This team will be ok next year

[Danzz]

Using the word chemistry is almost a cliche but this year these kids don't seem to have it. Obviously we lost Kemba as a go to scorer and leader. You don't replace a player like him.We play a talented freshman at C who has incredible potential and athleticism but who makes a ton of mistakes on D and has limited offensive moves.Drummond will be a beast at some point but he is still learning the game. I am not one who believes he was overated. I just don't think he should be starting.
They seem to get it at times on offense (like the second half of the Cuse game) and other times they appear lost.This is a sign of a young team.
Last year we won a NCC and only lost 1 player but instead of replacing 1 player we changed the starting lineup by adding 3 different starters at times . Everything works against the less talented teams we play on our early schedule but when we played better teams we lost.
Blaney could be blamed except that they played no better under JC. Coaching is not the problem, youth and confidence is.
We may not make the NCAA tournament and frankly I don't care if they do. They wouldn't go very far anyway because they are not consistant enough.
I'm looking forward to next year. This team could be very good. They just have to get a little better individually and as a team. Don't expect Omar Calhoun to be a savior, freshmen rarely are. The key will be just a little individual growth.

 

[Kitaman]

I feel the same way but Danzz we said that when Kemba left early, last year. Between now and then we need to find our killer instinct, toughness, leadership, chemistry, basketball IQ/skills and of course enjoyment of the game. Sounds worse than it is, there is a foundation and like you said another year of experience to build on.

The season ain't over though.

 

[Excalibur]

This team will not look like this next year after our appeal is denied by the NCAA

 

[huskymagic]

Using the word chemistry is almost a cliche but this year these kids don't seem to have it. Obviously we lost Kemba as a go to scorer and leader. You don't replace a player like him.We play a talented freshman at C who has incredible potential and athleticism but who makes a ton of mistakes on D and has limited offensive moves.Drummond will be a beast at some point but he is still learning the game. I am not one who believes he was overated. I just don't think he should be starting.
They seem to get it at times on offense (like the second half of the Cuse game) and other times they appear lost.This is a sign of a young team.
Last year we won a NCC and only lost 1 player but instead of replacing 1 player we changed the starting lineup by adding 3 different starters at times . Everything works against the less talented teams we play on our early schedule but when we played better teams we lost.
Blaney could be blamed except that they played no better under JC. Coaching is not the problem, youth and confidence is.
We may not make the NCAA tournament and frankly I don't care if they do. They wouldn't go very far anyway because they are not consistant enough.
I'm looking forward to next year. This team could be very good. They just have to get a little better individually and as a team. Don't expect Omar Calhoun to be a savior, freshmen rarely are. The key will be just a little individual growth.

I dont think anyone expects Omar Calhoun to be a savior lol. He is a bigger version of Napier so not expecting something special but just a solid player who can contribute. If we somehow got Devonta Pollard then yea he would be a game changer.

P.S. its not the chemistry thats the problem right now. The problem is that all of our main players are finesse players aka soft with the exception of Roscoe and once in a while Alex, and do not play defense especially our guards on the perimeter. The second big problem is that we dont have a go to player who can make big shots in critical moments or a guy who can stop the other team's runs. The guy that should be that guy is Ryan Boatright but since he is a freshman, he is forced to defer to passive players like Lamb.

 

[HuskyBballFan]

If we aren't allowed to play in the postseason, nothing about next year will be "ok."

The best case scenario would be that Drummond and/or Lamb surprise everyone by coming back because they just don't think they're ready for the next level. We'd probably be pretty good, we'd probably win a lot of games.

And none of it would matter one bit.

 

[GemParty]

If we aren't allowed to play in the postseason, nothing about next year will be "ok."

The best case scenario would be that Drummond and/or Lamb surprise everyone by coming back because they just don't think they're ready for the next level. We'd probably be pretty good, we'd probably win a lot of games.

And none of it would matter one bit.

You sir, are 100% correct. Is there still hope next year will count???

 

[tzznandrew]

Maybe I'm an idiot. I think we will be allowed to play in the NCAAs.

 

[businesslawyer]

1. I haven't given up on playing in the NCAA next year.

2. I don't see a one year suspension having a major impact on our roster. AD and Jeremy have major, multi-million dollar decisions to make -- do they take the money they can get and run, or do they improve themselves for one more year hoping for a bigger and longer term pay day? Having that decision effected by whether or not you get to play in the NCAAs makes no sense and I think they are both better advised than that. Nor does it matter for recruiting, because if they come back we don't have vacancies for next fall anyway.

3. And why wouldn't next year matter? It would be the last chance to win a Big East regular season title with Syracuse and Pitt still here, and if people are complaining that we didn't win enough games in the year we won a championship then certainly it must be a good thing to win a lot of games in a year you don't win a championship. (Except, apparently, in 2006, which I just have to accept was a terrible team notwithstanding that it might have been the best team in the country from start to finish.)

 

[tzznandrew]

1. I haven't given up on playing in the NCAA next year.

2. I don't see a one year suspension having a major impact on our roster. AD and Jeremy have major, multi-million dollar decisions to make -- do they take the money they can get and run, or do they improve themselves for one more year hoping for a bigger and longer term pay day? Having that decision effected by whether or not you get to play in the NCAAs makes no sense and I think they are both better advised than that. Nor does it matter for recruiting, because if they come back we don't have vacancies for next fall anyway.

3. And why wouldn't next year matter? It would be the last chance to win a Big East regular season title with Syracuse and Pitt still here, and if people are complaining that we didn't win enough games in the year we won a championship then certainly it must be a good thing to win a lot of games in a year you don't win a championship. (Except, apparently, in 2006, which I just have to accept was a terrible team notwithstanding that it might have been the best team in the country from start to finish.)

But they lost. To a team on a great run (already beat UNC and MSU) on that team's own court. It couldn't have been that the team, for all its talent, was poorly constructed (only 1 ball-handler--AJ would have made a huge difference), or that, for one of the few times that year a team played better. They were lazy. And uninterested. Forget those 30 games they won. Those were exceptions.

 

[Marat]

The guy that should be that guy is Ryan Boatright but since he is a freshman, he is forced to defer to passive players like Lamb.

How very similar to 2010 when it should have been Kemba being the guy, but instead deferring to Dyson, Robinson. I see big potential in Boatright down the road at UConn.

 

[Yonick]

Maybe I'm an idiot. I think we will be allowed to play in the NCAAs.

I agree with you tzznandrew, but, I wish this committee would make that decision soon, in order to save recruiting. Plus, a favorable decision might keep Drummond and/or Lamb here.

 

[tzznandrew]

I agree with you tzznandrew, but, I wish this committee would make that decision soon, in order to save recruiting. Plus, a favorable decision might keep Drummond and/or Lamb here.

Fully agree here. The sooner the better.

 

[Tenspro2002]

Boatright needs to be the Khalid El-Amin to Shabazz's Ricky Moore and Lamb's Richard Hamilton.

Unfortunately, Lamb is the real weakness in that equation. He hasn't shown the assertiveness that Rip did to help get us to the Elite 8 his sophomore year.

 

[tzznandrew]

That team had the advantage of KEA the whole season, from the beginning.

You're right about Rip, though. Hadn't realized he averaged 21.5 as a sophomore. Lamb's 17.5 isn't bad though.

 

[Prezidint]

Things that could happen next year:

1. AD gone.
2. Lamb gone.
3. DD transfers.
4. Other unnamed player transfers.
5. Omar Calhoun transfers.
6. Calhoun gone.

3-5 are much more likely to happen IF we are barred from post-season play. Players may look it at as - "well, I don't want to miss the tourni one of my years, the team looks to be in decline, so I might as well transfer this year."

I think this team could be fighting DePaul for the Booby prize next year, if all breaks break the wrong way.

 

[RuffRuff]

Things that could happen next year:

1. AD gone.
2. Lamb gone.
3. DD transfers.
4. Other unnamed player transfers.
5. Omar Calhoun transfers.
6. Calhoun gone.

3-5 are much more likely to happen IF we are barred from post-season play. Players may look it at as - "well, I don't want to miss the tourni one of my years, the team looks to be in decline, so I might as well transfer this year."

I think this team could be fighting DePaul for the Booby prize next year, if all breaks break the wrong way.

Well if that ain't half empty.

I'll say this, aside from the Uconn fan I call myself, the transition period that Uconn goes through in the next few years will be quite fascinating from a general sports perspective. The combination of having so much at stake, new administration, some of the NCAA issues going on and replacing a stubborn/prideful legend truly is fascinating.

Is the new adminstration going to allow Calhoun to have a heavy hand or is it going to make decision independant of him? To some degree, Calhoun seems like he could be that kind of guy that overinvolves himself. There will be factions that can't argue with it and others that might tell him to mind his own business and move on. The guy has been Uconn basketball and the decision to try to understand how the program moves on beyond him will be really interesting.

I'm calling it - Geno Auriemma - next men's basketball coach!!!!!!!!

 

[jibsey]

Ruff, I don't think it's the next few years, I think it may be on us now. We get the right next head coach and we move on just fine, but for some reason the 2 backup head coaches and KO on our bench have not been able to get our team to execute, so who we get is critical. We can argue about who it should be but I want someone with a record of experience and achievement.

 

[CBallfan]

Maybe I'm an idiot. I think we will be allowed to play in the NCAAs.

I like this positive thinking!! After all the bs going on with the Uconn program, we are bound for some kind of good news!

 

[sledog]

It remains to be seen who returns after the April pow-wows.

 

[huskymagic]

How very similar to 2010 when it should have been Kemba being the guy, but instead deferring to Dyson, Robinson. I see big potential in Boatright down the road at UConn.

yea thats exactly the right analogy and one that i was also thinking about as well.

 

[Danzz]

Ruff, I don't think it's the next few years, I think it may be on us now. We get the right next head coach and we move on just fine, but for some reason the 2 backup head coaches and KO on our bench have not been able to get our team to execute, so who we get is critical. We can argue about who it should be but I want someone with a record of experience and achievement.

Again, this team didn't execute with JC on the bench and running practices.

 

[Buffett10]

Things that could happen next year:

1. AD gone.
2. Lamb gone.
3. DD transfers.
4. Other unnamed player transfers.
5. Omar Calhoun transfers.
6. Calhoun gone.

3-5 are much more likely to happen IF we are barred from post-season play. Players may look it at as - "well, I don't want to miss the tourni one of my years, the team looks to be in decline, so I might as well transfer this year."

I think this team could be fighting DePaul for the Booby prize next year, if all breaks break the wrong way.

DeAndre Daniels is not transferring. His family moved here with him from Florida. His sister is going in for major brain surgery. He seems super close to his family. So id be absolutely shocked if he ends up leaving. I still have alot of faith in him. Hes a frosh and looks lost and over powered out there now. Give it some time and I know he will be much much better.

 

[hoopsknowitall]

This team will not look like this next year after our appeal is denied by the NCAA

I'm hoping the in April the NCAA actually comes to their senses and sees what a public relations nightmare it would be if they actually held to their double jeopardy banning of UCONN for next years tourney. Imagine if everyone came back (I think that Lamb will be the only one to go) and they were a top five team, the scrutiny the banning would get and just how bad the NCAA really would look under the spotlight. Hopefully sanity prevails.

Worse case scenario is pretty grim I agree but lots still to play out.