ESPN Way Too Early Top 25: UConn #4 | Page 4 | The Boneyard

ESPN Way Too Early Top 25: UConn #4

I saw Alabama dropped 10 spots in the latest CBS 25+1 poll that gets updated daily. Not that I ever hate seeing an SEC team drop but what happened?
 
Sibeerian said:
Something really funny about two guys attacking each other and bjc42 cheerfully hitting "like" on every post.
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I guess since he tends to disappear in season bjc42 (which by the way auto corrects to buckwheat just amazing) is the official BY off season muse. Amongst the days with no new news, wild rumors and the full out throat punches, bjc42 rolls in and likes every post.

He will be a legend if he ever disappears although I seem to recall him telling us he was pretty young.
 
Travelman6 said:
I mean Zion was 5 or 6 years ago and arguably better.
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Meh. By KenPom's metric, his teammate RJ Barrett was better, as were 6 players in the country. Flagg was his runaway #1 this year.
 
superjohn said:
Players improve and Silas is a great defender. Our defense was better at the end of the season.
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Indeed. We came within 2 pts of the eventual national champs and the problem in that game was not our defense, but our offense.
 
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DRBackup said:
Meh. By KenPom's metric, his teammate RJ Barrett was better, as were 6 players in the country. Flagg was his runaway #1 this year.
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The KPOY is not strictly about who is better, but simulating who people would vote for. In this case, the algorithm put the guy with higher usage and minutes ahead of the definitely better guy.
 
Waquoit said:
I know nothing about Purdue but I'm not buying it. It's Purdue.
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I would love to play at Purdue this year. Believe they have an opening for a home game based on past schedules and they feel like a team that the metrics will love despite not being that good. Always a few of those teams a year. Plus gets Mullins a game in Indiana.
 
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The stars are aligned for Purdue this year. 2 All Americans returning, top point guard and 2 top transfers.Final Four in Indianapolis.
Would love to see Uconn visit Mackey at some point. Would be a great game. The Purdue schedule is locked in for 2025-2026.
 

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BigTenFan said:
The stars are aligned for Purdue this year. 2 All Americans returning, top point guard and 2 top transfers.Final Four in Indianapolis.
Would love to see Uconn visit Mackey at some point. Would be a great game. The Purdue schedule is locked in for 2025-2026.
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The year-end sadness will be epic, I'm sure. Not as bad as UConn 1990 but pretty bad.
 
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Bringing back 4 rotation players (5 if you count Ross) is like the 98th percentile for returning rosters in the country. Just through having Alex back, I’ll take our continuity over anyone not named Purdue. Then add in our pair of 5-star freshmen, our stud transfer and our perfect role transfer, and it’s easy to see why we are where we are compared to the rest of the country. Plus, for better or worse, we get brownie points and the benefit of the doubt for it saying “UConn” across our chests.

2 behind Purdue sounds exactly right to me. If Uzan eschews the draft to return for Houston I’d slot them even above Purdue. But in general I’m bullish on next season.
 
Purdue is really good, Smith/Loyer/TKR/Cluff by themselves is monstrous on offense, they just need one of Cox/Harris/Mayer to hit for that last perimeter spot.

Braden Smith is the best playmaker and offensive engine in the country, he was much better than the guy we played in the championship game, and he’ll be 2 years older by this year’s championship game.

Their backup center is 7’2/3 and a former top 100 recruit, that I expect to play more when they’re being exposed on defense.

They remained a top 25 team in the country after losing Edey. That core returned and they added really good pieces. Painter is also one of the best coaches in sport, look at the star ratings of the majority of his rosters. This is a top 3 team minimum.
 
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husky429 said:
I'm gun shy after last off-season
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I'm in the same boat. I like this team on paper but a lot of questions.

1. How will the PGs assimilate within the team?
2. Will Mullins be an instant impact like Castle or McNeeley?
3. Can the other freshmen play meaningful minutes?
4. Will Ball, Ross and Stewart improve on defense?
5. Will Hoss play with consistency?
6. Can Hoss stay out of foul trouble? 5.4 fouls per 40 at UConn vs 3.9 at Michigan.
7. Does Karaban return to sophomore form?
 
Brochacho said:
I'm in the same boat. I like this team on paper but a lot of questions.

1. How will the PGs assimilate within the team?
2. Will Mullins be an instant impact like Castle or McNeeley?
3. Can the other freshmen play meaningful minutes?
4. Will Ball, Ross and Stewart improve on defense?
5. Will Hoss play with consistency?
6. Can Hoss stay out of foul trouble? 5.4 fouls per 40 at UConn vs 3.9 at Michigan.
7. Does Karaban return to sophomore form?
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Every team has questions like this though. Pre season rankings should mostly be based on projected rotations and coaching staff quality. And we have arguably the top combination of rotation quality on paper and coaching staff.
 
Huskyforlife said:
Surprised people think 2 is high for us. Go compare the rosters for the other top 10 teams, ours is absolutely one of the best.
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tbh that's how I felt last year and it blew up so I'm being more reserved this time around. I haven't gone through all of the assumptions and projections with other teams projected top 10 but this UConn team still has alot of questions. Two new PGs that have to adjust with Hurley's offensive system when we have history that it can be a struggle, Solo and Tarris have to take another leap as starters(I expect this to happen), AK has to not drive his game off of a cliff when we expect him to be consistent, JStew and JRoss have to take the leap and develop into consistent rotation guys and hopefully starter caliber players, and then Mullins and Riebe have to perform like Big East All-Freshman caliber players to round out the rotation.
 
UConNick said:
Bringing back 4 rotation players (5 if you count Ross) is like the 98th percentile for returning rosters in the country. Just through having Alex back, I’ll take our continuity over anyone not named Purdue. Then add in our pair of 5-star freshmen, our stud transfer and our perfect role transfer, and it’s easy to see why we are where we are compared to the rest of the country. Plus, for better or worse, we get brownie points and the benefit of the doubt for it saying “UConn” across our chests.

2 behind Purdue sounds exactly right to me. If Uzan eschews the draft to return for Houston I’d slot them even above Purdue. But in general I’m bullish on next season.
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True, but coming off a year where we spent much of the time unranked, ended w double digit losses. I’m cool with it. The games with St. John’s will be fun.
 
aceboon said:
tbh that's how I felt last year and it blew up so I'm being more reserved this time around. I haven't gone through all of the assumptions and projections with other teams projected top 10 but this UConn team still has alot of questions. Two new PGs that have to adjust with Hurley's offensive system when we have history that it can be a struggle, Solo and Tarris have to take another leap as starters(I expect this to happen), AK has to not drive his game off of a cliff when we expect him to be consistent, JStew and JRoss have to take the leap and develop into consistent rotation guys and hopefully starter caliber players, and then Mullins and Riebe have to perform like Big East All-Freshman caliber players to round out the rotation.
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From a quick glance, for the 8 teams ranked right behind us 24/40 projected starters are freshman or transfers. And that's not counting the increased roles for starters
 
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