UConn 2004 vs UConn 2024

[RuffRuff]

What’s the opening line?

Best of 10?

Emeka
Taliek
Rashad
Gordon
Charlie

vs

Cam
Newt
Castle
Karaban
Clingan
(System)

I have my opinion, but need some healthy opinions from the crowd to support an argument with a friend.

 

[GampelGladiator]

Boone started over Villanueva...

 

[gsmooth]

Boone started over Villanueva...

I was going to say the same thing as well. However, I actually think Villanueva is a better fit with that lineup than Boone.

 

[MilliniumPrince]

04 wins 8 out of 10...maybe all 10.

It would also depend from era are the officials.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

04 wins 8 out of 10...maybe all 10.

It would also depend from era are the officials.

I don't think there's a college basketball team in the 21st century, and probably further back, that's doing that against last year's team. And 10-0? Absurd.

 

[Tenspro2002]

Castle defending Ben Gordon would be a hell of a matchup alongside, of course, Okafor vs. Clingan.

I feel like the Karaban-Boone matchup favors 2024 pretty strongly.

 

[TheRealKBuks]

04 wins 8 out of 10...maybe all 10.

It would also depend from era are the officials.

I would say the opposite

 

[UofCT]

What’s the opening line?

Best of 10?

Emeka
Taliek
Rashad
Gordon
Charlie

vs

Cam
Newt
Castle
Karaban
Clingan
(System)

I have my opinion, but need some healthy opinions from the crowd to support an argument with a friend.

Simulate it using AI

 

[MexicoHusky]

Im sure ill be crucified for this, but ive always thought 2004 was a flawed team. Played sloppy and needed one more ball handler. I go with 2024

 

[GampelGladiator]

I'll go with 6-4 for 2024.

I think biggest gap between the players head to head is Newton over Taliek.

 

[businesslawyer]

I'll go with 6-4 for 2024.

I think biggest gap between the players head to head is Newton over Taliek.

You wouldn’t think that if Taliek guarded Newton for the 10 games.

 

[husky99]

6 to 4--- 2024 wins.

 

[HooperScooper]

I feel like the Karaban-Boone matchup favors 2024 pretty strongly.

I don't know about that. Boone was a really good defender and much bigger than Karaban. But not sure how he would have guarded Karaban out on the perimeter since he never did back then. Boone wasn't much of an offensive player but that's not what he was needed for on that team.

 

[jleves]

If you give Calhoun 20 years to come up with a game plan, he's gonna be pretty hard to beat.

 

[Spaceman213J]

Okafor would have problems with Clingan. Clingan wouldn't have to go out to the perimeter to guard so that clogs the middle and would make things tough for Okafor, Boone and Taliek. Castle would press Gordon outside and again the middle is not much of an option.
I love Okafor. He might be my favorite Husky of all time (up there with Ray). But to win a series with last year's team, you would need a center who could go out and be a threat from the perimeter. I also think Gordon would have all sorts of problems with Castle's physicality.
I think with Clingan, Castle and the strides Newton, Karaban and even Spencer made defensively along with the ability to bring in Diarra, what last year's team could do defensively is sometimes forgotten with how efficient they were on offense at times.

They didn't win a championship, but if any of the Calhoun teams was going to really have a go at last year's team, I'd have to say it was the 93'-94' team with Ray, Doron, Donyell, Fair, Knight, Ollie, Donny Marshall and Rudy Johnson. Yell and Knight could pull Clingan away from the hoop. I'd buy a ticket just for the Castle defense vs Ray offense.

 

[Blue Blood]

8-2 2024 Castle slows down Ben enough, Same with Clingan on Okafor. Okafor was amazing but 6 9 vs 7 2 is a big difference. Offense of Cam Tristen and Karaban out scores 04 by enough. 2024 is the best UConn team ever I'll hear an argument for 99 but no other team is in the convo in my opinion

 

[Blue Blood]

You wouldn’t think that if Taliek guarded Newton for the 10 games.

Taliek was a very good defender but in terms of perimeter defense he's well below the Castle Moore level of perimeter defender. Newton was first team AA and lit up Kansas with Harris who is a very similar defender to Taliek

 

[aceboon]

I don't know about that. Boone was a really good defender and much bigger than Karaban. But not sure how he would have guarded Karaban out on the perimeter since he never did back then. Boone wasn't much of an offensive player but that's not what he was needed for on that team.

He guarded Luol Deng in the Final 4

 

[TheHorde]

Here’s a question…Calhoun and Hurley both seem or have seemed to want to take away one key thing from what their opponent does best that really makes their engine run. What would Calhoun try to take away from the 2024 team and what would Hurley try to take away from the 2004 team in their game planning?

 

[huskyfever34]

To play Devil's advocate, 04' also had Rashad Anderson and Denham Brown to score from the perimeter. Junior yr Okafor was also still ahead of sophomore year Clingan a bit (check their stats if you didn't see Okafor). And with Okafor, Boone, Charlie, that team was BIG inside. So it's not as simple as "Castle holds down Gordon so they struggle." Charlie V could also stretch the floor. That team was so good he and Hilton Armstrong weren't even really relied upon. I do think, however, 24' had a better motion offense and more overall shooting on the floor at all times. I think it would be a damn close series.

 

[Blue Blood]

I always find the era comparison interesting most say new school teams could not compete with old school teams based on how long people stayed in school but I think people lose how the game of basketball itself has evolved. I think when you factor in the game changes, and nutrional conditioning improvement the game has not degraded at all with players staying in college less time. With that said I think kenpom efficiency is a good barometer to compare the last quarter century 04 28.3 24 36.4 that is not close.

 

[MilliniumPrince]

I don't think there's a college basketball team in the 21st century, and probably further back, that's doing that against last year's team. And 10-0? Absurd.

I usually favor the more modern athletes, but I think 04 is a terrible match up for 24. But we will never know.

One team had two top 4 lottery picks, one who went on the be rookie of the year. This back when drafts were much deeper and of higher quality top to bottom. Recency bias has made it easy to forget how good, big, and skilled that 04 team was. I love this 24 team, but I am not sure they beat the 23 team in a series. I love Castle, but he still hasn't played anyone on BG's level. Mek would give Donovan fits, just like Adama did in practice last year. Charlie and AK would be a good match-up, that I think favors Charlie. But that is just my take.

 

[awy]

24 by 20 points. game is vastly different and improved.

 

[navery12]

In before the stupid what if sports results are posted as if that's at all meaningful

 

[Tenspro2002]

Here’s a question…Calhoun and Hurley both seem or have seemed to want to take away one key thing from what their opponent does best that really makes their engine run. What would Calhoun try to take away from the 2024 team and what would Hurley try to take away from the 2004 team in their game planning?

JC would do something insane like play a zone to neutralize Hurley's screening and motion offense.

Hurley would run Gordon and Anderson off the 3 point line.