Last UConn team with 8 losses in first 19 games

[tcf15]

Was curious the last time UConn had at least 8 losses in their first 19 games, and found it happened in 92/93. Not really familiar with that team, but it had one senior* (Burrell), two juniors (Cormier & Macklin), 5 sophomores (Donyell, Donny, KO, Fair and Calhoun), and 4 freshman (Hayward, Johnson, Knight & Willingham).

*Toraino Walker was the second senior on this team, but left the team for good after only playing one game.

http://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/connecticut/1993-schedule.html

 

[Migs]

Thanks for bringing up the Jackson State, Lindsey Hunter, game. Only similarity I can think of is both have amazing athletes who were listed at 6 feet. Maybe Cup was a little taller.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

And closing the season with Lindsey Hunter.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

Thanks for bringing up the Jackson State, Lindsey Hunter, game. Only similarity I can think of is both have amazing athletes who were listed at 6 feet. Maybe Cup was a little taller.

Beat me to it

 

[selles]

Thanks for bringing up the Jackson State, Lindsey Hunter, game. Only similarity I can think of is both have amazing athletes who were listed at 6 feet. Maybe Cup was a little taller.

Actually, there are some definite similarities. One talented veteran senior moving into a different role and trying to lead a bunch of young guys who weren't quite ready for prime time. Plus only 1 competent ballhandler (Cormier does NOT count - I still have nightmares about his end to end rushes).

As an aside, anyone else shocked that a freshman Travis Knight shot 5 threes that year? I can't imagine how he survived JC's wrath after the first one.

 

[Candyman]

Didnt Boo and Rudy come in with Ollie, Fair and the Marshalls so wouldnt they had been sophmores too or did they both red-shirt? I kno0w Rudy eventually did but not sure when.

 

[mauconnfan]

Actually, there are some definite similarities. One talented veteran senior moving into a different role and trying to lead a bunch of young guys who weren't quite ready for prime time. Plus only 1 competent ballhandler (Cormier does NOT count - I still have nightmares about his end to end rushes).

As an aside, anyone else shocked that a freshman Travis Knight shot 5 threes that year? I can't imagine how he survived JC's wrath after the first one.

Look at the rest of the team, they didn't have a lot of good shooters besides Brian Fair. Donny got better later and Scotty was just so-so always from the perimeter. Travis was one of the better shooters anyway! LOL

 

[geordi]

The other factor is that, from 93 on, the Big East was so strong that we didn't have more than a couple of out of conference games against very good competition. In part, the result was running 11-1 or 10-2 OOC. Now, because of the league, we need to revise the scheduling strategy to include more and stronger teams to compensate.

 

[UCweCONN]

One thing that always irked me about JC was the number of 10+ loss seasons he had. I chalked it up to his habit of bringing in large recruiting classes that left the cupboard bare when they left and a couple down years after a very good year. He never had the consistency of other elite teams. I prefer to bring in a couple recruits per year and smooth it out (I recognize that the early entry dynamic is a bigger factor which can impact this as well). As a fan, I hope KO is not a feast or famine coach. In this awful conference, we just can't afford it or we'll never get any decent recruits.

 

[scrappy2.0]

That was not a bad team at all--I certainly remember that team Think about this--there were 5 NBA players on that team.

 

[nomar]

That was not a bad team at all--I certainly remember that team Think about this--there were 5 NBA players on that team.

And if the Boneyard existed back then, there would have been dimwits starting threads like "If you think this year is bad wait till next season!"

 

[Tommyboy]

That was my freshman year at UConn.

 

[gtcam]

That team was losing games very similar to this team. I think if you look at the team 2 yrs down the road - they were 2 DM free throws (ok the Boat basher for the Yale and Texas misses) away from the Final Four. There are a lot of good/great players listed in that roster with a down year - and it was two years removed from the first GREAT UConn season (Tates miracle) -
Things are cyclical
I remember being at that Jackson State game - that guy tore it up!!!
Nice to see JC didn't play favorites with his son!
I didn't realize Donyell took so few 3's that year - in the league he just went crazy from the 3's
The guy was crazy but I loved how Eric Haywood played - we called him Jack O' Lantern

 

[Husky1964]

Scotty went from almost the FF, winning 2 NCAA games as a Soph, winning 1 as a Junior, and going to the NIT as a Senior. Not his fault but quite a downside.

 

[CAHUSKY]

My last year at UCONN. Lots of losses but lots of great memories.

 

[joober jones]

That was my first year in CT and the first season in which I really followed UConn. Macklin started out as a walk on (I can't remember if he was ever awarded a scholarship or not) and played Dove-style minutes. You almost can't really count him as an experienced player on that year's team. Scott Burrell would've had a very good NBA career if not for chronic injuries.

 

[joober jones]

Didnt Boo and Rudy come in with Ollie, Fair and the Marshalls so wouldnt they had been sophmores too or did they both red-shirt? I kno0w Rudy eventually did but not sure when.

RJ redshirted but I don't think Boo did. I may be wrong about that though.

 

[tcf15]

Didnt Boo and Rudy come in with Ollie, Fair and the Marshalls so wouldnt they had been sophmores too or did they both red-shirt? I kno0w Rudy eventually did but not sure when.

RJ redshirted but I don't think Boo did. I may be wrong about that though.

You're both right about them coming in with Ollie. I didn't know where to look for their years, so I googled their names. Saw a Courant article about Boo that said he averaged this many points from 92-95, so I figured 92-93 was his first year. And another article mentioned Rudy as a freshman in 92/93 but not that he was redshirted

 

[WisePig]

In addition to both teams having bad starts, I believe Cup Cormier and Rodney Purvis also have the same barber. Nice to see Rodney honoring Cup with the fierce squiggle pattern.

 

[CallMeBruce]

I wish Brian Fair was on this year's team.

 

[Husky1964]

Johnson played 5 yrs med redshirt.

 

[amory]

One thing that always irked me about JC was the number of 10+ loss seasons he had. I chalked it up to his habit of bringing in large recruiting classes that left the cupboard bare when they left and a couple down years after a very good year. He never had the consistency of other elite teams. I prefer to bring in a couple recruits per year and smooth it out (I recognize that the early entry dynamic is a bigger factor which can impact this as well). As a fan, I hope KO is not a feast or famine coach. In this awful conference, we just can't afford it or we'll never get any decent recruits.

I'll take championships and inconsistency over what, say, Syracuse has.

But I do agree the down years are very frustrating.

 

[BLUEDOGHOUSE]

I wish Brian Fair was on this year's team.

or even Leon for that matter. At the very least with some of his limitations he would have pulled a Kevin Pangos and spent hours in the gym on his own at night shooting to mitigate some of his shortcomings. The journalist that Joe D interviewed before the game on the radio was spot on with regards to the mentality of this team. Actually the vibe at the open practice that I attended earlier in the season left me shaking my head. So what is going on now is not that surprising. Having said that we have the luxury of being favored in any game in Hartford in the AAC Tournament. Albeit not by much but we won't be dogs. Odds are we get in playing through Hartford. Assuming that happens I wouldn't rule out us winning a game or 2 in the dance.

 

[tentoes4rings]

After that season though, we were 173-35 through the 99 season, culminating in our first championship! To try to put this season against other bad seasons I looked up JC's record. That 173-35 record included the 96-97 team that went 18-15.
Astounding that apart from that season (Rip,KFree, Voskuhl were freshmen) we went 155-20 and played in a very strong Big East.

 

[BearJWS]

Didnt Boo and Rudy come in with Ollie, Fair and the Marshalls so wouldnt they had been sophmores too or did they both red-shirt? I kno0w Rudy eventually did but not sure when.

Correct, Boo, Rudy J joined Donny & Donyell, Fair & Ollie in that class... Let's not forget Richie Asmeade & Jeff Calhoun were also in that same class. That was one big incoming freshman class...