So it's down to our guys and the Harrison twins

[Deleted at users request]

Even more so in 2006………...

We didn't have All Americans coming off our bench in either year... Like I said it's not the same. Kentucky has way too many options to go to down low compared to AO and Andre which both needed the paint to operate. Karl Towns can stretch the floor at the 4 as well as being an nba sized center. I know we are UConn and we have some of the best coached players in the country but let's not act like our players from any year is as talented as this bunch Kentucky has coming in.

 

[Deleted at users request]

For comparisons sake the 2012 team you guys talk about had 2 first rounders that year. The 06 team had 4. In the 2015 mock draft this Kentucky team has 5 guys projected for the first round and 7 getting drafted overall. That's with only one person from their #2 ranked recruiting class being in it. There is a reason for the Kentucky hype next year.

 

[whaler11]

Preseason # 1 means absolutely nothing, just that you have a target on your back. Harrison Twins are over hyped and Boat and Bazz proved that. In the tourney , it's all about 1/2 court D and offense execution. The Twins need to add the D dimension to their game before they consider nba.
Boat needs to stay and expand on what he did in the tourney to even be in the conversation of a first/second rounder. He grew tremendously the last month of the season and now needs a strong senior campaign. As for DD, I would like to see him back to get stronger and to improve his handle.

As much as I dislike polls - the preseason AP poll has proven to be a valuable tool when predicting how the NCAA tourney plays out

 

[nelsonmuntz]

As much as I dislike polls - the preseason AP poll has proven to be a valuable tool when predicting how the NCAA tourney plays out

I don't know about that. This past year, Kentucky was 1, but Florida was 8, UConn was 19, and Wisconsin was 21 in the coaches' poll. All were Top 25, but so were a lot of other teams. I think a Top 25 or Top 30 preseason ranking does mean a team is likely to make the Dance though. Of the Top 30 in the preseason coaches poll, only Marquette, Notre Dame and Indiana did not make the Tournament.

A quick overview of 2013 it looks like about 5 Top 30 teams didn't make the Dance.

 

[mauconnfan]

We didn't have All Americans coming off our bench in either year... Like I said it's not the same. Kentucky has way too many options to go to down low compared to AO and Andre which both needed the paint to operate. Karl Towns can stretch the floor at the 4 as well as being an nba sized center. I know we are UConn and we have some of the best coached players in the country but let's not act like our players from any year is as talented as this bunch Kentucky has coming in.

But they are freshman………would you rather have an unproven freshman or seniors like Villanueva, Boone, Armstrong, Rashad, Denham, Marcus Williams etc etc?? I could care less about how good they are coming in I will take that 2006 UConn team myself…………I realize we aren't as good next year especially since this time they return some studs that already experienced the big game, but there's many problems awaiting that team for sure, unlike our teams if the past. You think Towns and Ullis want to play 12-15 minutes and if they play more you think Lee and Poythress want to play that amount………..trouble is brewing

 

[whaler11]

I don't know about that. This past year, Kentucky was 1, but Florida was 8, UConn was 19, and Wisconsin was 21 in the coaches' poll. All were Top 25, but so were a lot of other teams. I think a Top 25 or Top 30 preseason ranking does mean a team is likely to make the Dance though. Of the Top 30 in the preseason coaches poll, only Marquette, Notre Dame and Indiana did not make the Tournament.

A quick overview of 2013 it looks like about 5 Top 30 teams didn't make the Dance.

I saw a regression analysis and it was a better predictor of who would win games in the tournament once it started than many other metrics. I'm not talking about it predicting who makes the tournament.

It was also specifically the AP poll not the sports information directors not that they don't mostly overlap.

I don't remember where I saw it or I'd go dig it up.

 

[Deleted at users request]

But they are freshman………would you rather have an unproven freshman or seniors like Villanueva, Boone, Armstrong, Rashad, Denham, Marcus Williams etc etc?? I could care less about how good they are coming in I will take that 2006 UConn team myself…………I realize we aren't as good next year especially since this time they return some studs that already experienced the big game, but there's many problems awaiting that team for sure, unlike our teams if the past. You think Towns and Ullis want to play 12-15 minutes and if they play more you think Lee and Poythress want to play that amount………..trouble is brewing

If they are winning there will be nothing none of the players can say. Also they aren't a bunch of freshman anymore. That's the thing. They are talented sophomores and juniors now with their #2 class coming off the bench for the most part. I'm sure Towns will probably start either at the 4 or the 5 because of his size and ability to stretch the floor. Calipari has never struggled when it counts getting his guys to gel together no matter how talented the team is. The only time he has struggled is when the team wasn't talented enough. He won't have any problems with this team. Especially by tourney time. He finally has some guards that have been there before. Ulis is the perfect program guard for Calipari to have come off the bench this year and learn before taking the reigns next year.

 

[johnhuskies95]

The Harrison twins are good, but they settle way too much, and they have a tendency to only pass to each other. That's been the knock on them since high school. Kentucky's season hinges on how much they improve.

It doesn't matter how good their bigs are, you need really good guard in college basketball to win it all.

 

[Deleted at users request]

The Harrison twins are good, but they settle way too much, and they have a tendency to only pass to each other. That's been the knock on them since high school. Kentucky's season hinges on how much they improve.

It doesn't matter how good their bigs are, you need really good guard in college basketball to win it all.

Well what does it say when a team brings back both of their starting guards from their championship run.. One of them who hit important shots that got them there. Like I said I know we are suppose to hate Kentucky but give credit where credit is due. Not saying they are going to win it all but their team for next year is scary. But ours is too so we'll see what happens in the tournament.

 

[James]

If they are winning there will be nothing none of the players can say. Also they aren't a bunch of freshman anymore. That's the thing. They are talented sophomores and juniors now with their #2 class coming off the bench for the most part. I'm sure Towns will probably start either at the 4 or the 5 because of his size and ability to stretch the floor. Calipari has never struggled when it counts getting his guys to gel together no matter how talented the team is. The only time he has struggled is when the team wasn't talented enough. He won't have any problems with this team. Especially by tourney time. He finally has some guards that have been there before. Ulis is the perfect program guard for Calipari to have come off the bench this year and learn before taking the reigns next year.

Harrison twins stink, and tyler ulis is like 5'6. I imagine he wont see the court much come march, too much of a liability defensively. Cal is really going to rely on the tantalizing defensive presence that is cauley stein, but his guard play wont be elite.

 

[Scot-e]

Great we just got done with the "year of the freshman" and now we are going to hear about Uk and Duke for the next 6 months. Either team could be in the FF - they will both be very good- but the media's fixation with these teams has almost nothing to do with NCAA basketball.

They want to talk about the next team de jour with "overwhelming" talent that will not be denied next year. I am already sick of the Uk hype machine- Uk is bad for college basketball and represents many of the things that need fixing about the current system. If I was a Uk fans I would be over rotating five new starters in every year and pretty happy about next year- they will have at least 2 of the same starters on the floor for the first time in years.

Personally (like most UCONN fans) I am loving this time and still basking in the NC victory. Screw Uk- over em.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Harrison twins stink, and tyler ulis is like 5'6. I imagine he wont see the court much come march, too much of a liability defensively. Cal is really going to rely on the tantalizing defensive presence that is cauley stein, but his guard play wont be elite.

I think the Harrisons made a mistake in coming back. Both look slow to me, and that will be highlighted next year. With two McD AA guards behind them pushing for playing time, the Harrisons may actually see less time next year than they did this year. I didn't think either had an NBA handle, although they can work on that in the next year. The speed won't change much, and I didn't think either was an exceptional athlete like Young or Randle.

Kentucky is obviously the preseason favorite, and I like the Harrisons a lot as college guards, but by coming back, they are going to showcase their shortcomings and there is no guarantee that Kentucky gets the publicity of a run to the Championship Game. They may be in worse shape next year than this year. Coming back for 1 year could turn them into 4 year starters.

 

[noeynox]

I think those two are better suited to play the 2/3 position. Neither is a true point guard.

 

[johnhuskies95]

Well what does it say when a team brings back both of their starting guards from their championship run.. One of them who hit important shots that got them there. Like I said I know we are suppose to hate Kentucky but give credit where credit is due. Not saying they are going to win it all but their team for next year is scary. But ours is too so we'll see what happens in the tournament.

Of course it helps when you bring back your starting backcourt. That's pretty obvious. I just don't think either of them are very good. Andrew was mediocre all year, and his shooting numbers speak to that. Aaron was pretty good throughout the year, but was CBB's Tim Tebow(NFL version) during the tournament, not hitting a thing but then making a big play in the last few seconds. He was 21-61 from the field in the tournament. They both had horrid A/TO ratios all year long.

I don't think a UConn fan has to be a homer to say they'd take Boatright and Purvis over them next year.