UConn, top 30 team next year.

[BlueDogs]

I think it is very possible that Tyler Polley starts at the 3 or the 4, Dude has started every game since he's been here. Hurley wants to play 4 out and Tyler is a 40% 3 point shooter which opens the floor up. I think Tyler had finally grabbed hold of playing tough and aggressive, grabbing rebounds, playing more physical ball. We have that one game snapshot of him putting it all together and then BAM he was gone, but to repeat, I think he finally put it all together, which he needed to do in order to stay on the floor. If, he comes back the same player I see him starting.

1 RJ Cole
2 Gaffney or Bouknight
3 Bouknight or Jackson or Polley
4 Polley or Whaley
5 Carlton ( need to establish rim protection and scoring inside
and he has the best size and post moves)

Definite starters:

RJ Cole at he 1
Bouknight at the 2 or 3
Polley at the 3 or 4
Carlton at the 5


Gaffney, Jackson, or Whaley may earn a starting position, but I think just one of these players with the four listed above.

This is based on the roster we have today, we'll have to wait and see what happens. Sure do like the prospect of Landers Nolley joining the team.

Boneyard speculation to while away my time.

I can’t see Carlton starting or getting a lot of PT other than to keep Whaley out of foul trouble or get a big heavy line-up on the court for certain situations.

 

[JB75]

Like I said before, we re pinning a lot on cole. Hope he’s the truth.

 

[UofCT]

Like I said before, we re pinning a lot on cole. Hope he’s the truth.

You can't pin a lot on a guy who hasn't played in over a year. We should know that better than anyone after watching Price, Purvis, Larrier, and Sid.

 

[JimHurley]

You won't get any argument from most people by saying he'll be good. When you claim he'll have one of the 3 best seasons for a PG in the last decade that's a Scrappy prediction

Can you share one quote or article about RJ dominating practice this year? Anything at all?

Time will tell my friends. Time will tell.

 

[UofCT]

Time will tell my friends. Time will tell.

Wait, there really isn’t anything on him?

 

[navery12]

Wait, there really isn’t anything on him?

He's been the best player in practice. I've heard this from multiple people.

 

[Huskybass]

Wait, there really isn’t anything on him?

There is a video of him putting up 28 points and 6 assists against Georgetown as a Soph. That should give you a good feel for his game.

Things that jumped out at me are how comfortable he looks with the ball in his hands, and how he defends immediately after a made basket. Now he has real talent to work with. I wouldn't be surprised if he averages 5 or 6 assists per game next season, he averaged over 6 per game his first two seasons totaling 415 assists. The kid is a baller.

 

[JimHurley]

Wait, there really isn’t anything on him?

Yeah, nobody has heard anything. Hurley hasn’t even mentioned his name since he transferred here. Take care. You’ll feel foolish when he’s putting up 1st team all BE numbers.

 

[businesslawyer]

We witnessed the same thing when Kemba left. We looked GREAT on paper but we lost the emotional heart and soul. The same can be said for other heart & soul departures

1) Post AJ/Adrien = NIT
2) Post Kemba = Bubble
3) Post Shabazz = NIT
4) Post Boatright = Bubble

I hope the same thing does not happen with Vital but we are losing a lot more than his statistics.

Seriously? That's a weak post. Only your #2 is a case where losing emotional leadership meant much more than losing the talent. Post AJ and Adrien was actually post AJ, Adrien, Thabeet and Austrie. We lost four starters from our tournament run, three of home were all conference level. Post Shabazz was post Shabazz, Daniels Giffey and Kromah. Again, we lost 3 of our best 4 players and the next year was more about lack of talent than lack of an emotional leader, which presumably you know because of your #4. And as for your #4 below, we weren't any good the year Boat was the heart and sole of the team.

Vital was absolutely the emotional leader on this team as we got better, as well as its best player. Guess what? Most teams have seniors provide emotional leadership. Most teams lose their emotional leadership most years. And most teams, in most cases, replace it. In decades, the only time UConn lost its heart and sole and couldn't replace the emotional leadership where there was still as much or more talent on the roster was 2011--2012.

 

[UofCT]

Yeah, nobody has heard anything. Hurley hasn’t even mentioned his name since he transferred here. Take care. You’ll feel foolish when he’s putting up 1st team all BE numbers.

 

[UofCT]

Seriously? That's a weak post. Only your #2 is a case where losing emotional leadership meant much more than losing the talent. Post AJ and Adrien was actually post AJ, Adrien, Thabeet and Austrie. We lost four starters from our tournament run, three of home were all conference level. Post Shabazz was post Shabazz, Daniels Giffey and Kromah. Again, we lost 3 of our best 4 players and the next year was more about lack of talent than lack of an emotional leader, which presumably you know because of your #4. And as for your #4 below, we weren't any good the year Boat was the heart and sole of the team.

Vital was absolutely the emotional leader on this team as we got better, as well as its best player. Guess what? Most teams have seniors provide emotional leadership. Most teams lose their emotional leadership most years. And most teams, in most cases, replace it. In decades, the only time UConn lost its heart and sole and couldn't replace the emotional leadership where there was still as much or more talent on the roster was 2011--2012.

I disagree

 

[JimHurley]

Reread the last sentence of my previous post. Never thought I’d see this forum discussing how bad one of our transfer will be.

 

[UofCT]

Reread the last sentence of my previous post. Never thought I’d see this forum discussing how bad one of our transfer will be.

Nobody is discussing how bad he will be, everyone is being realistic with their expectations and then there is you.

 

[navery12]

RJ Cole is a grad transfer? Wow, I learn something new every day

 

[JimHurley]

Nobody is discussing how bad he will be, everyone is being realistic with their expectations and then there is you.

For the 3rd time, time will tell. I won’t be the one looking like a fool this time next year.

 

[UofCT]

For the 3rd time, time will tell. I won’t be the one looking like a fool this time next year.

HOPE YOU'RE RIGHT

 

[Get a Job]

Seriously? That's a weak post. Only your #2 is a case where losing emotional leadership meant much more than losing the talent. Post AJ and Adrien was actually post AJ, Adrien, Thabeet and Austrie. We lost four starters from our tournament run, three of home were all conference level. Post Shabazz was post Shabazz, Daniels Giffey and Kromah. Again, we lost 3 of our best 4 players and the next year was more about lack of talent than lack of an emotional leader, which presumably you know because of your #4. And as for your #4 below, we weren't any good the year Boat was the heart and sole of the team.

Vital was absolutely the emotional leader on this team as we got better, as well as its best player. Guess what? Most teams have seniors provide emotional leadership. Most teams lose their emotional leadership most years. And most teams, in most cases, replace it. In decades, the only time UConn lost its heart and sole and couldn't replace the emotional leadership where there was still as much or more talent on the roster was 2011--2012.

Duke lost their heart when Zion lost his sole

 

[Psolo12]

Rj Cole isn't a grad transfer. Reading is hard.

 

[businesslawyer]

You can't pin a lot on a guy who hasn't played in over a year. We should know that better than anyone after watching Price, Purvis, Larrier, and Sid.

Huh? Wilson and Price sat out a year BEFORE they played college ball, not after they had been a conference player of the year. Larrier sat out a year and then promptly blew his knee out -- he didn't fail after sitting out, he got hurt.

You seem to think .250 in giving examples is a good batting average.

 

[Jbirdp5]

Time will tell my friends. Time will tell.

So basically ur predicting him to be the national player of the year.......

 

[JimHurley]

So basically ur predicting him to be the national player of the year.......

You will be pleasantly surprised. I am truly expecting at a minimum 14.5 PPG, 5 APG and ~38% from deep.

 

[auror]

You will be pleasantly surprised. I am truly expecting at a minimum 14.5 PPG, 5 APG and ~38% from deep.

Basically a Nic Moore SMU season. He did it twice with 14.5 & 16.1 pts, both ~5 assists and 41% from 3. Was AAC player of the year both seasons.

 

[JimHurley]

Basically a Nic Moore SMU season. He did it twice with 14.5 & 16.1 pts, both ~5 assists and 41% from 3.

BOOM. I was trying to think up a comparison and you did that for me. Moore was an All-American honorable mention, which is what I expect from Cole. Bouknight is either second or third team All-American next year.

 

[UofCT]

Huh? Wilson and Price sat out a year BEFORE they played college ball, not after they had been a conference player of the year. Larrier sat out a year and then promptly blew his knee out -- he didn't fail after sitting out, he got hurt.

You seem to think .250 in giving examples is a good batting average.

So now you don’t count HS basketball as having played basketball. Got it.

You’re a good lawyer glad you have everything figured out.

 

[UofCT]

RJ Cole is a grad transfer? Wow, I learn something new every day

Cool?