Jim Calhoun: UConn is going to be better than people think next season.

[TheChamps990411]

1998-99 Ohio State
1997-98: 8-22
1998-99: 27-9 (NCAA Final Four - vacated)

2003-04 Texas-El Paso
2002-03: 6-24
2003-04: 24-8 (NCAA First Round)

1999-00 Iowa State
1998-99: 15-15
1999-00: 32-5 (NCAA Elite Eight)

This type of list can go into infinity and beyond, it happens on a regular basis

How about this doozy?

Loyola Chicago
2016-2017 18-14
2017-2018 32-6 Final Four

Ill add my own spin to that.
2011 when we got "the other lamb" and our recruiting class sucked!
2014 "APR!" "Our program has been set back a decade" Durrrrrrr!

 

[TheChamps990411]

If this team wins more than 20 games and makes the tournament it is not a good look for KO at all.

 

[UConnNick]

I mean, we had the worst season in UCONN history last year. To go from that to an 8 seed would be one of the great turnarounds in NCAA history.

Not even remotely close to our worst season. The 1968-69 team went 5-19, 5-7 at home, 0-12 on the road, and that was against a Yankee Conference schedule. The lone bright spot...an inexplicable 103-84 drubbing of Syracuse.

Last season was bad no doubt, but 68-69 is tough to beat as the worst ever.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

If this team wins more than 20 games and makes the tournament it is not a good look for KO at all.

Nobody's looking.

 

[intlzncster]

1998-99 Ohio State
1997-98: 8-22
1998-99: 27-9 (NCAA Final Four - vacated)

2003-04 Texas-El Paso
2002-03: 6-24
2003-04: 24-8 (NCAA First Round)

1999-00 Iowa State
1998-99: 15-15
1999-00: 32-5 (NCAA Elite Eight)

This type of list can go into infinity and beyond, it happens on a regular basis

How about this doozy?

Loyola Chicago
2016-2017 18-14
2017-2018 32-6 Final Four

Now contrast the 1000's of programs with similar records who stayed the same and marginally improved.

And that list actually doesn't go on and on. It gets flatter.

And your first example got vacated -> ineligible players! lol

 

[intlzncster]

Not even remotely close to our worst season. The 1968-69 team went 5-19, 5-7 at home, 0-12 on the road, and that was against a Yankee Conference schedule. The lone bright spot...an inexplicable 103-84 drubbing of Syracuse.

Last season was bad no doubt, but 68-69 is tough to beat as the worst ever.

Anything pre Calhoun doesn't really count for much except to a small segment of the fan base. Anything pre BE I'll give you. Since the coming of JC, last season was the nader.

 

[intlzncster]

I gotta go with Sweet here. The talent is better than many are giving credit for, and Calhoun, whose ability to construct a team should be unquestioned, knows it. Reasonable optimism is warranted. The coaches used the talent poorly last year. That doesn’t tell you much about what they’re capabilities are.

Now, I wrote ‘reasonable’. Anyone who thinks we’ll run the table in the AAC is hallucinating.

Of course we are going to be better. I'm hoping for 20 wins. I don't think 20 wins in the AAC will be dancing next year.

JC himself said: If you win in the American (23-25 games) you'll be just fine. Maybe not this year but we'll get there.

 

[Stainmaster]

Anything pre Calhoun doesn't really count for much except to a small segment of the fan base. Anything pre BE I'll give you. Since the coming of JC, last season was the nader.

Well, you did say "in UConn history..."

 

[intlzncster]

Well, you did say "in UConn history..."

For me, UCONN history is JC forward. Was being true to myself!

 

[TitleTown]

I am just looking forward to something resembling an offensive set and just not spreading the floor every possession and have somebody go 1 on 1 off the dribble.

 

[UConnNick]

Anything pre Calhoun doesn't really count for much except to a small segment of the fan base. Anything pre BE I'll give you. Since the coming of JC, last season was the nader.

You indicated "worst ever", with none of the qualifiers you're adding now.

 

[pj]

you should look up what survival bias means

He's found ~6 20-win turnarounds in the last 20 years, out of 20*300= 6000 program-seasons. So the top 0.1% of inter-season improvements gets you to the Elite Eight/Final Four.

I'd expect UConn to be in the top 1% of turnarounds. So 15 extra wins and a win in the NCAA tourney.

Top 4% of turnarounds probably gets us a tourney bid.

With an infusion of talent, experience for a young team, better strength and conditioning, and a much improved coaching staff, why shouldn't we be in the top few percent of recent turnarounds?

 

[willie99]

Now contrast the 1000's of programs with similar records who stayed the same and marginally improved.

And that list actually doesn't go on and on. It gets flatter.

And your first example got vacated -> ineligible players! lol

Suffice to say, programs can and do turn things around rapidly in college basketball, so any argument that says it can't happen is just categorically incorrect. Of course that's not saying every program turns it around every year, which is the argument you're now making against your program. Many bad programs stay bad, yes, that's true, youse got me there

Some teams turn things around simply because freshmen become sophomores, UConn fans should know this

 

[willie99]

you should look up what survival bias means

Research Jim Calhoun and talent evaluating, and then let him know why he's wrong

 

[scdono]

We were 16-17 last year which was a train wreck year. 20 wins is an ok year but totally within reach if we play defense an actual run offense. I think 23-25 wins is a great year and dancing

 

[JMick]

Research Jim Calhoun and talent evaluating, and then let him know why he's wrong

Calhoun said he thinks we'll be better than people think. There's no baseline. You have no idea what he thinks other people expect. That could mean 20 wins or 25 wins. He wasn't exactly specific

 

[CL82]

So just to be wet blanket here, look at Hurley's record at Wagner and URI. The year he takes over isn't great. I like the hire but I will be surprised by a NCAA tournament berth this year. Not impossible, but not likely either.

 

[ctchamps]

I’m sticking with my prediction of 24-29 wins.

 

[Dove]

F the Kool Aid!!!

FINAL FOUR BABYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[intlzncster]

We were 16-17 last year which was a train wreck year. 20 wins is an ok year but totally within reach if we play defense an actual run offense. I think 23-25 wins is a great year and dancing

UCONN was 14-18 last year.

 

[intlzncster]

Research Jim Calhoun and talent evaluating, and then let him know why he's wrong

Jim himself said: If you win in the American (23-25 games) you'll be just fine. Maybe not this year but we'll get there.

 

[intlzncster]

Suffice to say, programs can and do turn things around rapidly in college basketball, so any argument that says it can't happen is just categorically incorrect. Of course that's not saying every program turns it around every year, which is the argument you're now making against your program. Many bad programs stay bad, yes, that's true, youse got me there

Nobody said it can't happen. Odds say it won't. Will be pleasantly surprised if it does.

Some teams turn things around simply because freshmen become sophomores, UConn fans should know this

Sure. But even JC never manufactured this type of turnaround (didn't have to).

And most of our best players became true studs their junior years.

 

[RayIsTheGOAT]

So just to be wet blanket here, look at Hurley's record at Wagner and URI. The year he takes over isn't great. I like the hire but I will be surprised by a NCAA tournament berth this year. Not impossible, but not likely either.

The situation he is taking over here isn't nearly as bad as what he dealt with taking over Wagner and URI, and Hurley even said exactly that at his press conference.
He certainly didn't inherit anything close to a potential conference player of the year, a 5* PG, and a top 75 recruit.
Yes, it will take time, and next season has the potential to be rocky. But as you said, an NCAA tournament berth is not out of the question. It's hard to gauge next season, but there's probably a guarantee they will be better than last season.