UConn picked 4th in preseason BE poll

[Rocktheworld]

Love the “solidified” comment. Now we get to call them PCdiff after this season lol

 

[RayIsTheGOAT]

We may not have any individual player who is as good defensively as Vital, but we have a full team of players who fit Hurley's defensive philosophy now. I'm not worried about the defense at all to be honest. I get the skepticism after being burned the past few years, but I think you're being way too pessimistic about this team. A 5th-7th place finish would be a pretty big disappointment

I don’t think finishing 5-7 in maybe the best conference and getting an NCAA spot with as good a shot to make a run as anyone coincides with “pessimism”.

I said I think we’ll be a very good team by years end, and probably a good team in all facets of the game because of our sheer talent, character, coaching, physicality and athleticism. I’m excited for this team, for the first time in a while.

I just don’t think we’re going to come out of the gates swinging in the Big East and finish top 4. I’m worried our front court is young, and Whaley and Carlton will get a bit of a wakeup call in this league to start the season. Hope I’m wrong.

 

[Umami Zen]

Full court press back in play for Dan Hurley.. For the first time in a long time in Storrs.. With the athletes he has to work with..Esp. Small Ball lineups..

 

[Waquoit]

I'm feeling good about the season. We got some guys this year.

 

[FriarJ]

You graduated 5 of your 8 rotation guys (guys that played 33+% of minutes) from a fringe NCAA tournament team. Your recruiting class is non-existent, and you added a solid transfer PG, a guy who couldn't get minutes over Buddy Boeheim and Joe Girard, and a mid major stretch 4 who shot 30% from 3.

Yeah you don't know anything about our team. Our transfer PG from St. Joe's who we had sitting is better than the one we lost. Diallo was a ball hog and during a period when Cooley sat him for his attitude the team played better. The only player that we will miss we lost is our backup center Kalif Young. We add 6'9" Noah Horstler as a transfer as well after averaging a double double at N. Florida and practicing all year with the team word is he is going to be very good. I could care less about freshman because short of a player like Bouknight they struggle in this conference with how physical it is. We did land the most highly awarded player in the history of the State of Delaware who was a top 30 player nationally before he missed 2 AAU seasons with injuries. The only 4 year 1st team All-state ever in that state, so that's a bit better than non-existent. This PC team is better than last year's squad, but I'm sure you know much more than 11 BE coaches.

 

[PChoops]

You graduated 5 of your 8 rotation guys (guys that played 33+% of minutes) from a fringe NCAA tournament team. Your recruiting class is non-existent, and you added a solid transfer PG, a guy who couldn't get minutes over Buddy Boeheim and Joe Girard, and a mid major stretch 4 who shot 30% from 3.

Fringe, we were the hottest team in the country last year and finished 4th behind Hall, Nova and Creighton who all tied for first at 13-5 and pc 12-6. The coaches voting for PC says alot despite losing what they had.

 

[auror]

Fringe, we were the hottest team in the country last year and finished 4th behind Hall, Nova and Creighton who all tied for first at 13-5 and pc 12-6. The coaches voting for PC says alot despite losing what they had.

You were 46th in Wins Above Bubble. Your resume was not strong.

 

[FriarJ]

You were 46th in Wins Above Bubble. Your resume was not strong.

LOL, How many quad one wins did you have? I think there were 5 whole teams in the country with more than PC. That's it.

Also, just to prove what a joke your argument is PC was in 97/97 brackets in Bracket Matrix before the cancellation. Is that how you define a bubble team?

 

[XLCenterFan]

I have us in 2nd. And Georgetown...wow.

 

[HuskyBoi]

providence makes me laugh. they can be in the national championship game up 50 points with 1 second to go and still lose by 20 that's how much of a joke you are

 

[gtcam]

I'm surprised UConn is selected to finish that high to be honest - not saying that they won't end up at 4 or higher, just surprised.
PeeCee has been a solid team in the NBE, but I need to see how UConn stacks up against all these NBE teams on the floor for the first time. After seeing how close UConn has played vs Nova the last few years, with talent a step below of what the overall team has this year, I feel a bit more assured but somewhat skeptical about the NBE's overall strength. Adding UConn will only help.
I need to see how all these new UConn kids fit in/adjust and how the injured comeback before I start throwing spears at any other team.
Let's just play!!!!!

 

[XLCenterFan]

And we got some heckling going on in here now! Get 'em boys!

 

[auror]

LOL

48 in WAB, 40th in KenPom. 50th in BPI SOR Resume. 45th in BPI predictive, 37th in NET. These are metrics on the committee team sheets. You were likely in, but as I said, fringe. A hot finish doesn't diminish the larger mediocre body of work.

 

[huskiesNhoos]

Yeah you don't know anything about our team.

True

We did land the most highly awarded player in the history of the State of Delaware who was a top 30 player nationally before he missed 2 AAU seasons with injuries. The only 4 year 1st team All-state ever in that state, so that's a bit better than non-existent.

There's been like 4 ranked kids from Delaware in the last decade only 1 of which was top 100 ('19 kid going to VCU) so I don't think this is quite as impressive as you think it is...story does sound similar to bouknight though so I'll concede there's potential

 

[navery12]

I don’t think finishing 5-7 in maybe the best conference and getting an NCAA spot with as good a shot to make a run as anyone coincides with “pessimism”.

I said I think we’ll be a very good team by years end, and probably a good team in all facets of the game because of our sheer talent, character, coaching, physicality and athleticism. I’m excited for this team, for the first time in a while.

I just don’t think we’re going to come out of the gates swinging in the Big East and finish top 4. I’m worried our front court is young, and Whaley and Carlton will get a bit of a wakeup call in this league to start the season. Hope I’m wrong.

We'll have to agree to disagree, there's not 6 teams better than UConn regardless of whether they start off slow the first few games (which I don't expect). We're not coming in playing the 1st game together in the Big East. They've been on campus together for 4 and a half months, and we'll have at least 4 or 5 games to work out roles before starting conference play.

 

[Palatine]

PC is solidified in this new BE, have you not watched the last 5 seasons.

Yep, they have petrified. Like a million year old tree.

This poll means ess than nothing.

 

[FriarJ]

True

There's been like 4 ranked kids from Delaware in the last decade only 1 of which was top 100 ('19 kid going to VCU) so I don't think this is quite as impressive as you think it is...story does sound similar to bouknight though so I'll concede there's potential

Ben Bentil was from Delaware, I know you guys were probably not paying attention to our squad then but he was a hell of a player.

 

[auror]

We did land the most highly awarded player in the history of the State of Delaware who was a top 30 player nationally before he missed 2 AAU seasons with injuries. The only 4 year 1st team All-state ever in that state, so that's a bit better than non-existent.

Time for me to LOL right back at you on this one.

Yeah you don't know anything about our team. Our transfer PG from St. Joe's who we had sitting is better than the one we lost. ... We add 6'9" Noah Horstler as a transfer as well after averaging a double double at N. Florida and practicing all year with the team word is he is going to be very good.

I said Bynum was solid. He's not going to be an all-conference guy, but he's fine.

I don't know anything about your team, but you can't even spell your "very good" guys name. Horchler can rebound a bit, and he's fairly crafty in the paint, but he's going to get bodied out of the paint by Big East big guys. Which would be great if he was an actual stretch 4, but he can't shoot. He can protect the rim a bit, but he was worse at that against real competition.

 

[FriarJ]

Yep, they have petrified. Like a million year old tree.

This poll means ess than nothing.

Don't make me regret buying your book!

 

[FriarJ]

Time for me to LOL right back at you on this one.



I said Bynum was solid. He's not going to be an all-conference guy, but he's fine.

I don't know anything about your team, but you can't even spell your "very good" guys name. Horchler can rebound a bit, and he's fairly crafty in the paint, but he's going to get bodied out of the paint by Big East big guys. Which would be great if he was an actual stretch 4, but he can't shoot. He can protect the rim a bit, but he was worse at that against real competition.

Like I said, you know better than the coaches, this board is lucky to have you.

 

[auror]

Like I said, you know better than the coaches, this board is lucky to have you.

Yes, coaches suck at polls. They're focusing on their own team at this point in the pre-season. The smart ones delegate it to other people.

 

[JB75]

You keep regurgitating this line in thread after thread and I honestly don't know what you're trying convey. In the end it doesn't matter, you're about to be "solidified" (whatever the hell that means) one spot further down in the standings.

U pc fans are cute. U always play us tuff in regular season but u Guys haven’t sniffed the second round of tourney since shamgod was there. I’ll always root for teams from the Northeast to do well so I’m not going to hate but not really worried about Providence(I stand corrected , u made it to second round a few years ago) so about 2 times in 25 yrs

 

[OkaForPrez]

With all the @FriarJ tit for tat'n it's like we never left.

 

[olehead]

UConn and Providence having a regional rivalry is good for both programs and the conference.

That 3rd spot is up for grabs!

Man, I echo this. I enjoy our rivalries, but low key, the Friars irritate the crap out of me.I pray this is a motivator to sit those boys due just north and east of us firmly down.

 

[olehead]

And Reeves might be better than Duke. He's certainly more aggressive. Duke is a floater. From what I've seen, all the tools but not quite a killer. Reeves on the other hand, is always in attack mode. Should have been Reeves, Duke, Bouk, Zeg, JER and if the team is six or seven, add the Seton Hall big guy and the swingman from Xavier. Kid hit big buckets against us last year. Both names escapes me.

 

[FriarJ]

And Reeves might be better than Duke. He's certainly more aggressive. Duke is a floater. From what I've seen, all the tools but not quite a killer. Reeves on the other hand, is always in attack mode. Should have been Reeves, Duke, Bouk, Zeg, JER and if the team is six or seven, add the Seton Hall vog man and the swingman from Xavier. Kid hit big buckets against us last year. Both names escapes me.

I thought about this and before disagreeing (which I had planned to do) I remember multiple times wondering when David would take over like when he scored 43 in Omaha. That to me is a function of Diallo. Duke is the unquestioned Captain of the team now and he has to be more assertive. Good call olehead.

Also, I think you're thinking of Naji Marshall at Xavier who turned pro early.

 

[6xChamps]

I would also like to add that Bouknight should have been 1st team, no argument from me but not at the expense of Duke. He is the best two way player in the conference. Imagine similar defense to Kris Dunn but a significantly better offensive game. Opposing guards have a problem getting their offense against somebody that is an athletic 6'5" and built like a NFL player. Coaches know this and that is why he is a 1st team player.

Honest question do you think Duke is like a top 5 pick then if he and Dunn are similar defensively and Duke is built better and better on offense? I honestly don’t know anything about his NBA outlook but just know Dunn was a top 5 pick so that’s a big time comparison.

 

[BoukofJames]

Honest question do you think Duke is like a top 5 pick then if he and Dunn are similar defensively and Duke is built better and better on offense? I honestly don’t know anything about his NBA outlook but just know Dunn was a top 5 pick so that’s a big time comparison.

my brain immediately told me you were wrong about this... glad I checked. Nothing against Mr. Dunn, but man that 2016 draft class has been mostly forgettable to this point.

 

[FriarJ]

Honest question do you think Duke is like a top 5 pick then if he and Dunn are similar defensively and Duke is built better and better on offense? I honestly don’t know anything about his NBA outlook but just know Dunn was a top 5 pick so that’s a big time comparison.

Dunn is/was possessed about defense. I don't know if Duke has that in him but he is VERY physical on defense and opposing guards hate it. Myles Powell in particular stated how much of a load he is. The question is, do you think Dunn should have been a top 5 pick? They thought they could fix his shot I guess. So far no go. I don't know if Duke can become the kind of defensive player that Dunn has become now but he is an NBA player in my eyes. I hope this answers your question.

 

[mauconnfan]

Lots to prove, interesting takes, but no one knows. Let’s see how it plays out, who improves and steps up, chemistry etc etc.. while we could be top 2-3 there will be some required improvements including our guards defensively. Will be interesting to say the least.