We Have A Top 10 Team

[Conndog]

We had 6 blocks tonight according to the ESPN box score.

Seemed like a lot more

 

[uconn_jack]

What I liked tonight (and have seen progressing over the last couple weeks) is how connected this team seems to be, how much they trust and seem to enjoy playing with each other, and how vested they seem to be in the team's success and not just their own.

 

[EnochRoot]

Hope she gets better quickly.

In situations like yours, only great husbands forget games. I feel ashamed knowing what I would have probably done.

If there are brownie points, I would be able to golf, fish, etc. anytime I wanted for at least 3 years if I did that. Of course she'd get sick of me constantly reminding her of my great sacrifice.

I appreciate the sentiment, and TBH, I've long-since felt the same way. Push comes to shove changes people.

 

[Huskybass]

And we are missing a solid ball handler in Bouknight. Maybe we are better, but it's close as of now.

We are much better this year, much.

This team really shares the ball and rarely gets caught at the end of the shot clock without a good look. As great as Bouk was, this team is balanced, cohesive and plays great D for the most part. Tonight we had 5 guys in double figures including Hawkins off the bench with 15. Our mix of talent and experience is way up. We now have 5 Warriors in RJ, Adama, AJ, Tyrese, and Whaley. 5 legit impact players. It's been a long time since we could say that.

 

[gsmooth]

They have when other top big East teams are losing these games. We’ve already beaten Marquette at Marquette. Not saying we are it aren’t. But we’ve proven more than you’re letting on. But as you said, there’s still a lot of work to do

Neither team was at full strength. Sanogo was just returning from injury and he was out of sorts and didn’t have his cardio. Daryl morsell didn’t play at all. I am glad UConn got the win and that matters, but that additional context matters when using that game as an example of a quality win.

 

[Huskyforlife]

Neither team was at full strength. Sanogo was just returning from injury and he was out of sorts and didn’t have his cardio. Daryl morsell didn’t play at all. I am glad UConn got the win and that matters, but that additional context matters when using that game as an example of a quality win.

Road win tho.

 

[Chin Diesel]

What I liked tonight (and have seen progressing over the last couple weeks) is how connected this team seems to be, how much they trust and seem to enjoy playing with each other, and how vested they seem to be in the team's success and not just their own.

yes, you are starting to see some joy on the court. And that joy is for each other. Starting to see lots of smiles. And that's a good thing.

 

[VAHuskyFan]

They're the number 1 team in the country, and no one besides us has beaten them lmao

Auburn very nearly picked up a Quad 3 loss to a truly awful Missouri team. (Missouri is so bad that they got beat by a regional school within their own university system by double digits.)

And we beat Auburn in a thrilling game using the patented Ivy league first-round upset formula (58% from 3 for 45 points). Not something we can count on doing with any consistency in games against other top opponents.

We’re 5-4 against Kenpom 100 teams, so let’s settle down a bit with the Top 10 talk for now. February is our chance to show how good we are.

 

[navery12]

Auburn very nearly picked up a Quad 3 loss to a truly awful Missouri team. (Missouri is so bad that they got beat by a regional school within their own university system by double digits.)

And we beat Auburn in a thrilling game using the patented Ivy league first-round upset formula (58% from 3 for 45 points). Not something we can count on doing with any consistency in games against other top opponents.

We’re 5-4 against Kenpom 100 teams, so let’s settle down a bit with the Top 10 talk for now. February is our chance to show how good we are.

And the game before this they beat the #12 team in the country. Using 1 game samples as a way to try to justify your point is dumb

 

[Salty Dog]

Huskies roll the next two and win @Nova we're top 10. Time to take care of business.

 

[RayIsTheGOAT]

I'm bought in, I think we can beat anyone in the country on a good night.
Having said that, I wouldn't be surprised to see us hit some roadblocks in February. The Big East is about to become a bloodbath. We play 5 ranked teams next month, plus Seton Hall and St John's who we already both went to OT with. Buckle up.

 

[UncleSpliff]

Every game we'll play is winnable.

Yes every game is winnable but we will be a dog in that game. Prob 3 - 4 points ish. That’s the only point I’m getting at. If we can win @ Nova we will shoot right up the rankings into top 10 territory.

 

[uconnfan68]

Seemed like a lot more

Even Polley and Hawkins had blocks.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

Auburn put in a pretty lackluster performance tonight against a sub-.500 Missouri squad (Kenpom 131). They were actually down with under 5 to play. Thankfully for us they pulled it off, but didn’t seem like the worldbeaters we are making them out to be.

Hahaha this board.

 

[storrsroars]

We’ve beaten Butler x2, St Johns and Georgetown on this little run. 3 of the bottom 5 teams in the BE. We’ve looked good the last 3, this isn’t meant to be a downer post. But the schedule is gonna get a lot tougher than these past games. If we beat the next two easier ones and Nova, then yes, we are undoubtedly a top 10 team. But these wins haven’t moved the dial much. Let’s be honest with ourselves.

While it's certainly true about the competition, this stretch has been important to get Hawkins more confidence, and get both Martin and Whaley untracked so they're all ready for tougher competition. Meaningful depth is what's going to get us past Nova, as they don't have any.

 

[storrsroars]

And we are missing a solid ball handler in Bouknight. Maybe we are better, but it's close as of now.

As good as Bouk was, he wasn't a particularly good ball handler, averaging 2.8 TOs to 1.8 AST last year, while Cole was 1.7 TOs to 4.8 AST in almost the same # of minutes.

 

[storrsroars]

Love seeing Whaley have his 2 best games this season in his last 2, he looks way more active and aggressive.

He's become the basketball equivalent of Phil Esposito.

(for those too young to recall, Espo was famous for being around the goal and scoring most of his points on short rebounds off the goalie, earning him the moniker "The Garbage Man". It's definitely a talent, not just luck.)

 

[tzznandrew]

We’ve beaten Butler x2, St Johns and Georgetown on this little run. 3 of the bottom 5 teams in the BE. We’ve looked good the last 3, this isn’t meant to be a downer post. But the schedule is gonna get a lot tougher than these past games. If we beat the next two easier ones and Nova, then yes, we are undoubtedly a top 10 team. But these wins haven’t moved the dial much. Let’s be honest with ourselves.

Georgetown and Butler are the equivalents of ECU and Tulane this year. Actually, respectively, each is ranked lower in KenPom.

Good teams take care of business, but I don't know that this is all that much different that annihilating cupcakes.

 

[UConnSwag11]

Sweet Jesus, what can't we do?

Inside game
Outside game
Pretty good defense most of the time
Veterans
Youth
Depth and...

Andre jAcKSoN !!!

Wicked fun times comin'

It was Georgetown. They are terrible. Let's wait until we play better competition. We have a good team. Top 10, not yet

 

[AntG168]

Georgetown and Butler are the equivalents of ECU and Tulane this year. Actually, respectively, each is ranked lower in KenPom.

Good teams take care of business, but I don't know that this is all that much different that annihilating cupcakes.

I don’t believe that’s where the confidence or excitement is coming from though. After a 17 Covid pause we even looked good in our SH loss. We’ve just looked good for the most part

 

[UConnSwag11]

I don’t believe that’s where the confidence or excitement is coming from though. After a 17 Covid pause we even looked good in our SH loss. We’ve just looked good for the most part

as we should against these teams. We shouldn't have lost to SHU but that's over and done with. Let's have this discussion after DePaul, Creighton, Xavier, Marquette, Nova. Those teams is where we'll see where we are and if we can close out games

 

[karstenkibbe]

I think DH puts it best....every game no matter opponent we should either win or lose a close game. Does that make UConn top 10, we'll see.

To be a top 3 seed in Ncaa torney, which I assume is ultimate goal entering, need to beat BE teams tourney bound, so far just 1...plenty of those coming up though.

In that same CBSSN post-game interview, Hurley also said that if the good guys play first-half defense against top BE teams like they did last night, they will find themselves down 12 at the half and it will be difficult to recover. They must tighten that up, especially defending the 3pt line. Nova’s perimeter passing is so crisp and timely.

 

[Skiblets]

Hawkins starting to figure a few things out on both ends. This could get very interesting

 

[Umami Zen]

Nice momentum win.. Beating teams that we should .Grab two more before the Nova game and lets see where we're at after that one. Actually think we match up well with them athletically--Will come down to execution and BB IQ on their court and made FTs.

 

[AntG168]

Nice momentum win.. Beating teams that we should .Grab two more before the Nova game and lets see where we're at after that one. Actually think we match up well with them athletically--Will come down to execution and BB IQ on their court and made FTs.

It would be nice for Nova to have an off shooting night against us for once