Still hope ...

[pj]

to compete for a national championship this year.

The team has moved into the top 10 of kenpom.com's defensive ratings, and that's without Amida. The incessant fouling of the early season has gone away. Continue to pick up the defensive intensity and get the big shotblocker back, and this could be one of the best defensive teams in the country. We all know great defense is the foundation of championships.

They still have to figure out how to score effectively, but the team has weapons and as they develop chemistry the offense should improve. It's a good sign that they've begun to draw fouls.

Place your bets in Vegas now before the team's improvement becomes clear to the oddsmakers!

 

[nycscooby]

Thank you for the humor on this snowy day, greatly appreciate it.

 

[MexicoHusky]

to compete for a national championship this year.

The team has moved into the top 10 of kenpom.com's defensive ratings, and that's without Amida. The incessant fouling of the early season has gone away. Continue to pick up the defensive intensity and get the big shotblocker back, and this could be one of the best defensive teams in the country. We all know great defense is the foundation of championships.

They still have to figure out how to score effectively, but the team has weapons and as they develop chemistry the offense should improve. It's a good sign that they've begun to draw fouls.

Place your bets in Vegas now before the team's improvement becomes clear to the oddsmakers!

Until we don't make the tournament or get bounced from the tourney i never count our team out

 

[pj]

At this stage in the 2014 season, I felt worse than I do today.

Ken Pom ratings at this point in the 2014 season (https://web.archive.org/web/20140122052810/http://kenpom.com/):

2014 UConn ... #33 .... 15-4 ... AdjO 113.3 /34 ... AdjD 98.0/66 ... Difference: 15.3
2016 UConn ... #28 ... 14-5 .... AdjO 107.8/99 ... AdjD 92.2/11 ... Difference: 15.6

Not much difference. This year we've been missing Brimah, his return will be a plus. We don't have Shabazz for late-in-the-clock offense, but we do have some new players who haven't yet built up offensive chemistry.

 

[gtcam]

At this stage in the 2014 season, I felt worse than I do today.

Ken Pom ratings at this point in the 2014 season (https://web.archive.org/web/20140122052810/http://kenpom.com/):

2014 UConn ... #33 .... 15-4 ... AdjO 113.3 /34 ... AdjD 98.0/66 ... Difference: 15.3
2016 UConn ... #28 ... 14-5 .... AdjO 107.8/99 ... AdjD 92.2/11 ... Difference: 15.6

Not much difference. This year we've been missing Brimah, his return will be a plus. We don't have Shabazz for late-in-the-clock offense, but we do have some new players who haven't yet built up offensive chemistry.

Stats are stats - they don't play and win/lose games
Who is this years Giffs? DD? Bazz? Boat?
A lot different

 

[joober jones]

We also now have Mariano Nolan, our designated big closer.

 

[Waquoit]

Thank you for the humor on this snowy day, greatly appreciate it.

Boo hiss. We have a chance to win the whole thing until we don't.

 

[JimHurley]

Until we don't make the tournament or get bounced from the tourney i never count our team out

Yup UConn basketball is weird like that. We can beat anyone on our best day and lose to anyone on our worst day. Problem is, we never know which team is going to show up.

 

[WlfdHusky]

Thank you for the humor on this snowy day, greatly appreciate it.

Wish there was a dislike button.

 

[nycscooby]

Wish there was a dislike button.

I know I wish I had one for KO's coaching this year. Love you guys and your optimism but even this year with no dominant team, I see far far too many empty possessions for anyone to reasonably conclude that this team can compete for a NC. Let"s get a bid first.

 

[tzznandrew]

I know I wish I had one for KO's coaching this year. Love you guys and your optimism but even this year with no dominant team, I see far far too many empty possessions for anyone to reasonably conclude that this team can compete for a NC. Let"s get a bid first.

Who knows where this season will go. But it's mid-January and we're missing one of our best players.

Do you know how many times in UConn history people have said what you're saying about the team at this time of the year? Mid-to-late February and into March is when UConn teams peak.

Check the calendar, we ain't there yet, so we ain't dead yet.

 

[nycscooby]

Who knows where this season will go. But it's mid-January and we're missing one of our best players.

Do you know how many times in UConn history people have said what you're saying about the team at this time of the year? Mid-to-late February and into March is when UConn teams peak.

Check the calendar, we ain't there yet, so we ain't dead yet.

Yup I do, been following the team since 78. Let's just say I am not seeing it this season but we'll see how it plays out. They have my unwavering support always.

 

[willie99]

Stats are stats - they don't play and win/lose games
Who is this years Giffs? DD? Bazz? Boat?
A lot different

who thought they were going to win the championship that year?

people emerged

 

[Ts5034]

The thing that gives me hope that this team can make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament is the fact that the field is pretty wide open. A lot of it depends on the bracket you are in obviously, but we still have work to do in order to earn a bid. I think this is one of those years where I wouldnt be surprised either way if we made another crazy run to the Final Four or lost in the first round. We will see what happens

 

[BLUEDOGHOUSE]

Yup I do, been following the team since 78. Let's just say I am not seeing it this season but we'll see how it plays out. They have my unwavering support always.

and I GUARANTEE if we put you on a POLYGRAPH LIE DETECTOR TEST you would fail miserably. It is quite apparent to most here that the team does NOT have your "unwavering support always". Your ego would take precedence over everything and with the risk of this post being thrown in your face....you would probably be rooting for a team like SYRACUSE/DUKE/KENTUCKY to beat us. Also are you really going out on a limb here genius? Almost any reasonably prudent person would take the field.

If I were on Death Row it would be a no brainer to have PJ represent me over you. At least he provides some documentary evidence via stats.

What I am trying to say partner is....this forum is not the stupid leading the blind.

Thanks PJ for taking the time out of your busy evening to dig up a little gold for us to chew on. Scooby it is past your bed time.

 

[CTBasketball]

Stats are so misleading.

 

[BLUEDOGHOUSE]

Reasonable minds can differ but you feel the need to make it personal....pompous d*ck that you are.

Sorry I didn't mean to make it personal. I will give myself a timeout. Just do me a favor and show some appreciation for the guy that pulled the #'s. The only pompous d++ck was you.

 

[BLUEDOGHOUSE]

Stats are so misleading.

Elaborate...

You watching this UNLV game?

 

[CTBasketball]

Elaborate...

You watching this UNLV game?

Is Monmouth, William and Mary, and Middle Tennessee better than us? RPI suggests they are.

Or that the best offense in the country is The Citadel? Statistically our best player is Daniel Hamilton - but if you watch the game you'd see that is not always true. Is Shonn Miller really a 55% 3 point shooter?

I agree that we can still contend, I do, especially when Brimah comes back. But in my opinion stats do not hold a lot of fidelity.

 

[nycscooby]

Sorry I didn't mean to make it personal. I will give myself a timeout. Just do me a favor and show some appreciation for the guy that pulled the #'s. The only pompous d++ck was you.

All I said was that I didn"t see this team competing for a NC this year. That led to people questioning my fandom and my truthfulness. Some of you disagree with me, that"s cool. BDH you can base your disagreement with me on stats, still doesn"t change my opinion about their chances based on what I have seen this season so far but I would be thrilled to be wrong, trust me. Aapology accepted and moving on.

 

[traitor71]

To me the big difference, the biggest difference really, between hoping for this team going forward as compared to 2014 is that in 2014 I felt that we could say we had the best player on the floor in pretty much every game. I wasn't thinking titles, but I knew with Shabazz we would always have the chance that he would go off and totally control a game.

We don't have anyone like that now, but yesterday did have the feel of a possible turning of the corner. I'm not sure why I feel that way. Ollie still makes mystifying decisions and the offense still vanishes for extended stretches, but it just felt different to me for whatever reason. Of course if the Cincy game goes wrong we could go back to firing and cutting everyone again, so let's see what happens there...

 

[JSM1970]

I thought so too until the 2nd half happened and they made like 3 FGs and no 3s. The defense is very sold, need to continue finding the combination for the best offensive efficiency, and it's tough because Gibbs and Purvis are so inconsistent, and DHam too.

When Brimah returns I would like to see some stretches of Adams, Gibbs, Purvis/Calhoun, Miller and Brimah. The team played some good stretches under 4 when DHam was off the floor. But replacing Dham's rebound won't be easy.

We don't have anyone like that now, but yesterday did have the feel of a possible turning of the corner. I'm not sure why I feel that way. Ollie still makes mystifying decisions and the offense still vanishes for extended stretches, but it just felt different to me for whatever reason. Of course if the Cincy game goes wrong we could go back to firing and cutting everyone again, so let's see what happens there...

 

[Dogbreath2U]

To me the big difference, the biggest difference really, between hoping for this team going forward as compared to 2014 is that in 2014 I felt that we could say we had the best player on the floor in pretty much every game. I wasn't thinking titles, but I knew with Shabazz we would always have the chance that he would go off and totally control a game.

We don't have anyone like that now, but yesterday did have the feel of a possible turning of the corner. I'm not sure why I feel that way. Ollie still makes mystifying decisions and the offense still vanishes for extended stretches, but it just felt different to me for whatever reason. Of course if the Cincy game goes wrong we could go back to firing and cutting everyone again, so let's see what happens there...

I have sensed a possible turning of a corner as well, as the team is getting a little more mentally tough each game and there has been less of the panicky reactions when the other team is on a run. The best thing has been the improvement in defense and another good thing has been Sterling in crunchtime. This team does lack the "best player on the floor" advantage our NC teams have had. It is amazing that our Huskies are still in games with the horrible offensive stretches that they've had. If this team could tighten it up, make more of the "bunnies" that we miss an incredible percentage of, and show more discipline to not take bad shots, they could easily jump up a level. I don't know if they can realistically go far in the tournament (if we get there), but this team could do well if they keep building more focus and confidence. It seems that Rodney's play has an impact, both for good and bad, on the confidence level of the whole team. I thought he may have turned a corner yesterday with his improved play off the bench.

 

[Rico444]

I'm a little concerned about the offense, but if Hamilton can get his act together and the offense can click the way we all know it can, I like our chances against anyone in March.

 

[8893]

All I said was that I didn"t see this team competing for a NC this year.

No, you said a bit more than that. It's okay though. Non-believers--especially ones who are also down on our coach--have always been essential to our success. I am not among them, but you have plenty of company on this board and elsewhere.