We will be a top 25 team next year - Lock it in

[SouthBayHusky]

Adams-Anderson
Gilbert-Anderson
Vital-Polley
Larrier-Diarra
Carlton-Cobb

This is basically what we're looking at for next year. I think this team makes the NIT if Adams marginally improves, and has a chance of being a low seed if Adams has a Kemba/Shabazz type year. But this is assuming one of our many new front court players surprises us. If not, we're in for a long, painful year.

The other problem is we basically have 1 guy on the team (Jalen) who has played two full years college basketball. I don't know why anyone expects Alterique to play better than a Freshman Napier or Kemba, given that he's essentially a Freshman, and arguably less worse in that he missed an entire year without playing. The team is just too thin and way too inexperienced. The loss of Vance, Enoch, Durham will hurt; not to mention MAL. I think our ceiling is bubble team, unless we land some last-minute recruit

 

[AntG168]

I agree with you in the sense that next year's roster may be more talented.

The 2014 roster has one NBA guy on it.

Next year's roster has 2 potentially (Larrier and Adams).

Maybe Alterique.

But the problem of course is that they are all mostly new, and all the glue guys and role players are new, new to the defense and offense.

So, despite the talent, it will be hard to believe that the experience and savvy of, say, Niels Giffey and Lasan Kromah will be replaced by Polley/Diarra and Anderson. Too much to ask.

Adams could improve his game though and make the kind of transformative leap that Kemba and Shabazz did.

Yea we were talking about 2011 although i think this team compares more to 2014 than 2011

 

[AntG168]

The other problem is we basically have 1 guy on the team (Jalen) who has played two full years college basketball. I don't know why anyone expects Alterique to play better than a Freshman Napier or Kemba, given that he's essentially a Freshman, and arguably less worse in that he missed an entire year without playing. The team is just too thin and way too inexperienced. The loss of Vance, Enoch, Durham will hurt; not to mention MAL. I think our ceiling is bubble team, unless we land some last-minute recruit

Alterique is better than freshman napier. I'd bet money on it...

 

[AntG168]

The other problem is we basically have 1 guy on the team (Jalen) who has played two full years college basketball. I don't know why anyone expects Alterique to play better than a Freshman Napier or Kemba, given that he's essentially a Freshman, and arguably less worse in that he missed an entire year without playing. The team is just too thin and way too inexperienced. The loss of Vance, Enoch, Durham will hurt; not to mention MAL. I think our ceiling is bubble team, unless we land some last-minute recruit

Ceiling is a bubble team? Lol. Ceiling means our talent maxed out. Rique, larrier, jalen, and cv playing their best is a lock for the tourney

 

[Huskyforlife]

Gilbert and Larrier are going to be productive next year. But I doubt either are really great players until their senior years. We need one of the bigs to surprise us big time.

 

[Huskyforlife]

We went from our injury replacements being Vance and Kai, too Anderson and Polley. That and our bigs are what really worry me.

 

[SouthBayHusky]

Alterique is better than freshman napier. I'd bet money on it...

Maybe, but it's still not enough to be major impact in the way need. I hope to hell I'm wrong.

 

[JMick]

Maybe, but it's still not enough to be major impact in the way need. I hope to hell I'm wrong.

If Carlton and Diarra surprise we might be ok. Otherwise it's a long season ahead of us

 

[upstater]

We went from our injury replacements being Vance and Kai, too Anderson and Polley. That and our bigs are what really worry me.

If they give UConn more defense, it might help them even more, if the starters can do it on offense. So much depends on the offensive skills of Alterique and Larrier, and an improvement by Adams.

 

[AntG168]

We went from our injury replacements being Vance and Kai, too Anderson and Polley. That and our bigs are what really worry me.

Bigs worry me a little. But anderson and frshman kai are a wash. Vance is the biggest loss imo, tho i think polley will suprise

 

[Huskyforlife]

Bigs worry me a little. But anderson and frshman kai are a wash. Vance is the biggest loss imo, tho i think polley will suprise

Maybe Anderson's experience will shine through, but Kai is a vastly superior talent, given the choice I'd take kai.

 

[upstater]

Bigs worry me a little. But anderson and frshman kai are a wash. Vance is the biggest loss imo, tho i think polley will suprise

Vance's offense needs to be replaced. Which is up to Larrier.
Otherwise, Adams and Gilbert should both be improvements over last year's backcourt. Vital too.

Everyone knows UConn is relying on Adams' improvement, and for Larrier/Gilbert not to feel ill effects of injuries. If these hopes happen, the team will be improved over last year. If they find a big who can play D and rebound, then the team will be better than hoped.

 

[AntG168]

Our ceiling is pretty good pur floor is REALLY low. Lets hope we get close to the ceiling amd we'll be good with the chance for jalen to make noise in tbr tourney

 

[AntG168]

Maybe Anderson's experience will shine through, but Kai is a vastly superior talent, given the choice I'd take kai.

In the long run yes, based purely on potential. But when it comes to effectiveness anderson may actually be more effective next yr just because of know how. Their will be no learning curve or "freshmen" mistakes. He'll be kromah like in his steadiness

 

[NowInStorrs]

Would you say that our ceiling is the roof?

 

[AntG168]

Would you say that our ceiling is the roof?

I hope its not gampel's

 

[intlzncster]

I'll give you that the surgery and rehab are a lot better. Gilbert will likely be 100% functionally, in my educated opinion, but with a small risk of re-injury. But ACL recovery is a little different, particularly for a sport like basketball. Larrier is more likely to lack a little explosiveness and lateral quickness the first year, but will get more of it the more he plays. Adrian Peterson style recoveries are rare.

Not everybody has access to top shelf PEDs and masks.

 

[UConnfan8]

Man OP must know something. You get this info from husky99???? Lmao. Jokes. Absolute jokes. "Sources" aka a student that must know the young man.

 

[USNA90]

There are many reasons for concern about next year - and most of them (injuries, no size, short bench, lack of talent) have been mentioned. But there's one more thing which I think is a huge factor: only two of these guys have really played together before. Unfortunately, it looks like UConn is going into the season with ten scholarship players, and eight of them are essentially new to the team. This team has a lot of issues to overcome, and there's a lot more negatives than positives at the moment.

 

[Huskybass]

The team hasn't been ranked very much over the past 3 seasons. I doubt that things change much this coming season with only 10 scholarship players and virtually no D1 experience at the 4 and 5 outside of Cobb's 27 points at South Carolina as a freshman.

The same handful of guys on here will paint a pretty picture no matter what. Reality seems to be a concept they are not comfortable with.

 

[AntG168]

The team hasn't been ranked very much over the past 3 seasons. I doubt that things change much this coming season with only 10 scholarship players and virtually no D1 experience at the 4 and 5 outside of Cobb's 27 points at South Carolina as a freshman.

The same handful of guys on here will paint a pretty picture no matter what. Reality seems to be a concept they are not comfortable with.

You guys really struggle to disagree without insulting people. Its a sign of immaturity

 

[Jaybo]

I trust the doctor. The doctor says hes fine.....hes fine

The doctor said he was fine before.

 

[mauconnfan]

The team hasn't been ranked very much over the past 3 seasons. I doubt that things change much this coming season with only 10 scholarship players and virtually no D1 experience at the 4 and 5 outside of Cobb's 27 points at South Carolina as a freshman.

The same handful of guys on here will paint a pretty picture no matter what. Reality seems to be a concept they are not comfortable with.

Good news is it's more than likely in between the pretty picture some paint and the woeful picture you continuously paint. Thank God there is more hope than the consistent crap you throw on the canvas of your Van Gogh. I for one appreciate those who can at least "picture that pretty painting" rather than just pi** and moan about everything wrong. Is some reality? - yep no doubt, but there are 10 scholly players who will wear the uni I root for and have been for almost 50 years so the "reality" is we still have UConn basketball.

 

[huskyrob1]

I like your post. Sick of hearing about waters and do not think he will sign with AG running the team, but it is possible some of the new players surprise. I look forward to this season also.

If we get Waters I suppose it's a good thing, it would really be embarrassing if he goes to Georgetown, but what we need right now are bigs, not another guard to take PT away from the decent backcourt players we already have, and to start another round of transfers. Also, when I say we need bigs, I don't mean 6' 11" string beans who weigh 190 and can't catch a no look pass down low. We need bigs in the physical mold of a Josh Boone, an Ed Nelson, a Jake Voskhul, an Okafor, a Toraino Walker. We don't have bigs like that anymore, and that's a huge problem for the present coaching staff going forward, IMO. If we have five or six losses by the end of December I don't think KO will finish the season. AD Benedict cannot wait, he would have to act quickly and decisively especially if there is another embarrassing loss or losses early on.

 

[Huskybass]

Good news is it's more than likely in between the pretty picture some paint and the woeful picture you continuously paint. Thank God there is more hope than the consistent crap you throw on the canvas of your Van Gogh. I for one appreciate those who can at least "picture that pretty painting" rather than just pi** and moan about everything wrong. Is some reality? - yep no doubt, but there are 10 scholly players who will wear the uni I root for and have been for almost 50 years so the "reality" is we still have UConn basketball.

If you can't see that the ship is sailing in the wrong direction, it's not my fault. I don't have an issue with any of the players, but I do believe that the program has been horribly mismanaged over the past three seasons, and frankly having 10 scholarship players on May 21st should tell even you that something is seriously wrong.