February General CBB Discussion Thread
- Thread starter Mr. French
- Start date
- Status
YearoftheHusky
Three in Four.
- Joined
- Aug 26, 2011
- Messages
- 1,615
- Reaction Score
- 11,587
And here we are worrying about how we don’t win by enough.
- Joined
- Aug 29, 2011
- Messages
- 262
- Reaction Score
- 751
Yes, but to be fair, aren’t they a lacrosse school?
- Joined
- Aug 10, 2025
- Messages
- 1,665
- Reaction Score
- 5,489
Not blaming Flemming for falling. Seems more like bad luck than anything and he still got the ball to Cenac pretty impressively for an opportunity for a basket.
Cenac was bad down that stretch from the airball off that pass and then his guy was the one who got the rebound off the FT. Made a typical mistake of not getting a body on someone and just standing in front of the rim hoping the ball bounces right.
- Joined
- Sep 3, 2011
- Messages
- 9,762
- Reaction Score
- 33,815
He’s still a very raw player - lots of potential.
Nah. they're just trying to get back their football glory days when Greg Paulus was their QB.
.-.
- Joined
- Aug 27, 2011
- Messages
- 2,767
- Reaction Score
- 5,547
- Joined
- Aug 10, 2025
- Messages
- 1,665
- Reaction Score
- 5,489
He’s Jaren Jackson Jr coming out of MSU. I blame him not getting the rebounding gene that Izzo’s program teaches to him being a one and done.
Wonder if it’ll be the same for Chris if he leaves this year.
So the 22-23 UConn team that was a 4 seed was by far the most talented team? Of course you’re saying this to discredit Hurley. I guess whooping every team in the tourney by 15+ is so easy, huh? Just unbelievable lol.
It was because of all the athletes we had…..unlike this years team
.-.
- Joined
- Sep 3, 2011
- Messages
- 9,762
- Reaction Score
- 33,815
This is easily the least talented team of the three, and if you don't see that, not sure what to tell you. 24 goes without saying, and 23 had an advantage at every position other than PG and the bench was so much better. They also played against a weak field, this years field is loaded. This year's team is going to have to execute with it's starting five.
I'll never discredit Hurley - if anything, I think the coaching advantage is what gives this team a chance to make a run this year. It'll be a test/challenging. My point is this team isn't nearly as talented, the coaching is what gives them a chance.
Last edited:
T
The Arkansas and Gonzaga teams we played that year were good, and both games were over by halftime. We put on a coaching clinic.
Yes I agree it's a huge difference between this team and prior ones, which is why I don't agree with the people who compare this team to the 22-23 one. But Ruff insinuating that the only reason we steamrolled everyone that year was that we had a huge talent advantage is just ridiculous
- Joined
- Sep 3, 2011
- Messages
- 9,762
- Reaction Score
- 33,815
Totally - was beautiful to watch. We were also able to overwhelm those teams with better athletes/depth. We ran past them, transitioned. This year's team looks nothing like that team. I know many of us hoped they would, but it's not even slightly like that team. 23 and 24 were also much different teams.
One thing worth scrapping at this point is trying to model one Uconn team after a past successful team. It's pointless. Players are so unique individually, you can't really template it out.
Last edited:
Funny enough, this UConn team reminds me of some of those Gonzaga teams over the years that put up lofty W/L totals in a weak conference, and had great coaching and often great execution when it mattered, but were usually missing those above the rim athletes.
- Joined
- Aug 29, 2011
- Messages
- 2,010
- Reaction Score
- 11,084
100% agree. 23 and 24 had shot blocks and steals from defensive standouts that initiated fast breaks and transition points. We have neither this year. Ross and Demery are the closest "athletes" to 23 and 24.
.-.
- Joined
- Sep 3, 2011
- Messages
- 9,762
- Reaction Score
- 33,815
Yup - they had kill shot capability, this team doesn't. This team is a bunch of grinders. It may actually be a good thing they've played so many close games as I would expect it to be the same in the tourney. Ross wouldn't have seen the floor on that 2023 team. The 23 team had a lot of diversity in their roster: lob artists, snipers, passers, size, low post locks. I don't know how long the ride will go, but I would expect it to look vastly different than either of those two years.
What I'm hoping is that Hurley finds a way to develop rosters a little closer to those two teams as it feels like he's moved away from some of the profile types for whatever reason.
That’s not a good thing based on Gonzaga FF record
- Joined
- Nov 20, 2025
- Messages
- 53
- Reaction Score
- 208
Reibe is solid, but this team would look very different with a Clingan level defender as the backup C
- Joined
- Nov 14, 2014
- Messages
- 739
- Reaction Score
- 3,366
Ones who win it all in year 2, he means…
- Joined
- May 27, 2015
- Messages
- 16,398
- Reaction Score
- 112,715
The 23 team had a Block% of 12.7% and a Steal% of 9.2%. The 24 team had a Block% of 14.2% and a Steal% of 9.3%.
This year's team has a Block% of 15.3% and Steal% 10.6%, we are getting more blocks and more steals than both championship teams.
I think they made a bunch of elite 8s, too. A few S16 losses. Half this board thinks we're getting sniped in round 2, so it depends how you look at it
.-.
- Joined
- Sep 3, 2011
- Messages
- 9,762
- Reaction Score
- 33,815
I'd consider a F4 a very good year, and validating for Hurley. It's a banner. I know we love our titles here, but this team winning a title would be against the odds. The eyeball test, roster test and metrics all support it. If Hurley could win the NC with this team, he'd be cemented as one of the best coaches of all time.
Last edited:
Why doesn’t it seem like this is true?
- Joined
- Sep 3, 2011
- Messages
- 9,762
- Reaction Score
- 33,815
They don't turn it into offense/transition points.
- Joined
- Aug 27, 2011
- Messages
- 18,718
- Reaction Score
- 33,629
What’s intriguing is that we pushed Florida last year, the eventual champion with a team that was not as talented overall? But there are a lot of better teams to deal with this year. If we were to somehow stomp St. John’s the narrative might change.
- Joined
- Sep 3, 2011
- Messages
- 9,762
- Reaction Score
- 33,815
That result very much sits out there as one of the mysterious variables in the UConn/Hurley's tourney potential. Then you couple it with this early season's undermanned OOC results, and we have this element in play where UConn's coaching/system are hard to prepare for. How meaningful is it? Season has a Jeckyl & Hyde quality to it, who shows up in March?
If you look at that Florida box, some of the non typical stats that stand out: UConn had 14 offensive rebounds against one of the best rebounding teams in the country. We turned them over 12x to our 6, took 14 more shots than them. Those were super atypical stats for each team, not sure how repeatable they'd be.
I'm with you on that StJ's game - I think we know what we have there. That game will be for the BE crown at home, to cement a 1 seed. There is a lot riding on it. It's as good as a tourney game. If we can't show up there, I think it will say a lot about our March hopes.
Last edited:
- Joined
- May 27, 2014
- Messages
- 4,744
- Reaction Score
- 28,111
That, and a bit of nostalgia lol. The thing is, every year is different. There is no guarantee that the 2023 team wins the title this year if we had that exact line up today. I agree with you that there are more title contenders this year than in 2023 and 2024.
.-.
- Status