One more reminder in case we forgot...

[Scottzer]

I would say that a better comparison is the 2014 team.

Ranked #21
Ranked in the top 10 for a total of 1 week (Week 6)
24-7 record
12-6 in the crummy AAC
Smacked 81-48 by Louisville in the regular season finale
Came into the tourney as a 7th seed

Napier averaged 18 per game followed by DeAndre Daniels at 13 and Boatright at 12. No other player averaged more than 8 ppg.

Napier's last 10 regular season pts per game: 16-17-7-34-17-15-17-18-26-9, so he wasn't lighting it up down the stretch and had 2 games in single digits.

No inside presence at all. Daniels and Napier were the top 2 rebounders at 6.0 and 5.9 rpg.

And that was with Ollie as HC who, we would all agree, is not near the coach we have now.

If that team can pull it off? We absolutely can.

In terms of a team that doesn’t look good enough to pull off a big run, I would agree. But, that 14 team defended. This team doesn’t, and an elite offense with little defense typically has a ceiling of elite 8, or maybe a FF like Bama last year.

To a degree, we look a bit like a lesser version of Kentucky this year.

 

[freescooter]

Your comments suggest to me you have either never played sports or coached. Amirite?

Well you would be totally wrong. I was a high school state champ recruited to UConn and and was on 2 New England championship teams there. Competed against guys who went on to be went to the Olympics representing France, Great Britan and Ireland. Didn’t beat any of those guys but I know about competing probably at a higher level than lots of guys. I don’t remember any coach after losing saying “That’s great. You won the last 2!”

 

[CL82]

Aidan Mahaney was absolutely cooking us in the second round.

He may not be the guy everyone hoped him to be, but he's going to contribute down the stretch

 

[Deleted at users request]

We didn't sing Clingan's praises in that stretch. We had an issue with Sanogo too, but I can't remember what it was. I recall that we rode Hawk for not being able to score in the 1st half. Basically, we didnt like anybody.
We saw less of joey c and thought he was a one game wonder who couldn't ever learn D.
There was no belief.

I think a lot of people were calling for more Clingan playing time.

Sanogo had the same problems he always had, passing the ball. But a flip switched in February March where he finally moved the ball and it shifted our offense.

The Big East was just too physical for Joey C.

 

[87Xfer]

Well you would be totally wrong. I was a high school state champ recruited to UConn and and was on 2 New England championship teams there. Competed against guys who went on to be went to the Olympics representing France, Great Britan and Ireland. Didn’t beat any of those guys but I know about competing probably at a higher level than lots of guys. I don’t remember any coach after losing saying “That’s great. You won the last 2!”

in what sport?

 

[freescooter]

Track & Field and Cross Country. Trust me no coach has ever told someone it doesnt matter how you did today. You won last week. At a level above little league it is about what did you do today. Last week was last week. Last year might set expectations for this but trust me nobody cares that you broke a record last year if you are consistently finishing 5th this year.

And we had national champions on our teams, and guys who competed at the NCAA championships. I was not one of them, nor do I claim to be. Solid New England caliber athlete was my ceiling.

 

[6in25]

It would be nice if the fan base of program that has experienced far more success than any reasonable person could dream about would stop whining every ten minutes over a season that while it hasn't yet turned out as well as we expected, still is far from over.

Oh grow up. This a what have you done for me lately business. You start saying “we so happy we won in 2023 and 24” and next thing you know you’re Florida. Won back to back in 06 and 07. Have only 1 Final 4 7 years later, 11 years ago. No titles. 1 Elite 8 in 2017, 8 years ago. Big whoop.

Ahhhh, a BY unicorn...opposing posts that are both correct. Although, I will ask - what is your definition of lately? I think less than a year removed from back-to-back national championships, a BE conference championship, and a BE tournament championship is recent enough. I'm okay with a down year after the success we've had - and I'm only calling our current situation a down year in comparison - but I agree that the foot should never be taken off the gas.

 

[Umami Zen]

Well you would be totally wrong. I was a high school state champ recruited to UConn and and was on 2 New England championship teams there. Competed against guys who went on to be went to the Olympics representing France, Great Britan and Ireland. Didn’t beat any of those guys but I know about competing probably at a higher level than lots of guys. I don’t remember any coach after losing saying “That’s great. You won the last 2!”

Appreciate the context for your perspective. Never would have guessed you were a UConn grad. Go Huskies.

 

[RuffRuff]

Zero comparison. Like zero. That year the BE schedule was heavily front loaded. We came out in the early OOC showing massive potential. This year we had Maui and a heavily back loaded BE schedule. Not sure why anyone does this, every year is unique.

Appreciate the luxury position that you are in as a fan, enjoy every year as being unique, have fun watching a great staff learn from mistakes and capably rebuild back to NC form. Not every year is going to be an NC run, the fun is watching a great staff map it back together.

It would be nice to avoid an early flame out this year to avoid all the haters calling the Hurley a 2 year mirage because of Clingan, blah blah. Even that’s not a big deal. It would be cool seeing him take a team that now has low expectations on a magical run to an elite 8 to keep the rep intact, but this year really is gravy.

 

[Icehawk]

We ALL did.

Speak for yourself. I had faith that season and this one, I drink the Kool-Aid daily.

 

[Jaydumo20]

Zero comparison. Like zero. That year the BE schedule was heavily front loaded. We came out in the early OOC showing massive potential. This year we had Maui and a heavily back loaded BE schedule. Not sure why anyone does this, every year is unique.

Appreciate the luxury position that you are in as a fan, enjoy every year as being unique, have fun watching a great staff learn from mistakes and capably rebuild back to NC form. Not every year is going to be an NC run, the fun is watching a great staff map it back together.

It would be nice to avoid an early flame out this year to avoid all the haters calling the Hurley a 2 year mirage because of Clingan, blah blah. Even that’s not a big deal. It would be cool seeing him take a team that now has low expectations on a magical run to an elite 8 to keep the rep intact, but this year really is gravy.

I get you. But I wouldn't say zero comparison. The staff is still the same and we have some guys left over.
But I agree with you wholeheartedly. Each team is different and that's the best part.

Also, remember: last years team wasn't the gravy we were all making out to be.
Almost every game beyond the first round we had this narrative:
We aren't gonna win all games by doubles.
We can't stop Shannon. We haven't seen the likes of him.
Almost Every team was a "matchup" problem.
Purdue shoots the lights out from 3.

We "hedge" harder than any player in uconn history.

 

[6Nattys4Us]

Last year:

1. Castle was a clearly amazing defender, and creative scorer: teams knew he would be on their best player on D and he would be a priority to stop on O.
2. Clingan was an eraser that hardly wore down. Teams had to reckon with him on all drives and try for outside shooting.
3. Newton was an All-American PG who in his own right was a scoring threat. Teams could no just ignore him and had some inches on opposing point guards.
4. Spencer was a uniquely gifted combo of shot making and BBIQ with a will to win - had to watch him on the 3 line. Also had some inches on opposing guards.
5. AK had a dangerous first step, rifle 3pt shooting, and savvy passer as a point forward. But he was their fourth of fifth concern on D and needed a big power 4 to contain him.

This year:

1. Ball is our best shooter but his defense is still C-/D+. To be fair it's directionally improving but any team just puts their best defender on him
2. Johnson has to be checked by guarding against the slip screen for a dunk - minor for a team as they just need to keep their big man behind him and over power him away from the rim.
3. AK is being given the assignment to guard team's most physical wings 1:1 instead of last year and paying the price.
4. Tarris if in the game negates #2 as he and Johnson RARELY play together - if on the floor he becomes the 2nd priority.

That's about it - our backcourt is not taller than other's backcourt; our 5s are levels below Clingan for worries, our best individual defender is Ross (according to Hurley) but Ross is a very, very poor man's Castle on D. Mahaney is not going off for 30+.

So there really is far less for team's to worry about this year than last...a lot less. We have 12 schollys and Singare and Abraham don't merit playing time and without Liam we have 4 useable bench players (Mahaney, Reed, Jr, Ross, Nowell) - yet with injuries to Nowell it's a bench of 3.

But when Liam comes back - hopefully soon - he jumps into top 3 priority for teams to defend, and on D he helped us with rebounds, blocks, overall team D was better. Still with him back we are still nowhere near '23 or '24 in terms of how teams have to gameplan vs us.

Clearly this team is at a disadvantage talent-wise to '23 or '24 - expectations should be similarly tempered.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

He may not be the guy everyone hoped him to be, but he's going to contribute down the stretch

He’s our best guy off the dribble and an improved defender.