ESPN Way Too Early Top 25: UConn #4
- Thread starter Matrim55
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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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Waquoit
Mr. Positive
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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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I agree. 1-6 seem solid, but our bench is unproven.
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Who is better than us? St. John's and BYU are the only teams I think could make a case.
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I don't know enough about other rosters to say. I'm just thinking "is this a Final 4 team" and my answer is: "it depends on if our bench steps up and our juniors decide to be big boys on defense or not"
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People are high on Purdue because they’re bringing back 70% of their minutes from last year and a semi-pro player from Israel I believe.
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Our projected starting lineup has over 50 ppg of HIGH MAJOR ball coming back. That’s huge.
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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.
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.
Huskyforlife
Akokbouk
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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.
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.
Huskyforlife
Akokbouk
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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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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?
Huskyforlife
Akokbouk
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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.
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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.
UconnU
If he blocks 100, he blocks 100
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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.
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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
StllH8L8ner
You’ll get nothing and like it!
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This was my instant reaction seeing the ranking also. A lot of things that can go either way. I was just too lazy to type it all out. Mainly the PGs, Hoss staying on the floor and getting Captain Dagger AK getting back to his old self and not throwing up wide open bricks.
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This talk about a lot of questions with UConn. Every team has questions, UConn and Purdue seem to have less questions than everyone else and I like our overall talent more than theirs.
Huskyforlife
Akokbouk
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Right, our only real question is if we’re starting a top 15 freshman at small forward, or the returning junior with solid role player potential. Also feel like a lot of “benefit of the doubt” is deserved nationally speaking when you have this coaching staff, other less proven coaches should probably face more scrutiny for their questions heading into their season than ours.
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Purdue's fans are horrible. When my brother and I went to the Final four in 2024. A lady came up to me in food line and said aren't you scared to be outnumbered so bad in fans. I just said WTF with my face. What I should of said was why would I when we are Champions. It was so nice routing them and being able to celebrate amongst all those Purdue fans who outnumbered us like 4 to 1. LOL!
Maybe she didn't know what it was like, going to a championship game. It had been 65 years for them.