Sizing up UConn, Big East ahead of season: 'This league will be loaded'

[Scrutineer]

To be fair, that was before last years season started. While I don't agree with a lot of those on the list or where they are placed, he hadn't won a Ship yet.

Here's a list of 26 from "a panel of experts."

Maybe so, but the writer shows just how knowledgeable he is with the inclusion of Boeheim............and some others.

 

[superjohn]

I'm not expecting to win at Kansas because that's the hardest place to play in sports but I don't get why Kansas is preseason #1 in every poll. I get that we lost Sanogo, Hawk, and Jackson but they lost Wilson and Gradey. Do people really think Hunter is that much better than Clingan? I usually think the champions from the season before are ranked too high but wtf? We have 2 projected lottery picks, our starting point guard, Karaban and Spencer who pretty much tore it up in the Big 10. The schedule is a gauntlet and we'll have some losses but I want UConn and the Big East to lay waste next season and I thing they will.

 

[Huskybass]

Could get 7- UConn, Creighton, Marquette, Nova, Xavier, Johnnies, Providence

Providence has just as good a chance...ah nevermind.

 

[Kitaman]

"Cam Spencer could be next-level Joey California"

I actually felt a sensation when I read this.

 

[CL82]

Providence has just as good a chance...ah nevermind.

If you're going to do it, commit to it.

 

[runner11]

Borges needs to put the Spencer/Calcaterra comparison to rest. I get it, they are both white guards.

 

[Son of Robert]

The best basketball conference in the nation, and getting better every year.

 

[Palatine]

As the years go by, it becomes more obvious that the BE championships (regular or BET) are pretty meaningless. We didn't win either last year. I wouldn't trade the NC for any conference hardware but you can bet the opposite by Marquette.

Tough competition does make us tougher which is good. So a tougher BE is probably better. Bottom line is I simply do not care a wit about the Big East. Well, that's not completely true, I care when I am watching the games. As long as we win enough games to get to March Madness that is all that really matters.

 

[ARIDE]

I predict Hurley is going to struggle to prove he can win close games this year.

I don't believe that..we have multiple players who can score off the dribble and get there own shot..unlike two years ago where only Cole could..take the negativity somewhere else please!!

 

[RichCTBB]

Interesting…I never picked up on Naheim Alleyne’s vision problems. Certainly having 60% vision must’ve affected his shot.

 

[Scot-e]

I'm not expecting to win at Kansas because that's the hardest place to play in sports but I don't get why Kansas is preseason #1 in every poll. I get that we lost Sanogo, Hawk, and Jackson but they lost Wilson and Gradey. Do people really think Hunter is that much better than Clingan? I usually think the champions from the season before are ranked too high but wtf? We have 2 projected lottery picks, our starting point guard, Karaban and Spencer who pretty much tore it up in the Big 10. The schedule is a gauntlet and we'll have some losses but I want UConn and the Big East to lay waste next season and I thing they will.

I am trying to keep my expectations in check. Usually after a NC (love typing that) I try and relax and enjoy the following season. But we look so good on paper - relaxing is not happening for me next year. Best team ever following a Natty!
I do think we could struggle at times -especially if DC gets in foul trouble .
My dad used to tell me “ don’t get to excited until you see the team on the floor “ but so far his advice is not working.

 

[AZHuskiePop]

5 is the minimum, 8 is the ceiling (Georgetown). How many we actually get though will depend on the type of respect the conference gets from the committee. Will we finally get the B12 treatment where every loss is a "good loss"?

If every team only has a 1-2 losses heading into conference play . Then anyone with close to a .500 record is at least on the bubble. That could be 7 teams . That also depends on how weak the bottom four are.
So if a middle team can 5-3 or 6-2 against those 4 and they can go
3-9 or 4 -8 wins against the rest 9-11 might sneak you in with a 19-13 if you can go
10 -10 your pretty much a lock 8-12 your pretty much out . It’s a fine line
Those predictions are tough because your competition is other bubble teams whose success is unknown.

 

[RichCTBB]

I am trying to keep my expectations in check. Usually after a NC (love typing that) I try and relax and enjoy the following season. But we look so good on paper - relaxing is not happening for me next year. Best team ever following a Natty!
I do think we could struggle at times -especially if DC gets in foul trouble .
My dad used to tell me “ don’t get to excited until you see the team on the floor “ but so far his advice is not working.

Yeah, I don’t think Hurley is going to let anyone relax. Ever. He’s >110% in everything the program does. The expectations are too high at an ELITE program like UConn. I get giddy with even the smallest tidbit of off-season development.

 

[Tiamat7]

As the years go by, it becomes more obvious that the BE championships (regular or BET) are pretty meaningless. We didn't win either last year. I wouldn't trade the NC for any conference hardware but you can bet the opposite by Marquette.

Tough competition does make us tougher which is good. So a tougher BE is probably better. Bottom line is I simply do not care a wit about the Big East. Well, that's not completely true, I care when I am watching the games. As long as we win enough games to get to March Madness that is all that really matters.

Aren't you the poster who is notoriously anti-Big East on just about everything? It's such a fun conference! What's not to like? And with all the metrics involved in tournament selection, you definitely should care about our conference mates, particularly in the out of conference schedule. You know this, but choose to ignore it.

 

[CL82]

I am trying to keep my expectations in check. Usually after a NC (love typing that) I try and relax and enjoy the following season. But we look so good on paper - relaxing is not happening for me next year. Best team ever following a Natty!
I do think we could struggle at times -especially if DC gets in foul trouble .
My dad used to tell me “ don’t get to excited until you see the team on the floor “ but so far his advice is not working.

I was talking to my wife about the additions to the team and how I thought we could be pretty strong this year. She looked at me and said "you said the exact same thing last year." Of course I replied "yes I did, and what happened last year again?" She looked at me and started laughing and said "you may have a point."

 

[gtcam]

Aren't you the poster who is notoriously anti-Big East on just about everything? It's such a fun conference! What's not to like? And with all the metrics involved in tournament selection, you definitely should care about our conference mates, particularly in the out of conference schedule. You know this, but choose to ignore it.

It doesn't have football and w/o football a school will never play in the conferences where TV revenue and NIL money will allow UConn attract the elite athletes to a higher degree. No "big boy" conference and UConn athletics will continue to lose money. It can't endure the present situation anymore. I love UConn basketball but I fully understand the problem at hand financially at UConn.

 

[Tiamat7]

It doesn't have football and w/o football a school will never play in the conferences where TV revenue and NIL money will allow UConn attract the elite athletes to a higher degree. No "big boy" conference and UConn athletics will continue to lose money. It can't endure the present situation anymore. I love UConn basketball but I fully understand the problem at hand financially at UConn.

I understand the essence of your comment, and made a similar statement about long term strategic concerns in a different thread.

My comment here pertains to supporting Big East conference schools and how their success directly or indirectly aids UConn. @Palatine dismisses the benefit of a robust league.

Finally, to your point about conference revenues and NIL. They're perhaps related, but not a perfect correlation. Each of these variables can be different. See St. John's, for example.

 

[USNavyDog]

I'm not expecting to win at Kansas because that's the hardest place to play in sports but I don't get why Kansas is preseason #1 in every poll. I get that we lost Sanogo, Hawk, and Jackson but they lost Wilson and Gradey. Do people really think Hunter is that much better than Clingan? I usually think the champions from the season before are ranked too high but wtf? We have 2 projected lottery picks, our starting point guard, Karaban and Spencer who pretty much tore it up in the Big 10. The schedule is a gauntlet and we'll have some losses but I want UConn and the Big East to lay waste next season and I thing they will.

We may likely lose at Kansas but better odds we don't lose 88-59 blowout last time at Allen Field Day. Back in 1995, that loss was u.g.l.y.

 

[Palatine]

My comment here pertains to supporting Big East conference schools and how their success directly or indirectly aids UConn. @Palatine dismisses the benefit of a robust league.

Actually I said, "Tough competition does make us tougher which is good. So a tougher BE is probably better." That is not a dismissal of the benefits of playing in a good conference.

But money is another way to define robust and by that measure the Big East falls short. I expect over time the rich will get richer and the pay gap will widen. Unfortunately the BE will likely be left behind and bodes poorly for our athletic department.

 

[Samoo]

I think it’s going to take Nova, PC, GTown, and St John’s a couple years to hit the ground running with their new HC’s.

UConn, Creighton, Marquette, and Xavier are the top dogs in any order.

Isn't taking a couple of years the opposite of hitting the ground running?

 

[Samoo]

I don't believe that..we have multiple players who can score off the dribble and get there own shot..unlike two years ago where only Cole could..take the negativity somewhere else please!!

I'm pretty sure he was joking ..

 

[Kenny11]

Borges needs to put the Spencer/Calcaterra comparison to rest. I get it, they are both white guards.

Yup. And Spencer will be a starter. Joey was never going to start. Spencer is probably better in every way…..but spencer will never have a stretch in a game like Joey did against Georgetown…but then again, nobody else will either lol

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Great article. Nelson's way too early August take:

Deep Run Potential

1) Marquette - this team was good last year and just had a bad game in the second round. They will be nasty next season.
2) UConn - Very good team, but there were some big departures. UConn will be good, but I am not sure how good.
3) Creighton - very good team. McDermott has to get more out of his bench or they will come up just short of a Final Four again.

Tournament Bound:

4) Xavier - Boum seemed to lose his mojo by the end of the season, and Colby Jones was more athlete than basketball player. Nunge is a big loss. I like Freemantle a lot, but the list of big men who have come back from two foot injuries is very small. I think Claude could make a leap though. I like this team for 20+ wins and to challenge to get to the second weekend.
5) St. Johns - Pitino has significantly upgraded the talent, and won't mail it in like Anderson did.

Bubble:

6) Villanova - has all the talent they need. Neptune has to stop choking.
7) Providence - Hopkins, Carter and Floyd should be enough to get them to the bubble. I hope they stop the flopping and flailing they did under Cooley, and just play basketball.

NIT:

8) Seton Hall - It feels like there is more to the story about why Holloway got his pocket picked in the offseason, losing his entire frontcourt, and not bringing anyone in.

No Tournament:

9) Depaul - I really want Stubblefield to succeed, but he just isn't bringing in the talent to compete. I don't know if there is an NIL problem or what, but this roster sucks.
10) Georgetown - this team sucks, and I hope Cooley does us a favor and loses with class rather than subject the league to 2 and a half hour games of bad acting, flailing and flopping that result in an endless march to the free throw line.
11) Butler - Matta has really lost his fastball. This Butler team will suck. Like, Hurley Jr. gets on the court with over 4 minutes left in both games bad.

 

[Austin316]

Isn't taking a couple of years the opposite of hitting the ground running?

People make it seem like those teams are going to hit the ground running. I think the opposite. You read it right I should have said “before they…” though

 

[wingsfan055]

Pitino already an early favorite to win BE Coach of the Year.