UConn #11 in ESPN Power Rankings

[Yankees32123]

College Hoops Power Rankings: No surprise, it's all Duke

 

[Jerry1714]

So ESPN has us ranked higher than any poll or other publication? Interesting. Wonder how all the tin foil hats who believe ESPN "hates us" will spin this one.

 

[BUConn10]

So ESPN has us ranked higher than any poll or other publication? Interesting. Wonder how all the tin foil hats who believe ESPN "hates us" will spin this one.

 

[MexicoHusky]

I really don't understand how we are ranked so high. I can't say with confidence we will be better than last year. We will almost certainly have some early bumps with this young team. But this ranking has us considerably better than last year's team.

Maybe college bball is in for a down year.

 

[CL82]

So ESPN has us ranked higher than any poll or other publication? Interesting. Wonder how all the tin foil hats who believe ESPN "hates us" will spin this one.

Conspiracy Kitty says:
We are probably ESPN's most profitable property. Not the highest grosser, mind you, but most profitable, in that they pay nothing for us practically speaking. There is no active conference realignment right now, so they don't need to make us unattractive to keep their costs down. They can pump us us to maximize their profit. As Michael Corleone might say: 'It's just business, nothing personal.'

 

[Balker]

Apparently they just had Jeff Goodman do the power rankings. Either just for the first one or they aren't having a full committee vote this year.

So the tinfoil hatted folks can relax, the rest of ESPN probably still hates us.

 

[Jerry1714]

I really don't understand how we are ranked so high. I can't say with confidence we will be better than last year. We will almost certainly have some early bumps with this young team. But this ranking has us considerably better than last year's team.

Maybe college bball is in for a down year.

I agree, maybe this freshman class is great, but I am not sure where we are going to replace Hamilton's and Miller's production. Hope I am wrong, but I do not see how this is a top 20 team to start the year.

 

[Balker]

 

[MexicoHusky]

I find these quotes interesting. In particular the quote about Enoch. Not because it pins our hopes on Enoch, but because it totally dismisses Brimah. At this point, I don't think Goodman is in the minority. There is almost zero faith that Brimah will be anything more than he's been in the past. Maybe even less without DHam throwing lobs to him.

 

[david]

I think 11 is way too high for a team with 8/11 scholarship players (not counting the 2 walkons with schollys) being underclassmen.

That being said, Goodman actually has watched a practice sans Durham and ranked us this high which gives me some additional optimism this year.

 

[Kemba'sYogurt]

I miss boatright

 

[UConnfan8]

So ESPN has us ranked higher than any poll or other publication? Interesting. Wonder how all the tin foil hats who believe ESPN "hates us" will spin this one.

ESPN hates us.

 

[Silk31]

Goodman must be wearing his tinfoil hat as well. I want the old UConn-hating Goodman back

 

[Bboy Lace]

I agree, maybe this freshman class is great, but I am not sure where we are going to replace Hamilton's and Miller's production. Hope I am wrong, but I do not see how this is a top 20 team to start the year.

Maybe I'm too optimistic but I actually think this year's team is way better than last year's. I always felt that last year had a bunch of parts thrown together. That doesn't always translate into a good cohesive team much like throwing together a bunch of ingredients doesnt always make a good soup. You had Gibbs (a transfer - not a PG, more of a spot up shooter), Miller (a transfer), Hamilton (not a leader, didnt have the self awareness to know he needed another year, mistake prone albeit talented) and Nolan (couldnt stay on the court consistently) leading the group - with Purvis somewhere in there trying to fit in.

UConn does best when they have 2 guards leading the pack. This has been our formula. Last years mix of guys was not our formula. This year however, looks more like it. I think JA and AG gives this team another gear. Purvis will be a better Purvis this year. The chemistry will be better. My only concern is the defense (perimeter & transition defense specifically)

Sidenote: And I cant understate how good I think Enoch will become. He's gonna make a jump this year.

 

[jibsey]

I find these quotes interesting. In particular the quote about Enoch. Not because it pins our hopes on Enoch, but because it totally dismisses Brimah. At this point, I don't think Goodman is in the minority. There is almost zero faith that Brimah will be anything more than he's been in the past. Maybe even less without DHam throwing lobs to him.

Brimah is a backup center which doesn't mean he is garbage. He can play 20 minutes a game and contribute with shot blocking and rim protecting. Our problem is that we have been waiting for him to be an all star lottery pick and it ain't likely happening. We have a 3 or 4 headed group to get the job done and because of Larrier and Jackson we can go small with a bunch of 6'8" guys. I think that KO starts the season with The idea that AB is playing starting minutes, but when we have trouble scoring he will get less time. This ESPN ranking sounds high but I don't know the comparative teams that well.

 

[James]

"Worst case: First-weekend casualty. UConn has some new pieces and is young in key spots. Early games in Maui and against Syracuse should show us exactly how good the Huskies can be. In any case, this is an NCAA tournament team but must get back to tough defense."

bilas, showing he has no clue what the hell he is talking about. This teams struggles reside almost entirely on being able to produce buckets, one of the best defensive teams in the country last year and won a tourney game. I'm a fan of this ranking though, very excited for larrier.

 

[Jay-Bone]

My only concern is the defense (perimeter & transition defense specifically)

Our bright spot last year was defense. And two big reasons were Brimah and Purvis. If TL & VJ can use their length on opposing swing forwards and SE can figure out team defense to add some beef down low, I don't think defense will be our fatal flaw. It seems our guards are quick enough, but anxious to see if AG can glove a la RB & SN to make up for his size.

 

[husky429]

Maybe I'm too optimistic but I actually think this year's team is way better than last year's. I always felt that last year had a bunch of parts thrown together. That doesn't always translate into a good cohesive team much like throwing together a bunch of ingredients doesnt always make a good soup. You had Gibbs (a transfer - not a PG, more of a spot up shooter), Miller (a transfer), Hamilton (not a leader, didnt have the self awareness to know he needed another year, mistake prone albeit talented) and Nolan (couldnt stay on the court consistently) leading the group - with Purvis somewhere in there trying to fit in.

UConn does best when they have 2 guards leading the pack. This has been our formula. Last years mix of guys was not our formula. This year however, looks more like it. I think JA and AG gives this team another gear. Purvis will be a better Purvis this year. The chemistry will be better. My only concern is the defense (perimeter & transition defense specifically)

Sidenote: And I cant understate how good I think Enoch will become. He's gonna make a jump this year.

I wouldn't get so excited about Enoch. Yes he is a beast of a physical specimen and reports say he's working hard, but he had two foul in 3 minutes against new haven.. that sounds like more of what we saw last year to me.

I'm hoping he can shore up his D. I want him to prove me wrong. With even average defense (including defensive boards) he is going to be an absolute animal for us.

 

[jibsey]

I wouldn't get so excited about Enoch. Yes he is a beast of a physical specimen and reports say he's working hard, but he had two foul in 3 minutes against new haven.. that sounds like more of what we saw last year to me.

I'm hoping he can shore up his D. I want him to prove me wrong. With even average defense (including defensive boards) he is going to be an absolute animal for us.

I agree. His 2 fouls were clearing out on offense down low and fouling a 3 point shooter which is easily corrected by KO saying "Don't do that!" When he came back in he had this beautiful spin move floater that AB will never dream of. Also great soft hands and touch around the rim. Of all our bigs he's the one that may play in the NBA so we should give him plenty of floor time. Yes he's gonna foul but so will AB, it's a 3 headed group we run Facey, AB and him- 15 fouls to give. If he gets time out there I think he produces.

 

[Rocktheworld]

Within the full team write-up it's noted that as of right now Lunardi has us penciled in as a 4th seed

 

[auror]

Our bright spot last year was defense. And two big reasons were Brimah and Purvis. If TL & VJ can use their length on opposing swing forwards and SE can figure out team defense to add some beef down low, I don't think defense will be our fatal flaw. It seems our guards are quick enough, but anxious to see if AG can glove a la RB & SN to make up for his size.

Overall yes, our defense was awesome. In a few key games we got lost too many times in transition, though. Have to stay mentally tough and a big part of that is leadership.

 

[HooperScooper]

"Worst case: First-weekend casualty. UConn has some new pieces and is young in key spots. Early games in Maui and against Syracuse should show us exactly how good the Huskies can be. In any case, this is an NCAA tournament team but must get back to tough defense."

bilas, showing he has no clue what the hell he is talking about. This teams struggles reside almost entirely on being able to produce buckets, one of the best defensive teams in the country last year and won a tourney game. I'm a fan of this ranking though, very excited for larrier.

I'm pretty sure he's reacting to the exhibition game against New Haven and Ollie's comments after.

 

[billybud]

UConn was the only AAC team to receive a nod in the AP .

#16 in the AP....clearly the cream of the conference.

The schedule has only Syracuse as a preseason ranked team...,the opportunities for the big win are somewhat limited.

 

[Rico444]

UConn was the only AAC team to receive a nod in the AP .

#16 in the AP....clearly the cream of the conference.

The schedule has only Syracuse as a preseason ranked team...,the opportunities for the big win are somewhat limited.

We play in Maui, where there's a good chance we'll get UNC and Oregon/Wisconsin.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Everybody focuses on players we lost. Look at the teams ranked even higher...many of them also lost as many as three starters, and in most cases they are replacing those guys with freshmen. Highly rated freshmen, sure, but freshmen.

We lost Gibbs...who is really replaced by Rodney, a senior+ and Hamilton, who is replaced by a highly rated sophomore who started at VCU as a freshman and had a year practicing with the team last year (so a Junior in age/experience). Our PF is replaced by a senior, a freshman and a sophomore depending on the rotation.

There is a lot of experience on this team compared to many ranked higher. It's always interesting to see which of these freshman driven teams can really live up to the hype, and which can't.