Week of 1/1/24 Other Games

[storrsroars]

Poor Miami. They went from ORV (they'd be 36 on AP), 38 in NET and a projected 9 seed, all the way to out of the tourney, tumbling 23 spots in NET after losing at home to Louisville.

Also found it interesting that Xavier dropped 7 spots in NET with last night's loss, but we stayed at 8 - no bump at all.

 

[Karmacop]

Over the past 10 years, the only NC that wasn't in top six of combined O & D on KenPom was us in '14. We were 16th best in terms of balance offense & defense.

During that time, the team that has the lowest combined O & D ranking won the NC 4x. In '15, Duke was 3rd. In '17 and '22, the NC winners were 4th best. In '21, Baylor was 6th. Seven of those teams were in the top 11 on defense. All of them (except us in '14) were top 9 offenses.

Right now, Arizona holds the #1 spot for combined O & D, followed by Houston, Auburn, Purdue, UNC and Tenn. We're currently #12.

It may well be that once DC returns, UConn will play the back half of the season as a top defensive team and we can win an NC with a defense that's not ranked that high over the course of a full year. But for now, until that happens, I'll say that there are numerous teams more balanced than ours - more than just 4 or 5. So let's not count our chickens until DC returns and we see what he's got.

Good analysis. Our offense hasn't faltered through injury (currently 3 on kenpom), but the defense is concerning, all the way down at 41.

If UConn is going to be a serious title contender come March, that defensive rating has to start moving toward the teens. Whether that can happen before Clingan returns is another question. But obviously the defense is where attention needs to lie. The rating was pretty high earlier in the year, so the potential is definitely there.

 

[AntG168]

Over the past 10 years, the only NC that wasn't in top six of combined O & D on KenPom was us in '14. We were 16th best in terms of balance offense & defense.

During that time, the team that has the lowest combined O & D ranking won the NC 4x. In '15, Duke was 3rd. In '17 and '22, the NC winners were 4th best. In '21, Baylor was 6th. Seven of those teams were in the top 11 on defense. All of them (except us in '14) were top 9 offenses.

Right now, Arizona holds the #1 spot for combined O & D, followed by Houston, Auburn, Purdue, UNC and Tenn. We're currently #12.

It may well be that once DC returns, UConn will play the back half of the season as a top defensive team and we can win an NC with a defense that's not ranked that high over the course of a full year. But for now, until that happens, I'll say that there are numerous teams more balanced than ours - more than just 4 or 5. So let's not count our chickens until DC returns and we see what he's got.

More balanced than this version or the Donovan Clingan Version?

The eye test says we are arguably the most balanced team in the country when healthy

 

[connVA]

Miami and Clemson both lost, Miami to Louisville. The ACC...

UNC is going to wind up a top 5 team after feasting on that garbage.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

UNC is going to wind up a top 5 team after feasting on that garbage.

I hope a writer or blogger does a deep dive on how the ACC, one of the historically best conferences in college basketball, got so bad. The ACC is a 3 or 4 bid league this year unless a lot of games break just right for the league.

 

[REB1094]

Are we officially saying FAU isn't for real? Up 1 against Tulane at halftime 39-38

Life comes full circle. Why am I willingly watching an AAC game on a Thursday night?

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Are we officially saying FAU isn't for real? Up 1 against Tulane at halftime 39-38

Life comes full circle. Why am I willingly watching an AAC game on a Thursday night?

Welcome to the Portal/NIL era. If we are going to use "close wins over mediocre opponents" as the standard for not being "for real", I don't think anyone is for real.

 

[kobe]

kevin cross and jaylen forbes could have landed at pretty much any school they wanted to in the sec but somehow didn't enter the portal.

yes im disgusted with myself that i know this much about tulane's basketball program, hopefully it all exits my brain in the years to come.

 

[connVA]

Are we officially saying FAU isn't for real? Up 1 against Tulane at halftime 39-38

Life comes full circle. Why am I willingly watching an AAC game on a Thursday night?

The alternative is Michigan-Maryland. Mediocre basketball would be an upgrade from this crap.

 

[REB1094]

It was a 1 point game, Nick Boyd hit a 4 point play, hit another 3 a minute later, Weatherspoon hit a minute later, and it looks like FAU avoids the upset

 

[Hey Adrien!]

It was a 1 point game, Nick Boyd hit a 4 point play, hit another 3 a minute later, Weatherspoon hit a minute later, and it looks like FAU avoids the upset

Tulane up 1 over FAU with 0.3 seconds to go and Tulane fouls the three-point shooter.

FAU hits two of their three free throws to win the game.

Oof.

I love Ron Hunter. Tulane isn't a tourney team, but they are so much better under Hunter.

 

[REB1094]

Tulane up 1 over FAU with 0.3 seconds to go and Tulane fouls the three-point shooter.

FAU hits two of their three free throws to win the game.

Oof.

I love Ron Hunter. Tulane isn't a tourney team, but they are so much better under Hunter.

Wow, I picked a bad time to stop watching then lol

 

[ibleedhuskyblue]

I hope a writer or blogger does a deep dive on how the ACC, one of the historically best conferences in college basketball, got so bad. The ACC is a 3 or 4 bid league this year unless a lot of games break just right for the league.

Perhaps it should be called a "Requiem"

 

[ibleedhuskyblue]

Good analysis. Our offense hasn't faltered through injury (currently 3 on kenpom), but the defense is concerning, all the way down at 41.

If UConn is going to be a serious title contender come March, that defensive rating has to start moving toward the teens. Whether that can happen before Clingan returns is another question. But obviously the defense is where attention needs to lie. The rating was pretty high earlier in the year, so the potential is definitely there.

Dausters recent podcast laid out defensive numbers pre/post clingan injury.
We were somewhere near the top 10 with DC (despite him being on min limits, and despite not having castle).
But we are 120+ without DC (maybe he said 132?).

I think if we take the numbers after he comes back, with he and castle in the lineup at full strength, we will be comfortably in the top 10 in both.

 

[Letsgohuskies11]

UCLA down 30 to....Utah

 

[uconngb]

UCLA down 30 to....Utah

Quickly turning into a dumpster fire

 

[nelsonmuntz]

UCLA down 30 to....Utah

This is what a team completely quitting on their coach looks like.

 

[Ricker]

UCLA down 50 with 3 min left, @kobe?
Ucla down 40 pts in the second half alone with time left!!

 

[jleves]

UCLA down 30 to....Utah

I've been watching this game and holy crap, UCLA is so bad. It's like I'm taking those shots. Clank, Clank, airball, Clank, Clank. It's ridiculous for a top D1 program.

Why does UCLA hate the rims so much? What have they done to UCLA that they want to hurt them so badly?

 

[kobe]

UCLA down 50 with 3 min left, @kobe?
Ucla down 40 pts in the second half alone with time left!!

 

[Ricker]

Evidently ucla was down by 6 early in the second half and then down by 50 with 3 min left. 50!! I never even imagined a result like that was possible. @kobe do you have someone to check on you?

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Gonzaga and Santa Clara playing a great game.

 

[auror]

Gonzaga made a run to take the lead, but they just aren't very good.

 

[WhereistheDove?]

Gonzaga made a run to take the lead, but they just aren't very good.

They’re a decent team but tonight they’re just ice cold from three. They’re not a great 3 point shooting team but that 2/18 is an anomaly and 100% why they’re not up a decent amount right now.

 

[upstater]

Mock Cronin is not long for UCLA. Should've stayed at Cincy.