The Man Knows the Game

[UConn9604]

Jim Calhoun is on Mike & Mike right now. He was asked about Kentucky and how dominant they are.

Calhoun called Kentucky "a good team, not a great team. Certainly not as good as their 2012 team, not as good as our 2009 team, maybe as good as our 2011 team."

 

[UConnSwag11]

#Truth

 

[UConn9604]

#Truth

I found it interesting that he ranked 2009 above 2011. I never would have ranked them that way -- well, in February, maybe. Not in March.

 

[CTBasketball]

I found it interesting that he ranked 2009 above 2011. I never would have ranked them that way -- well, in February, maybe. Not in March.

Before Dyson went down, 2008-2009 had the potential to be one of the best Husky teams ever. It would have gave 1999 and 2004 a run for its money.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

I found it interesting that he ranked 2009 above 2011. I never would have ranked them that way -- well, in February, maybe. Not in March.

What do you mean, not in march? The made the final 4 without their starting shooting guard and only went down to a Michigan state team playing a home game.

 

[aceboon]

I found it interesting that he ranked 2009 above 2011. I never would have ranked them that way -- well, in February, maybe. Not in March.

That team had enough pieces to lose its starting SG that was averaging dbl figures and still make a Final 4 pretty comfortably. I can't even imagine what a frontcourt of SRob, Adrien, and Thabeet would have done to the 2011 team.

 

[Hugo]

People seem to forget how good that 2009 ream was. Maybe because they didn't win it all we hold them with less reverence, but they were one very good team and if they had JD available they had a good chance to win it all.

 

[HuskyBballFan]

All you need to know about that 2009 team is that they dominated a top-5 Louisville team in their own building.

 

[tcf15]

All you need to know about that 2009 team is that they dominated a top-5 Louisville team in their own building.

That domination included UConn going 0-8 from three, too

 

[UConn9604]

Whoa! This thread is in the "embarrassment of riches" category that a BC fan can never understand...

I agree, history doesn't treat that 2009 team with the respect it deserves. 6 OT and playing Michigan State are probably the primary reasons for that. I just don't see that 2011 team losing to the 2009 team in the tournament because the 2011 team didn't lose to any team in any tournament.

Also, 2009 was in the middle of a very pedestrian NCAA tournament run by our standards (from 2007-10, we won precisely three tournament games, fewer than in any four-year stretch since 1986-89), and we also went oh-for-Big East Tournament from 2006-10.

I have to think that 2011 would have come out on top in a tournament game against 2009, as if that was possible.

 

[Letsgohuskies11]

had dyson not gone down, i think we would of beat Michigan State easily and would have been a very entertaining game against UNC

 

[UConn9604]

Whoa! This thread is in the "embarrassment of riches" category that a BC fan can never understand...

I agree, history doesn't treat that 2009 team with the respect it deserves. 6 OT and playing Michigan State are probably the primary reasons for that. I just don't see that 2011 team losing to the 2009 team in the tournament because the 2011 team didn't lose to any team in any tournament.

Also, 2009 was in the middle of a very pedestrian NCAA tournament run by our standards (from 2007-10, we won precisely three tournament games, fewer than in any four-year stretch since 1986-89), and we also went oh-for-Big East Tournament from 2006-10.

I have to think that 2011 would have come out on top in a tournament game against 2009, as if that was possible.

That's four tournament games. I can't count, and I need coffee.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

As others mentioned:

2009: Thabeet, Adrien, Stanley, Edwards

2011: Oriakhi, Roscoe, Olander, Okwandu.

I really think 2009 would eat 2011 alive in the paint.

 

[UConnSwag11]

I found it interesting that he ranked 2009 above 2011. I never would have ranked them that way -- well, in February, maybe. Not in March.

That team dominated. If dyson didn't get injured they would've been in the finals of the big east tourney and ncaa tourney. Defensively they were amazing. Also the inside game was one of the best in the country.

 

[UConnSwag11]

Whoa! This thread is in the "embarrassment of riches" category that a BC fan can never understand...

I agree, history doesn't treat that 2009 team with the respect it deserves. 6 OT and playing Michigan State are probably the primary reasons for that. I just don't see that 2011 team losing to the 2009 team in the tournament because the 2011 team didn't lose to any team in any tournament.

Also, 2009 was in the middle of a very pedestrian NCAA tournament run by our standards (from 2007-10, we won precisely three tournament games, fewer than in any four-year stretch since 1986-89), and we also went oh-for-Big East Tournament from 2006-10.

I have to think that 2011 would have come out on top in a tournament game against 2009, as if that was possible.

Thabeet would've eaten okwandu alive. Adrien would've eaten oriakhi alive. Same with stix and roscoe, dyson on lamb. 09 wins 9/10

 

[bobbygt]

All I know is 2011 Kemba would've been saying, 'Get this little freshman the hell away from me."

The 2008-09 team lost 4 total games before the FF- two to a Pitt team that was not only a buzzer beater away from a FF, but that matched up extremely well against Uconn. Then you have the 6OT game and a loss to a pretty good Georgetown team.

The Big East had 4 teams in the E8 that year.

Without Dyson, I think 2011 could've pulled out a close win, but I would put my money on 2008-2009. With Dyson, I can't see the 2011 team winning.

 

[tzznandrew]

Jim Calhoun is on Mike & Mike right now. He was asked about Kentucky and how dominant they are.

Calhoun called Kentucky "a good team, not a great team. Certainly not as good as their 2012 team, not as good as our 2009 team, maybe as good as our 2011 team."

They are very good. I absolutely think their 2012 team beats them. I think the late 2000s UNC team beats them. The 2009 UConn team beats them.

Hell, Kentucky's 2010 might beat their 2015 version. The 201o version: Bledsoe, Wall, Cousins, etc. lost only two regular season games, and West Virginia went the whole first half without hitting a 2. Yet hit 8 3s.

This 2015 team is not historically great. They are probably the best team this year (or last year), though.

 

[zls44]

I was at the 2009 FF, my point about that team still stands: if you think UConn had a better than 1 in 7 chance of beating that UNC team, you are out of your mind. I think with Dyson we'd hang around for a while, but they probably lose by 8-10.

That UNC team was a hurricane...and in a few months, it'll be erased from the books.

 

[tzznandrew]

I was at the 2009 FF, my point about that team still stands: if you think UConn had a better than 1 in 7 chance of beating that UNC team, you are out of your mind. I think with Dyson we'd hang around for a while, but they probably lose by 8-10.

That UNC team was a hurricane...and in a few months, it'll be erased from the books.

Well, I've never saw them live. But UNC's heart and soul was Hansborough. And that kid struggled against elite rim-protectors. If Hasheem could stay on the floor (and foul trouble was a problem of his then), between Robinson, Adrien, and Thabeet we had the bodies to minimize UNC's strongest quality. Lawson was the other big problem, and he would have been difficult to stop.

 

[BUConn10]

I've always said, a fully healthy 2009 Huskies squad would beat this UK team by a dozen, I have no doubt in my mind. Watching that team at Louisville that year was absolute domination. Physicality like no other UConn team. Elite shooters, scorers, slashers and bigs all across the board. 6 legitamate "star" level players who could take over the college game on any given night: Stix, Adrian, Thabeet, AJ, Dyson, and Kemba, Austrie, Edwards off the bench.
That team would have smacked this Kentucky team in the mouth with no mercy.

 

[Tenspro2002]

The 2011 team would hang with 2009, but I don't see them winning. If they play 10 times, 2011 wins maybe once or twice.

2009 was our last truly dominant team, with or without Dyson.

 

[FluxTZ]

Before Dyson went down, 2008-2009 had the potential to be one of the best Husky teams ever. It would have gave 1999 and 2004 a run for its money.

That and didn't AJ get banged up early too?

 

[Fishy]

If not for Syracuse's klutzy Belgian idiot wiping out Jerome's knee, I think we have five banners.

 

[Chuck]

If not for Syracuse's klutzy Belgian idiot wiping out Jerome's knee, I think we have five banners.

We still would... if we were Duke. "2009 UConn Huskies: No 1 Season Ruined by Injury"

 

[CTBasketball]

I was at the 2009 FF, my point about that team still stands: if you think UConn had a better than 1 in 7 chance of beating that UNC team, you are out of your mind. I think with Dyson we'd hang around for a while, but they probably lose by 8-10.

That UNC team was a hurricane...and in a few months, it'll be erased from the books.

I'd bet an absurd amount of money that Jim Calhoun would out-coach and beat Roy Williams' team, especially at the Final Four. 04/05 were flukes.