NIT 4 Seed!!?!?!?

[amory]

I'm sorry but I am literally sick to my stomach watching SMU fans chanting NIT at us. I just can't handle it.

This is just something you have to deal with when you're an elite program. Lesser programs are going to give you , especially when they're on their way up. They're new money in college basketball, and honestly good for them. It only helps us going forward.

As for not liking our formula of recruiting players that will be here for 3-4 years, I don't know what to say. It works. We know it works. We'll never get the Kansas, Duke, or Kentucky recruiting classes, yet we win rings more often than they do.

 

[whaler11]

Would be cool if the NIT could somehow secure a deal with NCAA that the winner of NIT gets an automatic bid to the NCAA tourney the following year... That would raise the stakes to the NIT exponentially

That would just make Minnesota's regular season really boring.

 

[MattMang23]

This is just something you have to deal with when you're an elite program. Lesser programs are going to give you , especially when they're on their way up. They're new money in college basketball, and honestly good for them. It only helps us going forward.

As for not liking our formula of recruiting players that will be here for 3-4 years, I don't know what to say. It works. We know it works. We'll never get the Kansas, Duke, or Kentucky recruiting classes, yet we win rings more often than they do.

They're new money till larry brown goes on his nomadic way and they come back to reality.

 

[Stainmaster]

They're new money till larry brown goes on his nomadic way and they come back to reality.

Their coach-in-waiting is already on staff, and I believe recruits are being made aware of that. The fact that they aren't jumping (aside from Mudiay, but that's a special case) tells me that I think they are around for the long haul. Also, they have one of the best up-and-coming recruiting specialists on their staff, Ulric Maligi.

 

[whaler11]

They're new money till larry brown goes on his nomadic way and they come back to reality.

I'm pretty sure Larry Brown's next journey is across the river Styx.

 

[ctchamps]

I have Hathaway there for people to remember what can happen when we let our guard down. Never forget!

I don't like this formula. I want to be in the NCAA's every year. I think it's a dangerous formula to lean on in our current situation. I would like the staff to be more flexible and adjust to the roster. And recruit a better one.

I'm sorry but I am literally sick to my stomach watching SMU fans chanting NIT at us. I just can't handle it.

Gave a like for the Hathaway explanation. He, imo, was the major reason for UConn's CR predicament.

I agree that a sustained run in the NCAA's is valuable. But there have only been a few teams that have won the NCAA's recently and still had runs at the NCAA's. UConn wins and loses most of its best players and that means a learning curve for the next group. Add the restraint from APR and coaching change and we have no way of knowing if this cycles downturn is indicative of anything. Starting next season and the four years following will give us a clearer picture of what to expect.

 

[UConnDan97]

I'm pretty sure Larry Brown's next journey is across the river Styx.

This is so cruel, but I'm still laughing!!!

 

[whaler11]

SMU has to be sitting on the biggest NCAA scandal in history. You'll see the mushroom cloud from the moon.

 

[MattMang23]

That isn't very nice but you get a like nonetheless, whaler.

 

[Danzz]

AAC needs to represent. Need all the teams to dominate. Even though crappy NIT need to change perception. This conference needs a serious marketing firm

This conference needs better players so a marketing firm can have something to market.

 

[Eskapeesto]

We gotta root for some upsets to knock out the higher seeds. Imagine playing 2-3 games at Storrs and then potentially 2 at MSG. Hell, I'd take that over an early NCAA exit.

 

[nycscooby]

The fact that Richmond got a one seed out of the A-10 at 19-13 is even more ludicrous. A-10>>AAC now? Hilarious

We need to ditch this conference. We can't dominate and it gets no respect so a lose/lose for us. Better to be independent even for football, scheduling be damned. 2 bids is a joke but it ain't gonna get better when Cincy leaves for a P5 ahead of us.

 

[Tenspro2002]

As for not liking our formula of recruiting players that will be here for 3-4 years, I don't know what to say. It works. We know it works. We'll never get the Kansas, Duke, or Kentucky recruiting classes, yet we win rings more often than they do.

We have developed a flawed perception of our history in order to make the present seem less dire than it is.

Our history is not taking a bunch of scrappy, 4-year players and molding a contending team every few years.

Our history is getting stud players who could leave for the NBA after 2 years, but often stay for 3, surrounding them with lower-rated, but tough, intelligent, 4-year cogs, and being relevant every year and a legitimate championship contender more often than not.

 

[tzznandrew]

We have developed a flawed perception of our history in order to make the present seem less dire than it is.

Our history is not taking a bunch of scrappy, 4-year players and molding a contending team every few years.

Our history is getting stud players who could leave for the NBA after 2 years, but often stay for 3, surrounding them with lower-rated, but tough, intelligent, 4-year cogs, and being relevant every year and a legitimate championship contender more often than not.

I think that's largely true, although we usually have cycles going from NIT to Top 10 to top 5 to drop off. That second year is in some cases more relevant than others, and there were stretches where we made the NCAA more than 3 years. But we always had more down years than we probably should for a team with such sustained success.

1990: 1 seed --> true contender (E8)
1991: 11 seed --> bubble team (S16)
1992: 9 seed --> bubble team (R2)
1993: NIT
1994: 2 seed --> true contender (S16)
1995: 2 seed --> true contender (E8)
1996: 1 seed --> true contender (S16)
1997: NIT
1998: 2 seed --> true contender (E8)
1999: 1 seed --> true contender (NC)
2000: 5 seed --> flawed, veteran team (R2)
2001: NIT
2002: 2 seed --> true contender (E8)
2003: 5 seed --> flawed, young team (S16)
2004: 1 seed --> true contender (NC)
2005: 2 seed --> true contender (R2)
2006: 1 seed --> true contender (E8)
2007: NIT
2008: 4 seed --> flawed, young team (R1)
2009: 1 seed --> true contender (FF)
2010: NIT
2011: 3 seed --> true contender (NC)
2012: 9 seed --> flawed young team (R1)
2013: post season ban --> bubble team...probably 8-10 seed
2014: 7 seed (under-seeded by two seed-lines) --> veteran-laden team in and out of Top 25 (NC)

Most years we've been relevant. We went through a stretch from 1994-2006 we're we got 4 1 seeds, 5 2 seeds, 2 NCs, 4 E8s, and 3 S16s...and other than 2 NIT years mixed in were really really good.

But were it not for the tournament ban, things wouldn't look as bad. We'd have more talent, and have probably been in the NCAAs every year since 2011. We usually get 3-4 years in a row before needing to rebuild.

 

[Matt1010]

Take care of business against ASU and I will be making the drive from DC to Richmond to support Boat and the team. Looking forward to getting heckled and I will most certainly be wearing my 2014 National Champs hat.

 

[Deadrody]

I don't like this formula. I want to be in the NCAA's every year. I think it's a dangerous formula to lean on in our current situation. I would like the staff to be more flexible and adjust to the roster. And recruit a better one.

Well, to be fair, we had a Hall of Fame head coach that basically used the same formula. Four national championships later, you'd think you'd find a way to stomach the NIT once in a while. Like 1997, 2001, 2010, and 2015

 

[Deadrody]

Our history is not taking a bunch of scrappy, 4-year players and molding a contending team every few years.

Our history is getting stud players who could leave for the NBA after 2 years, but often stay for 3, surrounding them with lower-rated, but tough, intelligent, 4-year cogs, and being relevant every year and a legitimate championship contender more often than not.

I'm not sure I buy this. Not only does this suggest that Hamilton, Gordon, Okafor, and Kemba COULD have left for the NBA (I don't recall anyone, anywhere suggesting any such thing), but that there were comparable players with other teams that DID leave for the NBA, thus leaving UConn with a disproportionate level of talent, comparatively speaking. I don't think either one of those halves of the equation are true.

The only other championship this could apply to is disqualified because Napier and Giffey WERE seniors, and the only other player you could cite, Daniels, was not going anywhere after his Sophomore season.

Every championship is going to need some serious, high level talent like Rip, Kemba, Ben, Emeka, Shabazz, and DeAndre, but it also needs the likes of Ricky Moore, Taliek Brown, and Niels Giffey.

I do think UConn is much more about developing players than just throwing a bunch of raw talent out on the floor and tossing a ball in the air.

 

[MASSconn]

Still don't get how Ollie didn't address our glaring problem during the Tourny run last year: weak big men. This was a portion of this disappointing season and needs to be addressed this off-season.

NIT sucks. Lack of consistency sucks more.


That being said- this team is far less disappointing than the 2011-2012 UCONN huskies.

 

[Inyatkin]

SMU has to be sitting on the biggest NCAA scandal in history. You'll see the mushroom cloud from the moon.

Yes counting on SMU carrying the conference going forward will not turn out well.

 

[Inyatkin]

We have developed a flawed perception of our history in order to make the present seem less dire than it is.

Or maybe you see it as dire no matter what the actual situation is. You probably thought it was dire the day after we won a national championship.

 

[Nostical]

I can't remember another UConn team with a worse display of critical rebounding skill than we exhibited this season, or an offense as inefficient. And yet we came within a few points of winning the conference tournament. What does that say?

 

[tzznandrew]

I'm not sure I buy this. Not only does this suggest that Hamilton, Gordon, Okafor, and Kemba COULD have left for the NBA (I don't recall anyone, anywhere suggesting any such thing), but that there were comparable players with other teams that DID leave for the NBA, thus leaving UConn with a disproportionate level of talent, comparatively speaking. I don't think either one of those halves of the equation are true.

The only other championship this could apply to is disqualified because Napier and Giffey WERE seniors, and the only other player you could cite, Daniels, was not going anywhere after his Sophomore season.

Every championship is going to need some serious, high level talent like Rip, Kemba, Ben, Emeka, Shabazz, and DeAndre, but it also needs the likes of Ricky Moore, Taliek Brown, and Niels Giffey.

I do think UConn is much more about developing players than just throwing a bunch of raw talent out on the floor and tossing a ball in the air.

Hamilton was very close. He was second team AA and had just led the team to the E8.

I don't know about Ray. Okafor could have gone, but he would have been borderline lottery. Gordon couldn't. Neither could Kemba.

 

[Inyatkin]

Hamilton was very close. He was second team AA and had just led the team to the E8.

I don't know about Ray. Okafor could have gone, but he would have been borderline lottery. Gordon couldn't. Neither could Kemba.

Hamilton was considered good as gone after his sophomore year. Much of the coaching staff was surprised he came back.

 

[CAHUSKY]

We gotta root for some upsets to knock out the higher seeds. Imagine playing 2-3 games at Storrs and then potentially 2 at MSG. Hell, I'd take that over an early NCAA exit.

Winning the NIT 10 years in a row with every game at Storrs would be less satisfying , for me, than 1 game played in the NCAA tournament.

 

[Eskapeesto]

Winning the NIT 10 years in a row with every game at Storrs would be less satisfying , for me, than 1 game played in the NCAA tournament.

Fair enough but I didn't mean making a habit of it. I know the NIT isn't good for the program but as a fan I'd rather see 5 more UCONN wins than watch us get bounced by Northern Iowa in the first round. Hopefully we'll be back next year. For now we should just embrace this as an opportunity to prepare for next season.