RPI Upside and downside (ESPN RPI for Reference)

[storrs15]

Leading this off I'll say I personally dont like RPI. UConn moves up a ton of positions is they dont play Maine and Central. That being said if you take it with a grain of salt I think it tells a lot about our talent and any potential tournament run that we could make.

UConn is 2-1 against top 25 RPI teams and 2-1 agains 25-50 teams. 4-2 against top 50 teams, especially in a year like this, shows a lot of bright side for the tournament and a potential sweet 16/elite 8 run. The issue is they are 3-6 against 61-100 teams. I think this really speaks to our teams talent level versus execution level. It is clear that we have the talent necessary to beat top level teams. They have showcased that they are confident Without that technical foul by Ollie there is a chance that against top 25 RPI teams we would be either 3-0 or have our only loss be a very close one.

I really do think that if our talent can come together we have a great chance of making an elite 8 run (especially if the road there goes through NYC or Providence) and then from there on its a game to game thing. I'm not crazy thinking this is probable, but it is a possibility.

 

[Palatine]

I think this shows that we have great talent but are not a great team. The whole is less then the sum of its parts. Unless Ollie does a better job of putting the puzzle together any outcome is possible.

 

[storrs15]

I think this shows that we have great talent but are not a great team. The whole is less then the sum of its parts. Unless Ollie does a better job of putting the puzzle together any outcome is possible.

I agree. I think its indicative that we have the talent and when the talent plays together its a great team. However, especially in not huge games, the talent isnt coming together. I do think if JA and Miller have a few good games in the tournament and one of our shooters (Gibbs, Purvis, Omar) are hot then there is not ceiling on potential. Though that is asking a ton.

 

[7774]

I think this shows that we have great talent but are not a great team. The whole is less then the sum of its parts. Unless Ollie does a better job of putting the puzzle together any outcome is possible.

I think it's because when people say we're really "talented", they seem to be only looking at our level of physical talent, and ignoring mental talent. IMO we're just average in mental talent, and it's made worse by the fact that most of our key players haven't played much basketball together.

 

[storrs15]

I think it's because when people say we're really "talented", they seem to be only looking at our level of physical talent, and ignoring mental talent. IMO we're just average in mental talent, and it's made worse by the fact that most of our key players haven't played much basketball together.

Even below average in mental talent. Poor shot selection, inability to close out games. Rodney's double dribble with 15 seconds left. Hell KO's technical was the definition of a mental slip.

I said this at the beginning of the year, almost every player is coming into a new role this year. Hamilton as the go-to guy, gibbs and miller a new team, Jalen a freshman, Purvis was suppose to be the second guy, Phil coming off the bench. I was really hoping these guys would settle into their roles throughout the season. It just hasnt really come together like I was hoping.

 

[uconngb]

Even below average in mental talent. Poor shot selection, inability to close out games. Rodney's double dribble with 15 seconds left. Hell KO's technical was the definition of a mental slip.

I said this at the beginning of the year, almost every player is coming into a new role this year. Hamilton as the go-to guy, gibbs and miller a new team, Jalen a freshman, Purvis was suppose to be the second guy, Phil coming off the bench. I was really hoping these guys would settle into their roles throughout the season. It just hasnt really come together like I was hoping.

The maddening thing is that if things broke just slightly differently in just 3 games, we'd be 22-5, probably in the top 15. I realize ifs and buts and all that.....but even as poorly as we've been from the "mental" side, or "basketball IQ" side, or whatever you want to call it.....we're not that far away from talking about a run. That said, we DID lose those games and have proven to have a propensity to melt in end-game situations, which does not bode well for the tourney at all. Extremely frustrating season is what it boils down to in the end....

 

[7774]

Even below average in mental talent. Poor shot selection, inability to close out games. Rodney's double dribble with 15 seconds left. Hell KO's technical was the definition of a mental slip.

I said this at the beginning of the year, almost every player is coming into a new role this year. Hamilton as the go-to guy, gibbs and miller a new team, Jalen a freshman, Purvis was suppose to be the second guy, Phil coming off the bench. I was really hoping these guys would settle into their roles throughout the season. It just hasnt really come together like I was hoping.

Overall I'd say we're average. There are games where we are clearly below average, but then there are games where we do well in terms of decision making.

 

[huskiesNhoos]

Statistics are misleading. Now that the obvious has been stated...

We're 4-2 against "top 50" teams. Our best win is at texas...who is a predicted 7 seed on cbs right now

Our record is about as mediocre as it gets, but it'll be enough to get us in this year, and that's all we need

 

[lange10]

Eh I think talent wise we're still elite; I just think the pieces haven't fit and the chemistry isn't great because of it.

 

[August_West]

A newspaper article I read today was about how KO was working with the team on "poise" . Obviously its a no-brainer, we all see it. This team, more than anything lacks poise in crucial stretches. It also lacks poise at random intervals which then put us in crucial stretches where are lack of poise comes back to haunt us. Its a circle of hell.

Im glad KO has identified it. Its killing us. Can it be fixed at this point of the season? God I hope so, but Im not seeing it. How do you teach a team that has lacked poise all year to have poise in the last week of the season? Poise comes from confidence in the team and confidence in the self. It is built, not taught.

Im afraid we are who we are at this point. I hope we can sneak some wins out despite our lack of poise. I think we can. But rest assured, we will be bit by it again, of that Im quite sure.

 

[Leebo]

It seems obvious that they start overthinking everything when it gets to crunch time.

That's just experience (which includes playing together) and it'll improve as the season goes. They'll overcome hurdles and improve their execution so it flows naturally in crunch time.

 

[Towney007]

It's just such a weird team to get a handle on. Def. the most bi-polar team I can remember. If they literally get up for say... 2-3 more minutes at MSG - they probably beat Maryland. If they wake up with say... 4 minutes to go in the 1st half of the Gonzaga game - we win that. If we don't BLOW A 12 POINT LEAD TO TEMPLE - we're winning the freaking conference right now. I mean it's literally four bounces and yeah - we're a bonafide top-15 team with a chance to make a nice run in the tournament. But here we are.

I believe with a great degree of confidence that this team could literally just go off and make an elite eight run and knock off some heavy hitters in the tournament like a hot knife through butter. I also believe with a great degree of confidence that this team could figure out a way to blow dueling 15 point leads to South Florida and Houston and tumble right out of tournament contention.

It literally just depends on whatever minute it happens to be. Whenever they I have the answers, they change the questions.

 

[RichCTBB]

It seems obvious that they start overthinking everything when it gets to crunch time.

That's just experience (which includes playing together) and it'll improve as the season goes. They'll overcome hurdles and improve their execution so it flows naturally in crunch time.

I like the optimism. Problem is that there's not much season left.

 

[Leebo]

I like the optimism. Problem is that there's not much season left.

Well, they already started moving forward with how they didn't let the SMU game slip away. It's on the way back up.