Napier-Lamb-Smith-Oriakhi-Drummond

[Walker11]

Think about the size of this team. There are very few teams that even start 6'7 6'8 small forwards nowadays. A lot of teams go 3 guards, or a small combo guy playing sf.

Oriakhi will have great size at the pf position, Drummond is supposedly incredibly long, Roscoe and DD are those tall, lanky wings, and JL, well...

 

[Sully]

I'm just happy as hell to see some good hoops. I certainly like our chances.

 

[ctchamps]

You take the 2004 team and it's not even close. So many talented veterans, so many good young studs. This years team has great potential, but even at the end of the season (without knowing how we'll turn out) I'm still taking '04. That's the best team, top to bottom, UConn has put on the court in my humble opinion.

I'll take either of them! And the funny thing is we have both. I'm waiting until this season plays out. It's still a young team and will require time for the players to mesh. But I'm hopeful this team proves comparable to 2004.

 

[aceboon]

Yea, its hard to think of another team that is longer than ours, AO already had a wingspan longer than most C's and now he'll using that from the PF position. The only player who doesn't have great size for his position is Bazz but we already know what he's capable of as a defender and he's only going to get better and smarter at defending his position.

Think about the size of this team. There are very few teams that even start 6'7 6'8 small forwards nowadays. A lot of teams go 3 guards, or a small combo guy playing sf.

Oriakhi will have great size at the pf position, Drummond is supposedly incredibly long, Roscoe and DD are those tall, lanky wings, and JL, well...

 

[caw]

Right now I would take the 04 team but its easy to say that because you know what you're getting because we know how everyone turned out. With this team we don't necessarily know the progressions of everyone but we have a decent idea. Some people make the leap some don't. That being said, I would take this team against the 2011-12 UNC team and the 2011-12 UK team and against any other 2011-12 team.

That's a good question, how does UConn matchup on paper against UK and UNC now (not to mention other contenders).

I have to think UNC remains the favorite. Zeller, Henson, Barnes, Strickland, Marshall with Hairston, Hubert, McAdoo, Bullock on the bench is a pretty darn good team. Not saying UConn couldn't take them.

I'm not as hyped about UK. Davis, Jones, Miller, Lamb, Teague with Wiltjer, Vargas and Gilchrist off the bench is good but will have trouble defending the paint against either Zeller/Henson or Oriakhi/Drummond. Harleson helped them a ton last year and will be missed unless Vargas/Wiltjer can step it up. I think Oriakhi/Drummond would pound them down low.

 

[UCHuskies08]

I was referring to across the NCAA this season, but interesting discussion.

 

[UConn5]

I wouldn't displace UNC as the favorite. Barnes came into his own at the end of last year and they didn't lose anyone. I would take issue with UK being the favorite given that UConn beat them twice and both teams lost significant pieces, but UConn kept more. UK fans will argue that UK deserves to be ahead of UConn and we'll argue the opposite. We have the comfort of knowing that our coach's best teams are better than UK's coach's best teams.

I'd be happy to be ranked #3 preseason and #1 at the end.

 

[B1GEast]

Name me a better starting 5 next year

Lebron James
Dwyane Wade
Chris Bosh
Mario Chalmers
Joel Anthony

 

[UconnU]

Lebron James
Dwyane Wade
Chris Bosh
Mario Chalmers
Joel Anthony

That's debatable.

 

[CL82]

Who else is already envisioning Bazz to Drummond alley oops?

 

[NHUConnfan]

Not sure if top 6-7 will play in the NBA, but I have no idea how they are going to manage minutes:

PG - Napier 30 Backup Boatright 10
SG - Lamb 30 Backup Daniels 5 Boatright 5
SF - Smith 15 Backup Daniels 15 Giffey 10
PF - Drummond 25 Backup Smith 10 Olander 5
C - Oriakhi 30 Backup Drummond 5 Wolf/Bradley 5

I really can't figure it out. I know Daniels/Boatright/Drummond will be freshman but with their talent it seems like I'm shorting them on minutes. Same with Giffey.

That is a stacked team as long as either Boatright and/or Daniels can backup the 2 in spurts. The length of that team is sick, PG is kind of small, but with how pesky I expect the Napier/Boatright combination to be, that's fine.

I really see Drummond being our C and Oriakhi moving to where he should be (and will be in the NBA) - PF.

 

[TheChamps990411]

SF-SMITH/DANIELS
PF-ORIAHKI/OLANDER
C-DRUMMOND/WOLF/BRADLEY
SG-LAMB/GIFFEY
PG-BAZZ/BOATRIGHT

4 guys that block and alter shots in the starting 5 and one guy (bazz) who was a great defender as a frosh and should only get better. thats where our edge is over EVERY team in the country imho. do any of you think unc,ku,cuse or osu can defend like we can? i doubt it. ive spent some time checking the boards of kentucky,unc and duke and their reactions to us landing drummond has been met with hate,fear but respect. the overall feeling from those fan bases is uconn is going to have to be dealt with if your going to win the national title. honestly if this team turns out to be as good as we think it is the only team i see that can really beat us at our best is unc. kentucky is talented but they dont have the muscle in the post to deal with our bigs. i think olander could be really good coming off the bench for us and if bradley could block some shots and rebound we become that much tougher to beat.

 

[Chief00]

My guess is Roscoe starts over Daniels. Start with defense/rebounding then bring the shooter off the bench - is my view.

 

[F Paint]

Name me a better starting 5 next year

Teague, Lamb, Gilcrhist-Kidd, Jones, Davis

 

[F Paint]

We have the comfort of knowing that our coach's best teams are better than UK's coach's best teams.

And ironically have less scholarships...

 

[UCHuskies08]

Teague, Lamb, Gilcrhist-Kidd, Jones, Davis

Well at least Lamb and Jones already know what it's like to lose to UConn twice - maybe it won't be so jarring this year?

 

[F Paint]

Well at least Lamb and Jones already know what it's like to lose to UConn twice - maybe it won't be so jarring this year?

They know what it's like to lose to Kemba. I don't see him on your roster this year...

 

[Brochacho]

They'll just have to get used to losing to Jeremy Lamb in that case.

 

[F Paint]

They'll just have to get used to losing to Jeremy Lamb in that case.

No. They won't.

 

[caw]

No. They won't.

You are probably right, but only because UConn and UK have a very small chance of actually playing this year IIRC.

 

[F Paint]

You are probably right, but only because UConn and UK have a very small chance of actually playing this year IIRC.

Aww, come on. you all will make a nice little sweet-16 opponent as a #5 seed.

 

[UCHuskies08]

Aww, come on. you all will make a nice little sweet-16 opponent as a #5 seed.

Child please.

 

[TheChamps990411]

They know what it's like to lose to Kemba. I don't see him on your roster this year...

it cracks me up that uk fans always wanna play the "you dont have kemba card". last time i checked uk lost brandon knight without whom they would not have gone to the FF without. spare me the bs. every team loses players and while kemba will be missed we`ll be just fine without him. we wont need any last second shots against uk because we`ll be giving you another maui spanking if we meet up again.

 

[Huskybass]

We lost:
Kemba
Chuck
Beverly
Jamal Coombs-McDaniel

We gained:
Boatright
Drummond
Deandre Daniels

As great as Kemba was, its clear that Drummond and Daniels are huge upgrades over Chuck and Beverly. Add in the development of Lamb, Bazz, Oriakhi, Giffey, etc. and we may have a more talented overall team in 2011-12. Can't ignore the Kemba factor, but there are lots of very good players on the roster and I am amazed at the depth we have.

 

[UConn990411]

it cracks me up that uk fans always wanna play the "you dont have kemba card". last time i checked uk lost brandon knight without whom they would not have gone to the FF without. spare me the bs. every team loses players and while kemba will be missed we`ll be just fine without him. we wont need any last second shots against uk because we`ll be giving you another maui spanking if we meet up again.

Don't forget they also lost Jorts!!!!!!1