Huskies who blossomed as upperclassmen

[Spaceman213J]

I think Armstrong is the obvious answer and there are a lot of good names listed.

I would even throw Ryan Boatright on the list. I know his stats didn't change much and he scored as an underclassman, but something clicked half way through his junior year on the defensive end. Even his steal stats didn't change much, but and Shabazz became a nightmare at times. I think Boatright really began to understand his role and how important he was to the team.

 

[Waquoit]

I know Giffey was a 4 year contributor, one of my favorite bits of trivia is his playing 24 minutes in the Butler game. But his senior year he turned into one of the best 3-point shooters in the country. He started strong but never "reverted to the mean." In this case shooting 48% as a senior versus 34% the other 3 years. And we all remember, he was shooting daggers until the end.

 

[ToolzieFan]

I think Tyrese Martin counts, right? He was very good both years as a Husky, but the shooting took a major leap. He shot 32% from three on 2.3 attempts per game as a junior, and 43% on 3.4 attempts per game as a senior. He obviously deserves credit for improving his performance when he jumped from the A-10 to the Big East. Most noteworthy is that even The Boneyard didn’t see him as an NBA prospect entering his senior year. The board thought Akok, Johnson, Floyd, and Diggins were all more likely to play in the NBA.

 

[Shamon30]

Nobody to a bigger degree than Hilton Armstrong. I'd say Newton second. Facey arguably was pretty close to being as good as he was his senior year for a couple of years before - he just didn't get the PT to show it.

 

[Teddie1056]

I'd say there are really only four examples under Hurley, as I think CV was already very good as a sophomore:

Whaley - as someone else mentioned it wasn't statistical but his overall play in his final year that was impressive.

Newton - Went from solid stats as a senior (first year at UConn) to being the best PG in the country as a fifth year

Diarra - His jump in play from junior to senior to fifth year is just something amazing. He went from 8-9th in 2023, to sixth man of the year in the BE in 2024 to a solid starter and arguably UConn's most indispensable player

Samson - His first two years were nearly non-existent. He was a more than solid backup last year and a solid starter this year.

For Newton, you could see the switch happen in late 2022/23

 

[Teddie1056]

Kemba was the biggest I watched.

Sophomore Kemba was a fun, decent, and sloppy player.

Junior Kemba put up one of the greatest college seasons ever.

 

[djct1999]

This has got to be the 10th time we've had this same thread.

The answer is Hilton Armstrong.

This is the correct answer. From his body frame, to athleticism, to his overall game and production, no blossomed later and as much as Hilton did. Anyone who saw him in his early years would be lying if they believed he would play himself to the lottery.

 

[Dove]

Travis Knight went from inept dullard for 2 years to on court tour de force in a flash. Amazing to watch.

 

[caw]

For Newton, you could see the switch happen in late 2022/23

Agreed, but still fits the criteria IMO.

 

[willie99]

If Walter Clayton was as good last year as he was this year, his senior season, he doesn't beat us this year

How about
Sanogo
A Jackson
Giffey
Kemba
Newt
Spencer
Reed
Wrench
Vital

All blossomed as upper classmen and / or with our coaching staff

 

[CONN78SEJ]

Jim Calhoun brings UConn to the dance in his 4th season
Dan Hurley brings UConn to the dance in his 3rd season
Geno brings UConn to the dance in his 5th season

Geno did it in his 4th season not his 5th, was hired May 1985 by John Toner over coffee at a Dunkin Donuts, and got his first NCAA invite in 1989, and went to his first Final Four just two years later in 1991. They came oh so close that year, lost to #1 Virginia by 4 points.

 

[Waquoit]

They came oh so close that year, lost to #1 Virginia by 4 points.

They got jobbed.

 

[bobbygt]

I'll throw in Thabeet. Not quite the same trajectory as Hilton and Edwards, who are both great choices, since those two didn't play much early on.

While Thabeet played a lot as a freshman, I never thought he's develop into an All American two years later.

 

[DRBackup]

Donny Marshall is the best case. From 9 mpg and 2 ppg as a freshman to 30 mpg and 16 ppg as a senior. On a really good team, at that. There was only one team "better" that year, they just ran into them in the elite 8

 

[UCan3]

Kemba was the biggest I watched.

Sophomore Kemba was a fun, decent, and sloppy player.

Junior Kemba put up one of the greatest college seasons ever.

I remember Kemba as a Freshman having decent games but nothing too unusual but then either at end of freshman season or beginning of soph, where I remembering thinking what is going on here….

He dumped like 30+ on another team and I was like - okay this kid is doing something I haven’t seen before at UConn and he kept just getting better and better and better…

 

[Kolumbo]

Geno did it in his 4th season not his 5th, was hired May 1985 by John Toner over coffee at a Dunkin Donuts, and got his first NCAA invite in 1989, and went to his first Final Four just two years later in 1991. They came oh so close that year, lost to #1 Virginia by 4 points.

My mistake. For some reason basketball reference didn't show the 1989 tourney result but did show them as an 8 seed

85-86 12-15
86-87 14-13
87-88 17-11
88-89 24-6 8 seed
89-90 25-6 NCAA 2nd Round
90-91 29-5 NCAA Final 4

Connecticut Huskies Women's Basketball Index | College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com

Check out the Connecticut Huskies College Basketball History, Stats, Records, Polls, Leaders and More College Basketball Stats at Sports-Reference.com

www.sports-reference.com