Expectations for this year?

[Tenspro2002]

If our OOC schedule wasn't loaded, I might agree. But the strength of our OOC schedule, coupled with what should be a much improved AAC, should produce a two seed in this hypothetical. Not to mention, college basketball is going to be lacking at the top this year - one and two seeds will likely have more losses than usual.

The preseason tournament should yield at least two games against top 25/50 competition. Then, there is Maryland, Ohio State, Georgetown, and Texas. That right there gets you to six games against top comp (OSU seems like the one question mark). Win three of those, rack up 15 wins in conference play, and win the AAC tournament and you have yourself a 28-6 team with a pretty complete resume.

Say we beat Michigan, Syracuse, Maryland, and Ohio State. That still leaves us with losses to Texas, Georgetown, and, for the sake of argument, Gonzaga. Now say you split with SMU, Cincinnati, and Tulsa. You're at six losses, but you have roughly a dozen quality victories. That's a two seed.

I agree that the top of our OOC schedule is good, but the bottom is atrocious. We have 6 or 7 RPI 250+ games, and several 300+. Combined with the dregs of the AAC, it will be hard to get our own RPI into the top 10, arguably necessary for a 2 seed.

In 2014, 5-loss Louisville, AAC regular season and tournament champ, ranked #5 in the country, was relegated to a #4 seed. Their overall schedule that year won't be much different than ours this year.

 

[Kitaman]

I feel if an alpha dog emerges, along with an all american candidate, coupled with tenacious team defense, we should have a national contender.

Can they all play together will have to be answered as well.

With that said, I expect an AAC Championship as bare minimum.

 

[johnhuskies95]

I agree that the top of our OOC schedule is good, but the bottom is atrocious. We have 6 or 7 RPI 250+ games, and several 300+. Combined with the dregs of the AAC, it will be hard to get our own RPI into the top 10, arguably necessary for a 2 seed.

In 2014, 5-loss Louisville, AAC regular season and tournament champ, ranked #5 in the country, was relegated to a #4 seed. Their overall schedule that year won't be much different than ours this year.

I think that Louisville team beat 3 teams that went to the tournament, and one of them was Louisiana Lafayette. Under Champ's scenario we'd beat at least 6 NCAA tournament level teams(including SMU).

 

[David 76]

Elite 8 is a good year. Not making the sweet 16 is a bad year.

 

[bmayuc]

I am bullish on this team. We were able to address our most glaring issues from last year with A+ 5th year grad transfers(guard play/shooting, rebounding), and also address our creativity gap by adding Jalen Adams. Add that to a breakout expected from DHam and Purvis, and continued development from Amida, and it all lines up for a great year.

I think we absolutely roll through non-conf, and for once breeze through AAC. I think we are looking at 4-5 losses at tourney time, a 2-3 seed that absolutely no one wants to see in their bracket, and a dangerous run in the tourney.

 

[intlzncster]

If our OOC schedule wasn't loaded, I might agree. But the strength of our OOC schedule, coupled with what should be a much improved AAC, should produce a two seed in this hypothetical. Not to mention, college basketball is going to be lacking at the top this year - one and two seeds will likely have more losses than usual.

The preseason tournament should yield at least two games against top 25/50 competition. Then, there is Maryland, Ohio State, Georgetown, and Texas. That right there gets you to six games against top comp (OSU seems like the one question mark). Win three of those, rack up 15 wins in conference play, and win the AAC tournament and you have yourself a 28-6 team with a pretty complete resume.

Say we beat Michigan, Syracuse, Maryland, and Ohio State. That still leaves us with losses to Texas, Georgetown, and, for the sake of argument, Gonzaga. Now say you split with SMU, Cincinnati, and Tulsa. You're at six losses, but you have roughly a dozen quality victories. That's a two seed.

The problem with this setup, is that that it requires UCONN to win early, against serious talent. UCONN's got a lot of new pieces at key positions. If they don't gel right out of the gate, it could be an issue.

 

[Adios]

We'll only succeed if we're hungry Huskies.

 

[raf46]

I'll admit I know far less than many of the posters on here when it comes to the men's team, but as I look at the roster, I'm about as excited for this as I've ever been (not withstanding years where we were preseason top 5 with NC aspirations)...

It seems like we have a great mix of experience, smarts, strength, and skill. But with 2 graduate transfers (Gibbs, Miller) as well as newbies Adams, Enosch, and Larrier, not to mention hopefully 100% healthy Calhoun, it's a team that may well look a lot different and there may be times where the machine looks decidedly un- well oiled as everyone learns to mesh with so many new parts.

This may have been asked/covered already, but what realistic expectations do folks have for the team? It seems preseason most agree we are about the 15-20 range, but honestly, I'd be disappointed if we didn't make the sweet 16, or even go further. I think realistically we are a top 10 team (so I'm thinking elite 8 is very realistic - anything can happen after that) but... only if the GS transfers show leadership and the team is able to learn/mesh well.

It's a long season and I also expect that there will be several games people think we should win easily, but are close calls, and at least a game or 2 where we know we should have won but for whatever reason, it slips away, and hopefully several games where we really thump a solid team. One mark of a really good team is to not only say they learned from it, but to actually go out and not let it happen again.

Time will tell, but as I said, I'm as excited to see this team as any I can remember that wasn't expected to really vie for a NC...

Larrier is for next year. As a D1 transfer he sits out a season. With our newbies added to our vets, a better version of Brimah in the middle after the roles and minutes are defined a NC is VERY possible.. Expect to be in Houston this April.

 

[JonnyRI]

This team is the most talented since I can remember. With starters like DHam, Purv, Sterling, Miller, and Amida this team is loaded. Then players like Facey and Adams coming off the bench. This team is deep and talented. Final Four or bust.

So your memory doesn't extend back to 2005-06?

 

[Dogbreath2U]

I'm hoping for an interesting year, with visible growth over the course of the year, resulting in some great wins and great games. I hope that they develop some of the magic that other top UConn teams have created. If they can come together, play really smart basketball, and find their leader at crunchtime, then watch out. This might not happen at all this year or not emerge till February/March, so some losses in the big early games will not surprise. Let's have a fun ride. Expecting a Final Four? No- the odds are too high against to expect such a result, but if the magic develops, who knows. Enjoy the ride!

 

[imno1]

Boy do we take winning championships for granted. Did we forget how difficult it is to win a NC?

It is difficult. But since 99 it has been less difficult for us than the rest

 

[Waquoit]

I expect us to win the league championship. After that, we'll see.

 

[RichZ]

It is difficult. But since 99 it has been less difficult for us than the rest

Appreciate the sentiment, but there is a difference between it being less difficult for us, and us finding a way to overcome the difficulties attendant to the task. I think the latter description is much more accurate.

 

[UconnFanNVa]

For me the whole thing this year is about the defense and rebounding. I feel alot more confident adding Shonn Miller in the front court next to Amida this year. Not only can we block shots (Miller is no slouch blocking shots either) but we can get the boards off of misses and not give other teams second and third opportunities. I want to see us pressure the ball more for the entire length of the court and just make offenses uncomfortable in general. If our defense is on point this year, there isnt a single team out there that we should lose to. I think our offense will have games where we look just like the greatest offensive team you've ever seen and then i think we'll have a few games where shots that normally drop just dont fall, but through it all if our defense is on i think most games should be ours!

I'm overconfident that our offense will be great! I hope that our defense is there too. I dont want to win games leaning on offense this year, i want us to win games leaning on defense. If we lean on defense we'll win games by 20 and 30 pts, if we lean on offense we'll have way more close calls and more let downs then we want to see. And once we find that defense (and offense) we need to keep that up throughout the season!

I expect us to win the AAC, and i expect a deep run in the tournament at the least (elite 8). By January I expect to be expecting another NCAA championship for our team!!

 

[Excalibur]

On paper, this team should win the conference with no more than 2 or 3 conference losses. Our tournament placement will depend on how the big OOC games go.

If Purvis isn't consistently solid, we will lose more.

 

[CL82]

I'm cautiously optimistic. The pieces all seem to be there for us to have a very solid season. That said we are a Men's BB fan site in October. Pretty much everyone thinks that this could be their year, by December, far less will, by February maybe a dozen or so.

The advantage that UConn, Duke, Florida, Kentucky, etc. have is that they actually know how to win a natty. There a whole lot of pieces, besides having the pieces; how do you focus your kids, how do manage expectations and distractions, etc. For the coaches, I have to believe that game prepping one good opponent after the other, with a quick turnaround, while mixing things up for your opponent to thwart his game planning, must be extraordinarily challenging. UConn has that institutional knowledge (meaning our coaches, Athletic Department and, to a limited extent, administration.) If you have the pieces on the floor, and it looks like we might, that's a big advantage.

It's too soon to say, but I like our chances to have a successful season.

 

[Waquoit]

If Purvis isn't consistently solid, we will lose more.

That's my concern. Many here seem to think the top-shelf Purvis we saw in small doses last year will be the new normal this year. I hope so, I still don't trust his jump shot.

 

[nomar]

Well ok I was obviously wrong. This year you heard it here first , we will have 15 losses and fail to make the tourney.

I've given you a very hard time about your irrational exuberance, but you've been a good sport.

As for my real expectations, there will be struggles, as we have a lot of new pieces. But I'd like to think we'll win 24-25 games and make the Sweet 16.

 

[RichZ]

As I've stated before, at the beginning of the season, I slip on the National Flag blue colored glasses and see nothing but good things ahead. I don't hold expectations of a national championship. But I certainly don't expect NOT to win it, either. I survive the season by keeping my primary focus on the next game. And barring some catastrophe that puts the outcome in jeopardy (key injury, player(s) ineligible, etc.) I go into each game knowing that we can and believing we will win it.

I do however, fully expect to win the league this year.

The NCAA?

Hopefully, there will come the magic tipping point, at which that becomes an expectation.

In 99 we were in unfamiliar territory, and while hope rode high, expectation lagged far behind. In fact, it came during the championship game. Late in that game. As when Ricky forced Langdon into a travel late.

In 04, the expectation grew early in the season, but ebbed a bit as the season wore on. I think it really tipped against Notre Dame in the BET. We were in a rental in Florida that week, and the damned cable went out just before the game started. The last thing I saw was Emeka on the bench in a white shirt and tie. I had to sit in the car and listen to that game on the radio. The entire family was worried that the rest of the vacation would be a nightmare of foul Rich if we didn't win. After we won that game, I never doubted the outcome of another game all season.

In 11, the tipping point was Kemba's ankle breaker against McGhee. Really. When that bit of mastery from the mind of JC and the hand of Kemba went down, I just knew that that pair wouldn't allow us to lose again.

In 14, it wasn't until the outcome of the 'nova game in the 2nd round was obvious that I started to realize this was doable, and I remember going into the round of 8 convinced that our guards would destroy MichState, that Florida would cruise past Dayton and go into the final four with revenge on their feeble minds, and that once again, our guards would dominate theirs. The only question that remained in my mind at that point, was whether the KY Jellies would get by Wisconsin, because I relished the opportunity for Boat and Bazz to make the Harrisons look like freshmen. I wasn't nearly as sure that we could beat those Honey Badgers. Once KY beat WI, I was pretty damned confident we'd win.

So this year, there's no expectations yet, other than that I will go into each game expecting a victory.

Veering off on a bit of a tangent, I note that a lot of respondents in this thread list an improve Brimah as one of the keys. While I would welcome any improvements in his game, I don't think that such improvements are imperative to our success. I believe that the addition of Miller and Enoch makes our front line so much deeper and sturdier than last season, as to put us in drastically better shape inside. I think it will diminish the need for Amida to gamble as much on D, and he should foul less. But we won't be on such thin ice every time Amida has to sit, because we have more (and likely better) pieces to slip in to accommodate for his absence.

 

[Candyman]

Prediction-

• Conf regular season and Tourny champs.
• #3 seed, and elite 8.
• 5 loses

I will keep it modest.

 

[JimHurley]

Legitimately....
2nd Place in AAC. Either win AAC tourney or lose in the final.
Sweet 16 or Elite 8 in NCAA's.
6-7 losses.

My biased prediction....
AAC regular season and tourney champs.
National Champions
4 losses.

 

[Yankees32123]

Expectation is national championship. That's the UConn standard. But my educated, realistic prediction is 2nd place in AAC, win AAC tourney, 5 losses, 4 seed in NCAA's, Sweet 16 at least.

 

[jibsey]

What if Facey, Calhoun and Nolan and Cassell are a lot better this year to go along with the new additions? What if Enoch who is barely mentioned turns out to be a beast? Could be crazy deep. need some practice reports.

 

[Kitaman]

What if Facey, Calhoun and Nolan and Cassell are a lot better this year to go along with the new additions? What if Enoch who is barely mentioned turns out to be a beast? Could be crazy deep. need some practice reports.

Are you looking for me to post the Iverson vid again?

 

[intlzncster]

In 14, it wasn't until the outcome of the 'nova game in the 2nd round was obvious that I started to realize this was doable, and I remember going into the round of 8 convinced that our guards would destroy MichState, that Florida would cruise past Dayton and go into the final four with revenge on their feeble minds, and that once again, our guards would dominate theirs. The only question that remained in my mind at that point, was whether the KY Jellies would get by Wisconsin, because I relished the opportunity for Boat and Bazz to make the Harrisons look like freshmen. I wasn't nearly as sure that we could beat those Honey Badgers. Once KY beat WI, I was pretty damned confident we'd win.

I knew we had a chance once Louisville lost. I was all in at that point, not a second before.

For a prediction, as I haven't offered one, I'm thinking we either win the AAC conference or the AAC tournament title. Not both.

Decent seed in the NCAAs, and then honestly, it depends on matchups. For example, as I alluded to above, I think there was less than a 1% chance we win it in 2014 if we were seeded in Louisville's bracket. I'll wait til the field is seeded.