened in 2011?

UConn was ranked 7th in the first week, then 6th, then 4th, 4th, 4th, 8th, 10th, 8th, 5th, 6th, 10th, 13th, 14th, 16th, then 9th in the final poll before the NCAA tourney.

 

[Huskies4ever]

Isn't that what happened in 2011?

UConn was ranked 7th in the first week, then 6th, then 4th, 4th, 4th, 8th, 10th, 8th, 5th, 6th, 10th, 13th, 14th, 16th, then 9th in the final poll before the NCAA tourney.

Is that 2010-11?.

 

[Rocktheworld]

Isn't that what happened in 2011?

UConn was ranked 7th in the first week, then 6th, then 4th, 4th, 4th, 8th, 10th, 8th, 5th, 6th, 10th, 13th, 14th, 16th, then 9th in the final poll before the NCAA tourney.

We didn't start the year ranked. Burst in to the top 10 after winning Maui.

We were slumping hard going in to the BET. A lot of people thought we were somehow trending down. We finished the season very weak, losing 7 of our last 11 after losing just two games before that. And then the doubt came as to whether or not Kemba and co. could keep it going as long as they ended up going.

Closest thing since 08-09 of course

 

[CallMeBruce]

Is that 2010-11?.

Mr. Pedantic over here

 

[Skies17]

The top 20 comment is just setting us up for the BS treatment we'll get all season. Going into January we will be at worst 7 wins (Maine, UNH, Furman, Sacred Heart, UMass-Lowell, CCSU, and at least one win at Battle 4 Atlantis). The other 5 games (2 at B4A, Maryland, Ohio State, @Texas) will be tough, but let's say we go 3-2. Then we're sitting at 10-2 with three quality wins and we're maybe top 20? Even 9-3 has to put us close**... It's just easier for them to say the AAC is bad when they set us up like we aren't a good team from the beginning. Confirmation bias once we drop a tough game here or there.

**Just for measure, last year in the Dec 29th poll, there was three 3-loss teams:
#18 Oklahoma (8-3)
#19 North Carolina (9-3)
#25 Georgetown (8-3)

 

[upstater]

We didn't start the year ranked. Burst in to the top 10 after winning Maui.

We were slumping hard going in to the BET. A lot of people thought we were somehow trending down. We finished the season very weak, losing 7 of our last 11 after losing just two games before that. And then the doubt came as to whether or not Kemba and co. could keep it going as long as they ended up going.

Closest thing since 08-09 of course

We were in the first post preseason poll, so UConn wasn't ranked before any games were played, but they were ranked after the first preseason poll.

And even though UConn dipped, it still stayed in the rankings. UConn averaged top 10 all year.

 

[upstater]

Is that 2010-11?.

Yes, the champ year with Kemba

 

[Rocktheworld]

We were in the first post preseason poll, so UConn wasn't ranked before any games were played, but they were ranked after the first preseason poll.

And even though UConn dipped, it still stayed in the rankings. UConn averaged top 10 all year.

Just go look up the rankings. We got a few votes the first few weeks were not ranked.

Final Preseason: N/A in the AP; no votes in ESPN
Week 2: 13th in "received votes" effectively ranked 38th in the AP; no votes in ESPN
Week 3: 11th in "received votes" effectively ranked 36th in the AP; no votes in ESPN
Week 4: 7th overall in the AP; 9th overall in ESPN

In the Week 4 rankings, we were 5-0. Guess which two wins were numbers 4 and 5. Winning Maui put UConn on the map, as early as it was. but it still took 4 weeks, and nobody saw it coming before it happened.

 

[SubbaBub]

Need a guy who can step up at critical junctures. Get his own shot when necessary. Doesn't need to be 15 or 13, but every good team needs a dependable go to guy.

We don't have one yet. Plenty of candidates for the job, but right now we don't know if any of them will consistently make big shots. Everything else looks to be pretty good.

 

[Huskies4ever]

Mr. Pedantic over here

Say, what?

 

[Huskies4ever]

We were in the first post preseason poll, so UConn wasn't ranked before any games were played, but they were ranked after the first preseason poll.

And even though UConn dipped, it still stayed in the rankings. UConn averaged top 10 all year.

Trending in the opposite direction. Would rather the team move up and stay than drop like a stone. We looked awful going into the Big East Tourney, but the rest is history

 

[August_West]

I don't know about mute, but they're certainly dumb.

I fear this point might fall on deaf ears.

 

[mauconnfan]

I fear this point might fall on deaf ears.

I hear ya

 

[lange10]

The top 20 comment is just setting us up for the BS treatment we'll get all season. Going into January we will be at worst 7 wins (Maine, UNH, Furman, Sacred Heart, UMass-Lowell, CCSU, and at least one win at Battle 4 Atlantis). The other 5 games (2 at B4A, Maryland, Ohio State, @Texas) will be tough, but let's say we go 3-2. Then we're sitting at 10-2 with three quality wins and we're maybe top 20? Even 9-3 has to put us close**... It's just easier for them to say the AAC is bad when they set us up like we aren't a good team from the beginning. Confirmation bias once we drop a tough game here or there.

**Just for measure, last year in the Dec 29th poll, there was three 3-loss teams:
#18 Oklahoma (8-3)
#19 North Carolina (9-3)
#25 Georgetown (8-3)

If we want the recognition that everyone on this board thinks we deserve, the worst we can do in these games is go 4-1. Not saying we shouldn't be a top 25 team if we go 3-2 and are sitting at 10-2, but many here think we are a top 5/10 team (and I agree, talent wise). To get the respect we want, go 4-1 in those games.

 

[jibsey]

We have to do damage against good competition before January hits because climbing those rankings from our conference is tough. It's going to be the same every year unless the AAC turns into the ACC.

 

[ctchamps]

We have to do damage against good competition before January hits because climbing those rankings from our conference is tough. It's going to be the same every year unless the AAC turns into the ACC.

True last season. Not necessarily true this season.

 

[Chief00]

Quite frankly, there are some teachable items here:
1) Ignore preseason polls - I don't read them
2) Given the schedule the team would have to come out of the gates fast; fair or unfair that's what they will be judged on given AAC conference schedule. If you beat Michigan, Syracuse, MD early - you will get ranked. If you lose to top teams early it's a tough hole to dig out of.
I hope this helps.

 

[Huskybass]

It's a combination of the fact that UConn was out of the spotlight all last year in addition to the fact that most of these guys who do polls don't have a full appreciation for how much we've added for this season.

From a talent standpoint we have to be Top 15, and that may be kind of conservative with ballers like Dham, Gibbs and Adams.

 

[mets1090]

Helpful as always Chief.