Because of 2011...I have hope.

[maineuconnfan]

A few things about that year that will always give me hope about my huskies, especially since there are a few people who played some minutes from that historic years.

1. They were 9-9 in the conference and they did not defeat any teams in the top 7 of the conference until the big east tournament.(I hope this does not continue)

2. They finished the big east season 1-4( I hope this does not continue)

3. They were ranked in the top ten in December, failed miserably at times during the mid-season, especially the St.Johns game

4. Everybody continued to say that Kemba was the only key player, just like they keep saying about bazz

5. Lastly I remember about mid-season when people begin to say there Maui run was a bit of a fluke, kind of like Goodman saying the Florida victory is a fluke

My point is, everyone is down after this loss, especially me, but man o man this team is not done yet, and they still have four more games to learn and grow until it counts. It would be nice to have a higher seed, which is the biggest problem with this loss, but they still can muster a 3 - 6 seed. so lets chill

 

[maineuconnfan]

A few things about that year that will always give me hope about my huskies, especially since there are a few people who played some minutes from that historic years.

1. They were 9-9 in the conference and they did not defeat any teams in the top 7 of the conference until the big east tournament.(I hope this does not continue)

2. They finished the big east season 1-4( I hope this does not continue)

3. They were ranked in the top ten in December, failed miserably at times during the mid-season, especially the St.Johns game

4. Everybody continued to say that Kemba was the only key player, just like they keep saying about bazz

5. Lastly I remember about mid-season when people begin to say there Maui run was a bit of a fluke, kind of like Goodman saying the Florida victory is a fluke

My point is, everyone is down after this loss, especially me, but man o man this team is not done yet, and they still have four more games to learn and grow until it counts. It would be nice to have a higher seed, which is the biggest problem with this loss, but they still can muster a 3 - 6 seed. so lets chill

In Fact, tomorrow will be the anniversary of when they lost to Marquette and it made them 21-6

 

[Strummer]

Nice thoughts, and good memories. And dreaming these thoughts is why we are fans.
But, really, I'm just hoping for a sweet 16 finish to keep the banner flying into the 2nd weekend. It's entirely possible that we lose 2 or 3 of the remaining games and turf out early in the AAC tourni, in which case we are a marginal tournament team. Would be quite a sad end to a pretty decent season, but certainly not out of the question.
Could we pull it together, beat WKRP and Ville and win a couple in the AAC tourni? Sure. Cheer for it. But don't bet on it.

Kemba Walker isn't walking through that door.

 

[maineuconnfan]

Honestly if they go 2-2 I would be fine, wouldnt like it, but I would not worry. The big worry is when you start losing to teams that you are considerably better than. They have beaten good teams, and lost to good teams, as long as we do not see any more Houston incidents, I feel fine.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

That team had blown out Kentucky, beaten Michigan State, beaten a good Wichita State team, gone down to Texas and won . . .

This team has that December win over Florida to hang their hat on. They've taken two off of a decent but by no means dominant Memphis team. Beyond that what are their big wins? They got run out of the gym at home by Louisville and still have to do down there to play.

That team had Alex Oriakhi in the paint, a rapidly improving Jeremy Lamb on the wing, and - of course - a transcendent talent running the show. (Not to mention a certain angry Irishman prowling the sidelines.) I remember how down people were after a mediocre league season, but at least there was some semblance of a track record there.

This team might very well have to beat an SMU team that has their number to last more than a day in the AAC tournament. I'd be ecstatic if they win 2 games in the big dance. If they end up with an 8 seed, I'd be alright with one win and a good showing against whatever 1 seed they get matched up with. I'm generally pretty sanguine about these guys but you put them against a team capable of dealing with Shabazz and it's curtains.

 

[ASweet3781]

The 2011 team regular season struggles can also be explained in that they played in a meat grinder of a league where you had 10 other NCAA tournament teams in, not to mention about 2-4 teams that could beat you if you failed to show up. There were no breather games. No nights you could take off. That takes a toll.

No one can that about this year in the AAC to explain struggles. We get plenty of "breather" games and than opportunities to show what we are made of against 4 teams. We failed 2 times against SMU. No shame losing down there on their court where they are legit. Today was inexcusable, the way we played, not being prepared, not seizing the opportunity.

I think any comparisons to 2011 at this point are not valid. Of course, who wouldn't love any where close to how that team turned out. Hope I'm wrong but I don't see it.

 

[BearJWS]

I'm pretty sure UConn probably played one of the toughest schedules of all time in 2011. If memory serves me right, we won 13 of 19 games against ranked opponents. 26 of our 39 games were against NCAA tournament teams. The Big East got 11 teams into the NCAA tournament. We didn't lose to anyone that was not in the NCAA tournament. We even beat several teams in the NIT... Hard to compare any schedule to that!

 

[CTBasketball]

This team is not tough. That team was tough.

 

[maineuconnfan]

besides the maui, there was not much to show for victories. Those were extremely early. I am not saying this team is the same as that team, but I think that the over analyzing of losses, and that because you play a bad game it makes you a bad team is ridiculous. If you look at the teams they beat during the conference season in 2011, none of them were at the top, we lost to all the key teams, including getting killed by St.Johns, who was a tourney team, but a weak one. getting killed by louisville. and choked at the end of a few games. My personal belief is that this team is not as good as that team, however, before the big east tourney, I was thinking pretty bad about that team too. Everyone in hear is treating this team like they are 10-17 not 21-6. They are a good team, not a great team, if the light bulb clicks, you never know, that is my point!

 

[maineuconnfan]

http://www.uconnhuskies.com/sports/m-baskbl/recaps/022411aab.html - Feb 24th 2011

http://www.uconnhuskies.com/sports/m-baskbl/recaps/021011aaa.html Feb 10th

A couple of examples of disappointing losses in 2011....I agree with the earlier poster, the biggest difference between this team and that team(I want to make it clear that I think that 2011 was better) but the difference maker is Calhoun. Ollie is getting better, but Calhoun took 12 years to reach the final with Uconn and of course the time he put in at Northeastern. I think Ollie will reach it quicker, but it does not matter how much knowledge you have of the game, it is the ability to get the kids tough for March....On that thought, lets see how they do in March before we rail Ollie!

 

[Hoophound]

This board was melting down in 2011. I speculated in a thread that we could right the ship and win the national championship in one thread and I was told there was no chance by some of the absolute most respected posters on this board.

You need to play well to reach the FF but you also need to get the right draw, avoid teams that are streaky good and stay healthy. This team has some great components of a tournament team. We have a great guard that can win a game by himself. We have big man on the verge of stardom just waiting to officially bust out on a big stage and we have a cast of very capable but inconsistent players. This team is going to put it together in the next few weeks or they aren't. You just never know who will gel each year. Sometimes it's the top seeds and sometimes it's a team nobody saw coming. This team has as much reason for optimism as 85' Villanova or 88' Kansas. There is no point in tempering expectations. We can go far but we need to take it up a notch ASAP and find our identity.

 

[Inyatkin]

One reason 2011 was so great was that stuff like that never happens. So thinking it's going to happen to the same team three years later seems like setting yourself up for disappointment.

 

[maineuconnfan]

I am not thinking it is going to happen, but I also do not think a bad loss at home to SMU is finality either.

 

[maineuconnfan]

This board was melting down in 2011. I speculated in a thread that we could right the ship and win the national championship in one thread and I was told there was no chance by some of the absolute most respected posters on this board.

You need to play well to reach the FF but you also need to get the right draw, avoid teams that are streaky good and stay healthy. This team has some great components of a tournament team. We have a great guard that can win a game by himself. We have big man on the verge of s om just waiting to officially bust out on a big stage and we have a cast of very capable but inconsistent players. This team is going to put it together in the next few weeks or they aren't. You just never know who will gel each year. Sometimes it's the top seeds and sometimes it's a team nobody saw coming. This team has as much reason for optimism as 85' Villanova or 88' Kansas. There is no point in tempering expectations. We can go far but we need to take it up a notch ASAP and find our identity.

Exactly!

 

[Huskyforlife]

Bazz ain't kemba. End of story

 

[Hoophound]

Bazz ain't kemba. End of story

Kemba wasn't Kemba at this point in the season either. I'm definitely not saying I think we are going on a 12 game win streak and winning the national championship but I'm not entirely ruling out and making myself miserable. Bazz isn't too different from Kemba in the big picture when you compare their seasons. We can improve.

These guys jneed to hit their stride and peak soon. That's what we are all hoping for. I can just tell you, the 2011 team had people jumping off the bandwagon by the thousands at this point in the season but things started to click st the right time. I think if you look at the big picture, there are some very good teams who are very shaky right now and nobody is a distinct favorite. Some of them will bring it together and others will fall apart. KO and company need to figure it out at just the right time to make a run but that's the case with the tourney every year. Get in and hope you play well. At the same time, hope your toughest opponents aren't playing their best. That's March madness and we have plenty of talent to compete in a tournament like that. Don't forget, when your best player is a senior point guard that can do it all, you have a chance in the tourney. Guys like Shabazz have killed us in the past.

 

[60'sfan]

Kemba wasn't Kemba at this point in the season either. I'm definitely not saying I think we are going on a 12 game win streak and winning the national championship but I'm not entirely ruling out and making myself miserable. Bazz isn't too different from Kemba in the big picture when you compare their seasons. We can improve.

These guys jneed to hit their stride and peak soon. That's what we are all hoping for. I can just tell you, the 2011 team had people jumping off the bandwagon by the thousands at this point in the season but things started to click st the right time. I think if you look at the big picture, there are some very good teams who are very shaky right now and nobody is a distinct favorite. Some of them will bring it together and others will fall apart. KO and company need to figure it out at just the right time to make a run but that's the case with the tourney every year. Get in and hope you play well. At the same time, hope your toughest opponents aren't playing their best. That's March madness and we have plenty of talent to compete in a tournament like that. Don't forget, when your best player is a senior point guard that can do it all, you have a chance in the tourney. Guys like Shabazz have killed us in the past.

I think Kemba was Kemba from the time he had all the players out to his apartment for breakfast. Shabazz is a great player and one of the best guards ever at Uconn but he is not Kemba. He also doesn't have a great freshman guard coming off the bench to give valuable minutes at the point. I love this team and KO but I don't think it matches up with 2011. That team had the best player in college and a very good front court too.

 

[Calhoun's Court]

It's going to come down to matchups.

I said to my wife leaving Gampel yesterday remember how down we were when they lost to ND-and then looked what happened.

I'm not calling for a miracle run through the AAC and NCAA tourneys but..........

I want to see the bracket before I say no shot........

 

[msgordon]

i have hope because theres nothing to be scared of out there...florida is the best team, and we already beat them (blah blah at home without a few role players)...there are 30 teams who could make a run at the FF, nobody knows what will happen

 

[msgordon]

Bazz ain't kemba. End of story

nobody is kemba, but kemba had this stretch during 6 big east games + tennessee...

6-18
6-17
5-16
7-23
3-14
7-19
4-16

...thats awful

 

[UConn990411]

Kemba wasn't Kemba at this point in the season either. I'm definitely not saying I think we are going on a 12 game win streak and winning the national championship but I'm not entirely ruling out and making myself miserable. Bazz isn't too different from Kemba in the big picture when you compare their seasons. We can improve.

True, the 2011 team had stretches as ugly as this year's team ... but this year's team hasn't had a stretch quite like what the 2011 team did in Maui.

I still think this team could be a Final Four contender if they get hot at the right time (and by "they," I'm referring mostly to Boatright and DeAndre). But it's tough to see them being title contenders when, on February 24th, they've struggled to put any stretch of greatness together.

Let's hope they prove me wrong.

 

[CL82]

Agree that it is tough to expect lightning to strike twice. That said, isn't that exactly what fans do? I've thought about 2011 from time to time this year. With a few breaks, good match ups, etc., we could do some damage. That's what I'm hoping for until it works out to the contrary.

 

[jibsey]

Kemba being more athletic than Bazz could basically create his own shot almost anytime he wanted to inside, midrange and outside. In defense of Bazz, Kemba was surrounded by better talent IMO, 2 NBA players with pretty high draft picks. Our NBA talent is Bazz late round and Brimah in 2 years?

 

[UCHuskies08]

I think Kemba was Kemba from the time he had all the players out to his apartment for breakfast. Shabazz is a great player and one of the best guards ever at Uconn but he is not Kemba. He also doesn't have a great freshman guard coming off the bench to give valuable minutes at the point. I love this team and KO but I don't think it matches up with 2011. That team had the best player in college and a very good front court too.

No one is saying it's going to happen for sure, they're just saying it's not impossible.

 

[pj]

nobody is kemba, but kemba had this stretch during 6 big east games + tennessee...

6-18
6-17
5-16
7-23
3-14
7-19
4-16

...thats awful

Every defense was keying on Kemba the way SMU and Larry Brown keyed on Shabazz. Kemba was getting physically beat up and bumped. The freshman Shabazz and Jeremy Lamb and Roscoe Smith and Alex Oriakhi were not ready to step up. What happened was the freshmen stepped up and Lamb's shooting plus Shabazz's ball handling, combined with the other guys becoming the best defensive team in the country, made the team well rounded.

The SMU game was good for us because it shows us the defense we'll see the rest of the way and in the tourney. Now they have to learn how to defeat it. That's a do-able task in the remaining time with good coaching and a good attitude from the players. This team has plenty of offensive talent.

The reason this team isn't likely to go as far as the 2011 team is that the defense is not good enough. SMU should not be able to shoot 47.5%, over 50% in the second half. They are not a great offense. The 2011 team, by the end of the year, routinely held even the best offenses below 40% shooting. This team has a long way to go to match that.