UConn has killer instinct to capture another title - CBSSports.com

[UCan3]

Dominating non conference opponents is so satisfying. However the Big East is our Krptonite.

Just saying it's so weird that we can be the best team in the County, but not in our Conference. No doubt we've got to find a way to get our Crown back.

There are times on the road in the big east where you’re not playing 5 on 5. You know what I mean. But In a weird way I think it hurts these teams in the long as when they get to Tourney, not ready w. Impartial officiating crew.

I am all about it - care less if we win conference - nobody cares about conference championships. Just get is in the tourney and let us do our thing.

 

[Travelman6]

Connecticut has won 22 straight games by 10 points or more vs. out-of-league foes, putting the program two wins away from a distinct record. Per ESPN Stats & Information, the high-water mark for most consecutive double-digit nonconference wins is 23 by North Carolina from 2008-10. UConn's next two games are at home against Manhattan and New Hampshire, meaning this record will almost definitely be theirs in less than a week's time.

Breaking records!!!!

That is really impressive considering they've played teams like Gonzaga, Texas, Oregon, Iowa St, Oklahoma St, Bama, Florida, Arkansas, and Miami in that stretch. I would almost say it is worthy of a banner if a banner is rewarded for such things. Do teams tend to have special sections for records like that?

 

[martyn]

It probably pained Norlander to have to write something nice about UConn. He was a doubter.

Depends what kind of doubter. The upbeat kind like it when something turns out better than they expected.

 

[boba]

The majority of rankers are poor rankers. It is what it is.

Therein is the paradox: individually we can't accurately evaluate, but if the evaluation is done by a large group, wisdom of the masses. (Yes it's a real effect, or so has been reported.)
The hypothesis is if enough blind squirrels are released into a forest, the statistics predict success.

 

[Kitaman]

I am all about it - care less if we win conference - nobody cares about conference championships. Just get is in the tourney and let us do our thing.

Sorry but Conference Championship is every team's goal. Sure we are spoiled with 5 National Championships but BE Title is an accomplishment that should not be diminished.

This fan gets excited when winning our Conference Championship, and I'm sure the players and coaches do as well. Not sure why you think fans/players don't even care.

 

[CL82]

I know as fans we take everything too personal. But for the life of me I can’t figure out why so many media members had us outside the top ten pre season, there’s just no justification for it.

I suspect it comes with the notion that we were "lucky" to win the last year's championship. You know, the arguments we always hear, we field, higher seats in our bracket eliminated, etc. Once you except that basis for our truly devastating run through the tournament, then why would you rank us highly this year, particularly given that we lost three "lucky" starters to the NBA?

University of Connecticut Men's Basketball: Winning lucky national championships since 1999.​

 

[CL82]

This guy basically used both hands and tickled the ba l l s in this piece and made fun of himself for his pre-season ranking. Short of committing ritual suicide I'm not sure what else he could have done.

Me either, but I have to think ritual suicide would've been a good start.

 

[CL82]

There are times on the road in the big east where you’re not playing 5 on 5. You know what I mean

And at home for us last year too. I am very curious to see if our refs are committed to tweaking Hurley again this year.

 

[UCan3]

Sorry but Conference Championship is every team's goal. Sure we are spoiled with 5 National Championships but BE Title is an accomplishment that should not be diminished.

This fan gets excited when winning our Conference Championship, and I'm sure the players and coaches do as well. Not sure why you think fans/players don't even care.

Well, I get your point but as I watched us get hosed on the road last year I remember thinking that the Tourney is infinitely more important.

I hope we win it but I’ll take a trip to the FF4 versus early exit but conference regular season title…

 

[JB75]

I don’t know if it’s been talked about on his board, but , who was our last out of conference loss to or last time we won by less than 10 OOC?

 

[ctchamps]

I don’t know if it’s been talked about on his board, but , who was our last out of conference loss to or last time we won by less than 10 OOC?

New Mexico State first round loss in 2022 NCAA tournament.

 

[Stinger92860]

A lot of these guys don't know much about basketball but the guys who had us the lowest are basically the bozo crew of college hoops...Goodman, Seth Davis, and Norlander.

they are perennial UConn haters

 

[JB75]

New Mexico State first round loss in 2022 NCAA tournament.

Oh shoot that’s right. That dummy teddy Allen lit us up. That was one of the worst sports days in a while for me -Uconn gets knocked out and at the same time find out Davante Adams got traded from my Packers to the raiders. I think I erased that night from my memory

 

[JohnnyJr]

I suspect it comes with the notion that we were "lucky" to win the last year's championship. You know, the arguments we always hear, we field, higher seats in our bracket eliminated, etc. Once you except that basis for our truly devastating run through the tournament, then why would you rank us highly this year, particularly given that we lost three "lucky" starters to the NBA?

University of Connecticut Men's Basketball: Winning lucky national championships since 1999.​

Such a bs argument too, most analysts were saying the west was the most loaded region before the tournament started. The way we were playing we would have smoked Kansas too

 

[Fan1978]

Hey props to him admitting he was wrong. I do think it’s a little wrong to rank a national champion so low preseason based on the guys we retained and had coming in especially in the transfer era, but it’s not outrageous given we arguably lost our 3 biggest stars.

Honestly I think this team has at least outperformed my preseason expectations. Karaban has been probably our best player so far, which to be honest I’m not surprised given how underrated and consistent he was as a freshman last year. But did not see the play out of samson and diarra especially. I was always high on Samson since he was a freshman, just didn’t expect him to play at such a high level and make such a big impact after two injury riddled seasons and looking lost last year. Diarra has been the biggest surprise to me, guy can actually run the offense well after I figured he’d just be a defensive specialist / energy guy like last year.

Compared to last year I still have doubts about our bench, as we have 8 players we can play in close games right now and that’s including castle, versus last year where we ran 9-10 deep at this stage and that wasn’t including Samson. Definitely see opportunity for Stewart, Ross and even romouglou to step into that calcaterra role where they’re not expected to perform game to game consistently but they could win a few games for us.

One last thought, how ridiculous was it that ESPN was comparing Spencer to Calcaterra at one point this last game? I think we all can guess why they said that, but they should be comparing Spencer to Hawkins, not the guy that was 9th or 10th off the bench…

I think espn noticed they are both white and similar height

 

[HooperScooper]

they are perennial UConn haters

Can you imagine Goodman or Davis ever writing a mea culpa article like this about UConn?