Player having the best single season at UConn

[nomar]

Not to take anything away from Kemba, and I think he's my answer too, but we tend to forget that he did have a long slump during the BE season, which is why Hansbrough won the award.

Look at Kemba's shooting numbers from 12/27 through the end of the regular season, which ended in a loss to none other than Hansbrough's ND squad.

It wasn't so much a case of politics as it was a case of "what have you done for me lately." Kemba ended the BE regular season a down note, while Hansbrough was peaking.

Here's an article written 2 weeks before the end of the BE regular season.

http://www.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/26283066/27551937

 

[CTBasketball]

I would say Kemba because he won us a title. But if he didn't Donyell had the best season.

 

[JonnyRI]

Its definitely Kemba as great as Emeka and Rip were they had a great number 2 in Ben and Khalid. Emeka and Rip could afford to come out of the game to get a rest or sit out a game and the team could still win some games i.e. Stanford without Rip, first 2 BE tourney games in 04 without Emeka. Kemba didnt have that luxury, could you imagine how the team would have looked if Kemba had to sit out a game, or even come out for a rest.

other great seasons in no particular order
Emeka 04
Rip 99
Shabazz 14 (I will give him some credit for the 13 season because it was a 2 year plan)
Caron 02
Ray 96
Donyell 94

Read this list ten times and could not find a way to change it without a long argument in my head. Well done. Actually in right order too other bazz ahead of rip and Donyell ahead of ray.

 

[Tampahusky]

2011 Kemba ....and then it's everyone else.

 

[willie99]

Kemba 2011
Caron 2002

two guys who carried their team

I'm going to suggest both Meka and Bazz had a lot more help

 

[mauconnfan]

I wish that Donyell made one of those 2 FT's because then many would understand just how damn good he was that year!

 

[stick]

I wish that Donyell made one of those 2 FT's because then many would understand just how damn good he was that year!

Donyell was so consistent that year. He didn't have a prolonged slump like Kemba and he wasn't injured like Okafor.

 

[BUConn10]

Any recommendations on Donyell's best game performances? Want to check some out of uconnhuskygames.

 

[stick]

Any recommendations on Donyell's best game performances? Want to check some out of uconnhuskygames.

He was unbelievable against SJU at MSG.

 

[Huskyforlife]

It's kemba, easily

 

[CallMeBruce]

Calhoun era, it has to be between Okafor and Walker, but I'll say Kemba had the best individual season at UConn, especially given the fact that his team started unranked and he led UConn to it's third national championship:

1543 minutes (Most in a single season)
37.6 MPG (Most in a single season)
965 points (Most in a single season)
23.5 points per game (4th behind Wes B., Tony Hanson & Donyell)
316 FGs (Most in a single season)
258 FTs (Most in a single season)

NCAA champion
NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player
Consensus first team All-American
Bob Cousy Award
Big East Tournament MVP
NCAA Final Four All-Tournament Team
Maui Invitational Tournament MVP​

How the hell did Ben Hansbrough win BE Player of the Year?

In a surprising twist, Hansbrough actually had a better conference season. This drove me crazy for years until I looked at isolated conference stats, and it was pretty surprising. Kemba definitely wore down mid-season, and his conference numbers weren't as good as his OOC numbers. Looking at their per-40 numbers, Hansbrough scored slighly more on way fewer shots, he had a FG% over .500 vs. Kemba's which was under .400. Higher PER, more Win Shares, higher ORtg, etc., not to mention that ND finished second in the league to UConn's ninth. Turns out Kemba was just saving himself for a ridiculous postseason run, but I guess we can't blame the voters for not knowing about that.

 

[8893]

I wish that Donyell made one of those 2 FT's because then many would understand just how damn good he was that year!

And we would sit at five instead of four.

 

[JonnyRI]

And we would sit at five instead of four.

Those many bitter experiences (UCLA too) did make the first oh so sweeter though.

 

[Tenspro2002]

In a surprising twist, Hansbrough actually had a better conference season. This drove me crazy for years until I looked at isolated conference stats, and it was pretty surprising. Kemba definitely wore down mid-season, and his conference numbers weren't as good as his OOC numbers. Looking at their per-40 numbers, Hansbrough scored slighly more on way fewer shots, he had a FG% over .500 vs. Kemba's which was under .400. Higher PER, more Win Shares, higher ORtg, etc., not to mention that ND finished second in the league to UConn's ninth. Turns out Kemba was just saving himself for a ridiculous postseason run, but I guess we can't blame the voters for not knowing about that.

Yeah, unfortunately, this was the case. It appears ridiculous in retrospect, and we were upset about it at the time, but Hansbrough had a better conference season than Kemba. We stumbled badly in February and Kemba had a number of 6/19, 5/15, 7/23 type of games.

I suspect a part of it was also that ND had a much better conference season than we did -- they were 14-4, 2nd in the conference and ranked in the Top 5 to end the regular season; we were 9-9, tied for 9th-11th in the conference, and were on the outskirts of the Top 25.

 

[CAHUSKY]

Ok, after reading all the posts in the thread Im going with Kemba #1 (pre and post season were epic and regular season was really good) and Donyell #2. His junior year was absolutely ridiculous even though they didn't go deep enough if the tourney. Lots of guys tied at #3.

 

[HooperScooper]

I suspect a part of it was also that ND had a much better conference season than we did -- they were 14-4, 2nd in the conference and ranked in the Top 5 to end the regular season; we were 9-9, tied for 9th-11th in the conference, and were on the outskirts of the Top 25.

I think that's probably almost all of it. This is why Nic Moore won AAC POY over Boat.

 

[CallMeBruce]

I think that's probably almost all of it. This is why Nic Moore won AAC POY over Boat.

The difference being that Hansbrough actually outplayed Kemba in conference play. Boatright was better in AAC play than Moore was last year.

 

[Gringo]

The difference being that Hansbrough actually outplayed Kemba in conference play. Boatright was better in AAC play than Moore was last year.

I just can't wait to see Moore try and guard Purvis again this season. Purvis destroyed the kid in both games to the point where I almost felt sorry for him. Key word is almost.

 

[David 76]

Do we adjust for conference? Are Bazz's stats from 2014 (AAC)) worth the same as Kemba's from 2011 (BE)? More importantly, do Wes', Tobey and Hanson's stats count the same if they are from the Yankee Conference?
Anyway, I say
Kemba's Jr year
Emeka's Jr year
Yell's Jr year
Bazz's Sr. year
Caron's Soph. year
Rip in 99
Ray in 96
And this isn't even include Chris Smith and the Yankee Conference guys.

And I don't even want to rank them except Kemba #1