Now that your head is out of the oven, make your prediction

[Horatio]

Guaranteed a three-peat?

Guaranteed a three-peat?

That was a reach, I’ll admit

 

[Kenny11]

I think we end up as a top 10 team, possibly a 2 seed or the best 3.

 

[uconngb]

You think Hurley knew a way to guarantee another championship and didn't act on it?

Classic Boneyard

 

[jibsey]

Head wasn’t in the oven but after those 3 losses it was a bit depressing. It’s funny that Memphis and Dayton (who handled us easily) are not ranked in the top 25 even today.

 

[willie99]

What if your head was never in the oven?

My predictions are the same as they were before the season started and the same as they were after Maui

We will be one of the best teams in the country come March, we will be a second weekend team which means we're in the mix for a threepeat, there will be bumps in the road although I had and have no idea where those bumps will be until we hit them

Enjoy the ride, we're special and we're lucky

Count your blessings and smile



And winning it all is never easy, it's OK if we don't. We have more rings than anyone is entitled to have. And I too want more, but you have to play the games

 

[Scoe]

I stay out of predictions I think realistically a 4-5 seed team, the fans of the 1 seeded teams will be sweating it out on selection Sunday hoping we’re not in their bracket.

 

[boog204]

Don't know what we are yet. Think we could easily be a 1-3 seed when all is said and done and be a contender. That would require tightening some things up and figuring out what the hell our bench is after Reed. I think that could very well happen. But it's tough to gauge as we beat Baylor without essentially two of their starters (yes, I know we didn't have AK) and Texas was a terribly coached team.

I think we could also be a 5-6 seed because our guard play is inconsistent, our defense has been total swiss cheese at times, and the depth we thought we had is actually not there.

I'm leaning more towards paragraph one.

 

[Tenspro2002]

As @BFieldHusky said, 2nd weekend team. From there it's matchups and who gets hot, who is playing well. I do not see a run like the last two years. Not saying they can't win a title, just that if they did, it sure wouldn't look like the last two.

I think I agree but, to be fair, did we see a big run coming in 2023?

Yes, we went 9-2 down the stretch, but aside from a home blowout win over Marquette, those were generally not against great teams, and we still couldn't win the close game or win the big one (1-possession losses at Creighton and vs. Marquette in the BET semis).

Then we struggled early against Iona before rampaging through the final 5.5 games of the Tournament. Maybe the argument is that in 2023 we at least saw glimpses of that ceiling going 14-0 including beating future #1 overall Alabama, while this team hasn't? I guess.

But in some cases, you can't see it coming until you do.

 

[Tenspro2002]

A 3 or 4 seed that has its heart broken by a 1 or 2 in the s16 or e8. Like 2002 or 2003 vs Texas or Maryland.

I can see that. A flawed 3-4 seed, ranked around 10-15, who makes everyone nervous but deficiency limits our floor and we can't overcome a so-so night against a better rounded team.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I think I agree but, to be fair, did we see a big run coming in 2023?

Yes, we went 9-2 down the stretch, but aside from a home blowout win over Marquette, those were generally not against great teams, and we still couldn't win the close game or win the big one (1-possession losses at Creighton and vs. Marquette in the BET semis).

Then we struggled early against Iona before rampaging through the final 5.5 games of the Tournament. Maybe the argument is that in 2023 we at least saw glimpses of that ceiling going 14-0 including beating future #1 overall Alabama, while this team hasn't? I guess.

But in some cases, you can't see it coming until you do.

I thought that team was winning a championship before the season started. So I wasn't really surprised. Marquette was really good in that Big East final. Certainly the way they made it look easy was a bit surprising.

 

[Tenspro2002]

Guard play will probably determine how far we go. In the past 4 years we've had 2 first round visits and 2 National Championships. The arrival of Tristen Newton was huge.

The funny thing is that 2022 RJ Cole was significantly better than 2023 Tristen Newton. A first-team all-BE guy!

But the supporting cast was nowhere near as good -- Whaley and Polley as our 4th and 5th leading scorers instead of guys like Karaban -- and the offensive scheme left a lot to be desired. Arguably it was better tailored for Newton as well, with a lot of dribble hand-off action designed for him to ride defenders into the lane for a layup or lob.

 

[CT2SC]

I think Mahaney more than any other player decides our ceiling. If he remains a worse version of Joey C, which is where he is right now, then I see us losing another 6-7 games and finishing around 21-10. If he can grow into the player Hurley expected and push Diarra to the bench it raises our ceiling considerably to a real contender in March.

I’m not counting on much from Nowell since he hasn’t played much and is currently injured but he would be the other X factor.

 

[Jaydumo20]

I think Mahaney more than any other player decides our ceiling. If he remains a worse version of Joey C, which is where he is right now, then I see us losing another 6-7 games and finishing around 21-10. If he can grow into the player Hurley expected and push Diarra to the bench it raises our ceiling considerably to a real contender in March.

I’m not counting on much from Nowell since he hasn’t played much and is currently injured but he would be the other X factor.

I do agree that Mahaneys progress is key. But Hass needs all the minutes we can give him. He is our most consistent guard and his ability to distribute has become top tier very quickly.
He grew leaps and bounds from yr 1 to last year and he'll continue to grow. He's a cerebral dude and a very very quick learner.

 

[TheShot1990]

The title asks for a prediction and wait-and-see isn't a prediction.

Sweet 16 and we suffer some heart breaking loss to someone we hate.

 

[jibsey]

We win these titles on defense. We go as far as our defense takes us.

 

[HooperScooper]

Myron Medcalf is off the bandwagon. Dan Hurley says thank you for the bulletin board material.

Which national championship contender do you no longer believe in?​

Medcalf: For me, it's the UConn Huskies. I think it's easy to forget that Dan Hurley's back-to-back champion teams produced six NBA draft picks, including three first-round selections. Those Huskies weren't an underdog story. They were extremely talented and skilled, which helps when the goal is to win a national championship. This season, however, the Huskies lack that same imposing depth. One coach who faced UConn this season told ESPN that it's no longer a team opponents fear. And I'm not convinced that will change before March.

Biggest surprises, disappointments and storylines one month into men's basketball season

Which contenders have faded? Which look stronger than ever? Breaking down our early thoughts on the men's hoops season.

www.espn.com

 

[El Obrero]

I predict the Huskies will fall short this season:
The margin of victory in one of the tournament games is going to fall below ten points.

 

[David 76]

I am saying elite 8

 

[Leebo]

Myron Medcalf is off the bandwagon. Dan Hurley says thank you for the bulletin board material.

Funnily enough, later in the same article, published a day after Memphis's loss to Arkansas State, he talks up Memphis without mentioning that loss.

Rough when your takes age poorly before the article even goes up.

 

[CTBasketball]

I think we’ll have trouble v. Marquette and St John’s in the Big East. Home court including.

In the NCAAT who knows, Hurley is a mastermind at game prep with 3-4 days of preps. If we run into a bad matchup on Sat/Sun that could be tough. It’s all about the draw but let’s get there first.

 

[HooperScooper]

Since 2004 every team that won the national championship was ranked in the top 12 of the AP Poll in week 6. UConn was not this year. Who can break that trend?

UConn ​

AP rank: 18 National title odds: 20-1
Why UConn: Why not UConn? The Huskies have hoisted the trophy as the champion each of the last two years. They fell flat on their face at the Maui Invitational and cratered their standing in the rankings. But they've quietly rallied to win three-straight -- including over Baylor and Texas. They have vets (Alex Karaban, Hassan Diarra among them), some young pieces (Liam McNeeley and Solo Ball) and the best coach in college hoops right now pulling the strings.

This stat has given us the NCAA Tournament winner for 20 years: Here are five teams who could buck the trend

The Week 6 AP Top 25 has been an important set of rankings in college basketball the last two decades

www.cbssports.com

 

[Iluvsuebird]

I understood the overreaction immediately after Maui. I felt it too. But now, some of you need meds to calm down. The only clear thing to me right now is that Maui was an aberration. The team played competitively for two games and ran out of gas for the third. It happens. Better that it happened in November than March or April. Besides, I am on the camp that Dan's behavior did not help against Memphis. He ran hot from the initial whistle. But after seeing the last two games, this team is going to be ok. I cannot tell you Final Four. I cannot say National Champs. But I am ready to say this:

• There are not unbeatable teams.
• We will get better; and
• None of the so called favorites will want any part of UCONN come April.

 

[prankster]

I understood the overreaction immediately after Maui. I felt it too. But now, some of you need meds to calm down. The only clear thing to me right now is that Maui was an aberration. The team played competitively for two games and ran out of gas for the third. It happens. Better that it happened in November than March or April. Besides, I am on the camp that Dan's behavior did not help against Memphis. He ran hot from the initial whistle. But after seeing the last two games, this team is going to be ok. I cannot tell you Final Four. I cannot say National Champs. But I am ready to say this:

• There are not unbeatable teams.
• We will get better; and
• None of the so called favorites will want any part of UCONN come April.

The team (coaching staff included) was not ready for Maui.

Coach Hurley pretty much said that not too long ago. He needs the team to more prep for these early games one at a time.

 

[StllH8L8ner]

I’d be satisfied with Sweet 16, happy with Elite 8, ecstatic with Final 4 and slap yo momma thrilled with the title game.

 

[prankster]

I’d be satisfied with Sweet 16, happy with Elite 8, ecstatic with Final 4 and slap yo momma thrilled with the title game.

I have to admit it!

I would be happy with #7.

No!

I really would!