Top 25 team next year?? Maybe not

[HuskyBaggins]

I doubt if we'll be at top 25 team next year especially if Jackson leaves which is more and more likely. No one could have predicted all of the outflow of talent and nothing coming in from the portal so far. Depending on freshman to perform as hyped is a very risky proposition.

The early articles putting us at #1 only assumed Clingan and Karaban returning.

 

[HuskyBaggins]

I'm gonna start taking receipts.
First sign of adversity in ANYTHING, and the sky is falling.

Sorry for your mindset my friend, it's hindering your happiness in life.

Indeed. I dialed back expectations pretty heavily after the SJU debacle, but only because there was no previous track record of late season success and it felt and awful lot like "here we go again". But now there absolutely IS a track record. Nobody can actually question whether Hurley has a plan and knows how to implement it, or that he cannot face adversity and come through it better than before.

There's only so much time in a day and attention you can give in life, and if they don't end up coming together next season - so be it. But I'm sure as hell not going to sleep on any Hurley-led UConn team going forward.

 

[HuskyBaggins]

Please define more and more likely?

Indeed. Jackson just announced he was testing the waters in the last week. I'm not aware of a single occurrence of any kind that would make his leaving more or less likely than it was a week ago.

 

[HooperScooper]

The early articles putting us at #1 only assumed Clingan and Karaban returning.

Show me one of those. The ones I saw assumed only losing Hawkins. Then Gary Parrish kept them number 1 after losing Sanogo also (College basketball rankings: Why UConn remains No. 1 in Top 25 And 1 after Adama Sanogo declared for NBA Draft).

Don't think anyone would put them number 1 after losing Jackson and Newton also.

 

[HuskyBaggins]

Just a thought: you should give these kids a little more credit. They’re not a bunch of clowns on the internet overreacting emotionally to everything. That’s what we do here. They actually have professionals who do this stuff for a living advising them.

Yeah, I think in this case it comes down to nothing more than which guy is most likely to get drafted high / what they have to prove at this level. Hawkins was a no-brainer, he's possibly a lottery pick. Day one decision. Sanogo has nothing to prove at all. May not have an ideal slot on a modern NBA roster, but still. Not an unexpected decision at all. And then Jackson, who absolutely has the physical traits for the NBA, but hasn't quite put up the numbers you might expect for an NBA prospect. So his decision might take a little longer to reach.

Then again, these decisions might already have been made, internally. But each one got the chance to make their own announcement and bask in the glow of the media and the fans thanking them for all they did and winning a title. And when that dies down, the next guy announces, and so on.

 

[HuskyBaggins]

Agree to disagree- think Alleyne was coming into his own the last 15 games of the season & was getting critical minutes by the end of the season.

To be fair, I'm not sure his ultimate destination was great, but with one more year of eligibility, he may want to add another season as the top guard somewhere to his resume.

 

[HuskyBaggins]

Show me one of those. The ones I saw assumed only losing Hawkins. Then Gary Parrish kept them number 1 after losing Sanogo also (College basketball rankings: Why UConn remains No. 1 in Top 25 And 1 after Adama Sanogo declared for NBA Draft).

Don't think anyone would put them number 1 after losing Jackson and Newton also.

I don't think most of them were explicit about it, but when ESPN had us #1 they put up a picture of Clingan and Karaban. They now have us #4 "after the Sanogo declaration", though I can't believe anyone really thought he was coming back.

 

[WeAreUCONN]

Your Mets better not be content with 2 40+ year olds getting 86 million and baseball’s biggest payroll. But my frantic attitude about all other sports has been muted by this win for sure.

Mets will be okay I think but I’m not excited about this year’s team. Braves look like the team to beat in the NL.

 

[Scottobot]

I think they are too 25. Got a lottery pick in Clingan who might be early favorite as an all America candidate. Karaban is going to get more shots, and they have Castle.

Guard depth is short. So if Newton and Jackson don’t return, or only 1, I am assuming they go get another guard.

UConn has a 4th guard on next year’s roster. People forget about Roumoglo. I am not sure what his ability level is, but Hurley must have seen something in him to recruit him. Castle, Diarra, Ball, and Roumoglu are the 4 guards. I am sure Hurley could find one more guard on portal should Newton and Jackson remain in draft.

 

[auror]

UConn has a 4th guard on next year’s roster. People forget about Roumoglo. I am not sure what his ability level is, but Hurley must have seen something in him to recruit him. Castle, Diarra, Ball, and Roumoglu are the 4 guards. I am sure Hurley could find one more guard on portal should Newton and Jackson remain in draft.

I know UConn lists him as a guard and he can handle a little bit, but Roumoglou is 6'7" and not likely quick enough to guard opposing guards. He's a wing for lineup considerations.

 

[UCfor3]

I don’t understand how any rational fan could be demoralized with where we are even if they don’t return. The cupboards are full

It's Connecticut. Our fans have the sense of entitlement of NY Yankee fans and the eternal pessimism of Boston Red Sox fans. A real double threat killer combo.

 

[willie99]

So most of you guys aren’t worried if Newton and Jackson stay in the draft? What are your expectations for next year? I’d like to get to the point where we are a consistent top 5 team, we have a good recruiting class coming in but it’s not like they are all 5 stars. People being concerned about next year doesn’t diminish the accomplishments this year.

No, I'm not concerned one iota. That's college basketball, and I'm happy our kids won a championship and get to chase their dreams

I'm sure you were very "concerned" on April 22, 2022 last year too. How did that work out? Many posts in this thread are about mocking all those realistic "concerns" throughout our history as we take over as the College Basketball Capital of the World.

No, I'm really not concerned, just looking forward to another great season of UConn basketball. We'll be fine, enjoy the ride.

PS: there will be bumps in the road, there will be losses, and that's OK too. That makes WINNING even better

 

[alphasigko]

Alabama who was the #1 team for much of the year and the #1 overall seed started 3 freshman, 1 sophomore, 1 junior, so it's not crazy to think it's possible

And where did they wind up?

 

[navery12]

And where did they wind up?

#1 in the final AP poll, which is what the question was. About a team being ranked high starting so many freshman

 

[alphasigko]

#1 in the final AP poll, which is what the question was. About a team being ranked high starting so many freshman

But lost when the chips were down and the pressure was very high.

 

[JohnnyJr]

No, I'm not concerned one iota. That's college basketball, and I'm happy our kids won a championship and get to chase their dreams

I'm sure you were very "concerned" on April 22, 2022 last year too. How did that work out? Many posts in this thread are about mocking all those realistic "concerns" throughout our history as we take over as the College Basketball Capital of the World.

No, I'm really not concerned, just looking forward to another great season of UConn basketball. We'll be fine, enjoy the ride.

PS: there will be bumps in the road, there will be losses, and that's OK too. That makes WINNING even better

So just because this year worked out we don’t need to talk about next years roster? I’m not saying we’re not going to be a tournament team but we’re probably not winning the big east if Jackson/Newton don’t return.

 

[RichCTBB]

The real issue is mmatrims wink.

I still trust Matrim's wink over Ozzy. Whatever happened to that guy?

 

[Mooch82]

We weren’t top 25 this year. Just sayin

People keep saying this, but I could have sworn we were like 22 to start the season. Am I misremembering?

 

[UofCT]

So just because this year worked out we don’t need to talk about next years roster? I’m not saying we’re not going to be a tournament team but we’re probably not winning the big east if Jackson/Newton don’t return.

K

 

[UDann]

It's Connecticut. Our fans have the sense of entitlement of NY Yankee fans and the eternal pessimism of Boston Red Sox fans. A real double threat killer combo.

Good analogy but isn't that for the previous century. This century the Red Sox are like the Huskies up and down but win titles.

 

[UCfor3]

Good analogy but isn't that for the previous century. This century the Red Sox are like the Huskies up and down but win titles.

Boston fans still have that eternal pessimism though no matter how much they win. It's a New England thing.

 

[UDann]

Boston fans still have that eternal pessimism though no matter how much they win. It's a New England thing.

I am a Red Sox fan. Having been at both the Bucky Dent and Aaron Boones games. My pessimism ended in 2004. 4 titles later I don’t feel that way at all despite those memories. I feel quite optimistic when we make the playoffs.

 

[Ratso]

I am a Red Sox fan. Having been at both the Bucky Dent and Aaron Boones games. My pessimism ended in 2004. 4 titles later I don’t feel that way at all despite those memories. I feel quite optimistic when we make the playoffs

my parents made me rip up all my $$$$ baseball cards before moving up to CT,

 

[UCfor3]

I am a Red Sox fan. Having been at both the Bucky Dent and Aaron Boones games. My pessimism ended in 2004. 4 titles later I don’t feel that way at all despite those memories. I feel quite optimistic when we make the playoffs.

I'm mostly the same as you. It has gotten a little better over last 20 years. With that said, the Boston/New England reputation for this is still there for many. It's not just about the Sox or Pats. Just the regions general negative/pessimistic mentality regardless of success. It's engrained in the regions culture. The minute things go bad, many revert quickly despite recent success, kinda like this board.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

So just because this year worked out we don’t need to talk about next years roster? I’m not saying we’re not going to be a tournament team but we’re probably not winning the big east if Jackson/Newton don’t return.

This year “working out” is a pretty hilarious way to describe the season.