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Message: [QUOTE="Storrs South, post: 2204340, member: 7275"] I've seen a couple comparisons thrown around to the 2011/2014 teams for next season. To me, the best modern day comparison happens to be the postseason ban squad of 2012-2013. Roster construction between both teams is nearly identical: Top 3 scorers were Shabazz (Jalen), Boatright (Alterique), & Daniels (Larrier). Your top 3 scorers are identical next season for 2013-14, but your supporting cast had not fully developed. 2012-13 was before the emergence of Giffey (4.9 PPG v. 8.4 PPG; 29.4% from 3 v. 48.3% from 3). There was also a 4th player who averaged double digits that season...Omar Calhoun who was 32.1% from 3 (Christian Vital was 36.6% last year). No one else on that team averaged above 5 PPG and thus had any tangible value on the offensive end. 2012-13 was also the 1st and last time under Ollie that KenPom rated UConn's AdjO above AdjD. In fact, that team had the second best rated offense under KO only after the 2014 National Championship team. For context the 2016-17 team was AdjO [B]156[/B] & AdjD 63; 2012-13 was AdjO 55 & AdjD 59. Even in a down year, the defense was fine, it was the offense that lagged significantly (I think everyone knew this already but we at least have data to back this up). 2012-13 was also the last year UConn was in the Big East yet despite the fact that this team that was very top heavy on talent and played a tougher schedule than the one faced with today, they still went 20-10 without playing any games in the Big East Tourney/NCAA Tourney. This team also [U]was ranked in to the Top 25 [/U]for 2 weeks in November until losing to New Mexico at the Paradise Jam. The point of all this is that if you believe UConn has the talent and coaching abilities similar to 2012-2013 then I don't think this kind of season is unreasonable to hope for in 2017-18. [U]2012-13 v. projected 2017-18[/U] Napier (17.1 PPG) -- Adams (last year 14.4 PPG) Boatright (15.4 PPG) -- Gilbert (last year 10.3 PPG in 3 games) Daniels (12.1 PPG) -- Larrier (last year 13.5 PPG in 4 games) Calhoun (11.1 PPG) -- Vital (last year 9.1 PPG) Giffey (4.5 PPG) -- Polley (N/A) Olander (4.3 PPG) -- Diarra (N/A) Wolf (3.4 PPG) -- Cobb (N/A) Evans (3.1 PPG) -- Anderson (last year 11.1 PPG for Fordham) Tolksdorf (1.7 PPG) -- Whaley (N/A) Nolan (1.4 PPG) -- Cobb (last year 10.9 PPG at Chipola) I'm not guaranteeing that Adams/Gilbert/Larrier/Vital can replicate what was done 4 years ago, but I think the ability to replicate it is there and I also believe that while not great, this upcoming team has a roughly equal supporting cast 5 thru 10 as a team that went 20-10 in the Old Big East. [/QUOTE]

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