Are we a NCAA Tournament team next year? | Page 2 | The Boneyard

Are we a NCAA Tournament team next year?

Without any mystery additions to the roster will UConn be a NCAA Tourney team next year?

  • Total voters
    186
  • Poll closed .
superjohn said:
Why do we have such low expectations for our incoming freshmen? It does seem like in the past our freshmen seem to take longer to be big time producers on the whole but when I look around the country there are freshman doing big things all over the place and a bunch of them weren't highly ranked.
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My hope is Bouknight has a Jeremy Lamb type freshmen year. That would make a huge difference.
 
tcf15 said:
Yeah, I think so.

Alterique and CV will be a good enough back court, and they depth behind them will be better than this year.

I like Carlton's progression so far this year and hopefully he'll be more consistent out the gate next year.

I think Bouknight is capable of an Omar Calhoun type freshman season.

If we can get double-digit points from Alterique, CV, Carlton and Bouknight I think we'll have a chance next year.
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remind me of your preseason prediction for this years team? ;)
 
superjohn said:
Why do we have such low expectations for our incoming freshmen? It does seem like in the past our freshmen seem to take longer to be big time producers on the whole but when I look around the country there are freshmen doing big things all over the place and a bunch of them weren't highly ranked.
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I'm trying to temper expectations. I think we should be marginally better next year but I think marginally better puts us on the bubble.
 
superjohn said:
Why do we have such low expectations for our incoming freshmen? It does seem like in the past our freshmen seem to take longer to be big time producers on the whole but when I look around the country there are freshmen doing big things all over the place and a bunch of them weren't highly ranked.
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I think we tend to do just the opposite, and then post nasty grams about them when they don't meet expectations. I'd rather be surprised by the occasional impact freshman.
 
When the program was at its height under Calhoun, we always were able to replenish our lost talent, and kids were ready to step up when kids would graduate or leave for the NBA. Sometimes we would have a rebuilding year and be in the NIT, but I honestly dont know what to expect for next season because I believe Jalen graduating will hurt the team.
 
I think it depends on how many fouls next year’s team gets called for. I’m only half kidding. UCF played like a football team last night and somehow ended up on the line 3X as often as we did. This is now at least the 2nd or 3rd close game we’ve lost because of foul shot discrepancies. It would make a huge difference in our league record and overall view of the state of our program. I feel like we’re close to turning the corner, but if it’s going to be 8 on 5 most nights we just need to step it up a bit more.
 
tcf15 said:
For real though, I had them a little over 20 wins and in the NIT - still within the realm of possibility.
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Yeah I thought 20 regular season wins was a realistic ceiling. I still think we can get to 18 and win a game or two in the AAC tournament
 
JMick said:
Yeah I thought 20 regular season wins was a realistic ceiling. I still think we can get to 18 and win a game or two in the AAC tournament
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Same. Is someone ambitious enough to pull out that thread?
 
tcf15 said:
For real though, 20 wins- still within the realm of possibility.
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superjohn said:
Why do we have such low expectations for our incoming freshmen? It does seem like in the past our freshmen seem to take longer to be big time producers on the whole but when I look around the country there are freshmen doing big things all over the place and a bunch of them weren't highly ranked.
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They have better support systems (i.e. talent) already in place. They can be the 3rd option on the floor, which allows them to shine. Jalen Adams took advantage of exactly that his freshman year (not saying he had a great freshman year, but he had some stellar games).

Look what happens when you're a really good freshman and you join a team in transition. Even the 1996 Huskies with Richard Hamilton struggled. Hamilton showed great promise (off the top of my head, I'm guessing he averaged 15 ppg) but he couldn't lead the team to the NCAAs.

Is there a freshman who immediately became that team's #1 option this year? Outside of top 10 talent? Because that's what UConn needs with Jalen's departure, a #1 option. Alterique and Christian are not #1 guys.
 
upstater said:
They have better support systems (i.e. talent) already in place. They can be the 3rd option on the floor, which allows them to shine. Jalen Adams took advantage of exactly that his freshman year (not saying he had a great freshman year, but he had some stellar games).

Look what happens when you're a really good freshman and you join a team in transition. Even the 1996 Huskies with Richard Hamilton struggled. Hamilton showed great promise (off the top of my head, I'm guessing he averaged 15 ppg) but he couldn't lead the team to the NCAAs.

Is there a freshman who immediately became that team's #1 option this year? Outside of top 10 talent? Because that's what UConn needs with Jalen's departure, a #1 option. Alterique and Christian are not #1 guys.
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Teams like Pitt and Georgetown pop in my head right away because we've been recruiting against them but you see it around the country. Xavier Johnson, Mac McClung, Trey McGowens, and Akinjo are all doing big things and they weren't exactly highly ranked. It seems extremely rare that any of our freshmen do really big things their freshmen year.
 
ChocRaisins said:
I don't think so. After Jalen leaves, there is no one to create their own shot. Who comes off that second screen looking to drive or and create? AG will be running the offense, Polley has a two dribble max, Wilson has a lot of work to do on the defensive end before he can think of offense, Vital is a spot shooter, not a creator. There is going to be a huge void when Jalen leaves and unless Bouknight and Gaffney walk in ready to average 10ppg, I don't see a huge improvement. Year 3 under Hurley will be the turning point.
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Exactly. The team is way too reliant on jalen.

It needs a grad transfer or two (yes I know what more than one would mean...) to have a shot. And not Kromahs. Probably top shelf ones, which we are unlikely to attract as a non tourney team this year
 
Couple of my friends who are managers say that Akok is already the best player on the team. Absolutely dominant on defense, as well as being the best shooter and having the ability to dribble drive. It will help ease the gap that Jalen leaves but we will still see discrepancies since he had the ball and played a lot.
 

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