Preseason Talk on the Huskies

[HuskyDogArt]

No UConn in the USA Today poll, including the 19 others receiving votes. Apparently they think Denver University is better. I have to think this is an oversight caused by our absence from the postseason.

I think with us being in the Titantic League (er.. I meant the Misfit Toys Conference), we might not have the games that we had. Lets face it, the BIG EAST was the basketball Conference!

 

[Lefty2one]

I'm generally a pessimistic fan but I think we're going to be a Top 10 team next year.

• Shabazz will basically be the most experienced guard in the nation (4-year starter with a nat'l champ ring) and no one paid attention to how good he was this year because of the APR crap. I don't think it's out of the question for him to be an All-American next year. Just needs to stay healthy.
• DD is going to be one of the most improved players in the nation next year. The post game he started showing in the latter part of the season will continue to improve. His mid-range game will be great and he'll finally be the long range shooter he was hyped to be. He'll be a match up nightmare.
• Omar will make a nice, steady improvement and hopefully stay healthy.
• Nolan and Facey will be decent enough rebounders and have five fouls each to give.

The rest of the pieces will fall into place. Boat worries me a little, hopefully his decision making dramatically improves.

That being said, I'm glad we're unranked and not even in the 'others receiving votes' section of some polls. More to fuel the motivation.

 

[UC990411]

Rohstein didn't have us ranked either

http://cbsloc.al/16Qi6F7

 

[intlzncster]

Dan Wetzel has us ranked at 340 something.

 

[The Viking]

Whatever respect we don't have by the time we play Indiana, we will have when we bounce them at MSG...after cleaning the floor with BC the night before.

 

[ctchamps]

Let me get this straight. We were ranked *this* year for stretches -- we beat, among others, Michigan State, Syracuse and Notre Dame -- and I think there would be a consensus that we were in the top 40 or so teams (certainly good enough for an at-large bid had we been eligible).

This despite having no front-court to speak of. Now, we return the entire team (the very one that knocked off MSU, SU and ND, and won 17 other games), including one of the best back-courts in the country and a player in DeAndre Daniels who took his game to the next level starting in February, and bring in two guys who might be raw offensively but who will address the team's biggest flaw (defensive rebounding), and we're supposed to not improve at all? Yeah, right.

Obviously you and I don't equate the loss of RJ the same way these gurus equate his graduation.

 

[tcf15]

http://insider.espn.go.com/mens-col.../9148570/kentucky-wildcats-rise-2013-14-ncaab

Not necessarily rankings, but mentioning UConn as one of five teams that are on the rise for 2013:

The case for an improved UConn in 2013-14 is simple. Everyone will be back, or at least I trust everyone will be back. It's always possible that a player will take a chance at pro ball, but with the 2013 mock draft boards completely Connecticut-free (even in the second round) at this late date, such a development would at least qualify as something of a surprise.

If everyone stays put, you're looking at a second consecutive season where the offense revolves around Shabazz Napier, Ryan Boatright and DeAndre Daniels, with Omar Calhoun and Tyler Olander lending support. Napier in particular had a strong junior season. Depending in part on what Louisville's Russ Smith decides to do, the UConn senior could contend for the inaugural American Athletic Conference player of the year award.

 

[upstater]

http://insider.espn.go.com/mens-col.../9148570/kentucky-wildcats-rise-2013-14-ncaab

Not necessarily rankings, but mentioning UConn as one of five teams that are on the rise for 2013:

I'll take Shabazz over Russ Smith.

 

[TheChamps990411]

I think this team could be incredible next year. we may not be the the biggest team but we are going to have some SERIOUS SCORING POTENTIAL! DD,SN,RB and OC are all guys who can put up 25 points on any given night. i think there will be nights where all those guys are hitting shots an we just run teams out the gym. this team will defend and score points and with such a deep and talented backcourt they will be a problem for any team come march. i fully expect this team to win 25 games next season. no doubt.

 

[Ts5034]

Unranked in some polls before the season starts???? We got em right where we want em! We love the under dog role. Thats how Jim Calhoun built this program.

 

[cohenzone]

There us another little thing to account for. The league we will be in just ain't the Big East. That could cut 2 ways. We could win more but we might get less respect for it. How league members do against the better (or worse) OOC teams wil affect perception of the teams in the league. Might have to be on Gonzaga or Butler winning territory with the advantage of better name recognition as a winner.

 

[DanDar]

Not necessarily true. It did not hurt Gonzaga as they eventually became ranked #1 and got the #1 seed.

 

[intlzncster]

Not necessarily true. It did not hurt Gonzaga as they eventually became ranked #1 and got the #1 seed.

Zags have built a rep over a loooong period of time. It took them a while to be considered the same as a major conference program.

 

[intlzncster]

I'll take Shabazz over Russ Smith.

RS's going to the NBA anyway. So Bazz is conference player of the year. De facto.

 

[AtlHusky]

Zags have built a rep over a loooong period of time. It took them a while to be considered the same as a major conference program.

Good point...UConn needs to start building a solid rep ASAP. If only we could have played in a highly rated conference for last 30+ years.

 

[Jerry1714]

Harvard is on the OOC schedule next year per Rothstien. Some people think they are a top 25 caliber team.

 

[cohenzone]

Not necessarily true. It did not hurt Gonzaga as they eventually became ranked #1 and got the #1 seed.

As I said, we start from a better place than Gonzaga, but the new league just doesn't come close to the BE. LVille is in for only one more year. I hope for the same for us.

 

[HuskyDogArt]

Good point...UConn needs to start building a solid rep ASAP. If only we could have played in a highly rated conference for last 30+ years. [/quote
Now that was funny!!

 

[ctchamps]

As I said, we start from a better place than Gonzaga, but the new league just doesn't come close to the BE. LVille is in for only one more year. I hope for the same for us.

In my dream of dreams I'm hoping the AAC comes out strong in major sports and takes it to the ACC with UCONN LEADING THE CHARGE! There would be nothing sweeter imo, to make the fools who overlooked UConn (ESPN, NBC, Swofford, BCU, Miami, Cuse, Pitt, Florida State, the NCAA, Emmert and any of the other entities who had a hand in matters) experience the pain of their actions. And then I want UConn to be chosen by the B!G conference and we all hold up our middle digit to these folks.

 

[cohenzone]

In my dream of dreams I'm hoping the AAC comes out strong in major sports and takes it to the ACC with UCONN LEADING THE CHARGE! There would be nothing sweeter imo, to make the fools who overlooked UConn (ESPN, NBC, Swofford, BCU, Miami, Cuse, Pitt, Florida State, the NCAA, Emmert and any of the other entities who had a hand in matters) experience the pain of their actions. And then I want UConn to be chosen by the B!G conference and we all hold up our middle digit to these folks.

Ah, the perfect world. But if the world really were perfect, we'd still have the real BE, but I'll settle for your alternative.

 

[ctchamps]

Ah, the perfect world. But if the world really were perfect, we'd still have the real BE, but I'll settle for your alternative.

In a perfect dream we'd still have the rendition of the BE of 2010. But that dream turned into a nightmare so I'm starting a new dream.

 

[intlzncster]

Good point...UConn needs to start building a solid rep ASAP. If only we could have played in a highly rated conference for last 30+ years.

I swear I typed something about us being close to a blue blood and not a mid major. Dunno what happened to that part. My post reads so wrong right now. Embarrassing. smh

 

[HuskyDogArt]

I swear I typed something about us being close to a blue blood and not a mid major. Dunno what happened to that part. My post reads so wrong right now. Embarrassing. smh

We forgive you....

 

[BLUEDOGHOUSE]

UConn is stll under valued by most media pundits in my opinion for 2013-14. I think that will be the norm leading into the fall and the first AP poll. If Smith and GD (not sure if he officially declared yet) leave I would rank Michigan State #1 pre season with Kentucky in my Top 4 but not #1. MSU loses Nix and if Payne returns with Harris they are my #1 pre season. UConn beat them as we all know on a neutral court with everyone returning in 2013-14. So with MSU minus Nix playing UConn on a neutral court this year I like out chances again. For these reasons I think UConn can make a big run next March.

 

[intlzncster]

UConn is stll under valued by most media pundits in my opinion for 2013-14. I think that will be the norm leading into the fall and the first AP poll. If Smith and GD (not sure if he officially declared yet) leave I would rank Michigan State #1 pre season with Kentucky in my Top 4 but not #1. MSU loses Nix and if Payne returns with Harris they are my #1 pre season. UConn beat them as we all know on a neutral court with everyone returning in 2013-14. So with MSU minus Nix playing UConn on a neutral court this year I like out chances again. For these reasons I think UConn can make a big run next March.

This is the position from which we do our best work imo. Especially with this crew.