What is your definition of success for the 25/26 season?

[shizzle787]

We will enter next season with a top-10 ranking. Our roster now has 12 players so I can only see us adding one more rotation player and two more practice players. I expect us to be really good. What is your definition of success? For me it is national championship or bust. Anything short of that will be highly disappointing.

 

[husky429]

Sweet-16 or better should be the baseline for success. After that in the tourney is can be luck of the draw a bit unless you're freakishly talented like the '24 team who would run over anyone

 

[TheShot1990]

National championship.
With the addition of the two new guards, the return of Alex, and the outstanding incoming freshman class. I think we have all the pieces.

I loved Liam, but he was at times, dare I say it, a ball hog. I think this team will have more balance and I’m optimistic that Stewie and Jayden will show progress.

And then, of course we have something nobody else has, Danny and his staff.

 

[SubbaBub]

Can't bounce in the 2nd round again, for sure. Given the returning starters, role players and top recruits, transfers the expectations should be high.

Maybe not championship or bust but you want to at least have an elimination game like vs Fla in the round of 8 or better.

Saying FF around here means championship so I can't abide by a FF run being something other than a disappointment.

BE champs either regular season or Tournament is expected.

 

[Deepster]

at this point in our program maturation, with the multiple banners, NIL to instant rebuild and coaching staff, Natl Championship has to be the answer in the off season each and every year

The people voting for the second weekend need to be drawn and quartered. What are we? Providence?

 

[CL82]

The question asked what would I view as a successful season. The answer to that is a final four, given that we didn't get out of the first weekend last year. To be honest, I'd probably consider elite eight a successful season as well.

That said, our goal is always to win the national championship. That is the standard that has been set since 1999. Is that unreasonably high? Probably, but it's been ann unreasonably high standard that we've met five times since our first championship.

On paper, I think we have a good team that has a chance to compete at the highest level. Of course that's on paper, and many times what's on paper differs than what's on the court. I'm definitely looking forward to seeing them. Play to get a better sense of just how good this team can be.

Of course, we are still doomed.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Final Four. That's always the goal. Once there you've got a shot, which is all you can ask for. No team has been better in final fours than UConn.

 

[Matrim55]

Barring injury, this team's got to bring home one Big East title (either regular-season or tourney) and a Final Four run.

I try not to be a spoiled, irrational fan – I was very satisfied with this past year, even with its various frustrations. We played lots of good ball and the staff seemed to learn from our shortcomings.

But this is the best team we've had entering a season since 2009, right? I consider that year a success, and I'd feel the same for this group if they repeated that performance.

 

[temery]

We will enter next season with a top-10 ranking. Our roster now has 12 players so I can only see us adding one more rotation player and two more practice players. I expect us to be really good. What is your definition of success? For me it is national championship or bust. Anything short of that will be highly disappointing.

I hate being ranked top 10 preseason. Climbing up a ladder is a lot more fun than falling off of one.

 

[Waquoit]

I've been around long enough to know that getting to the Final Four is hard. UConn used to hold the record for most NCAA's without making the Final Four. I will never make that an expectation, just a goal. Having said that, making the 2nd weekend seems a reasonable expectation.

 

[storrsroars]

I am confident Solo and Reed will be even better than they were in March, and AK will find his shot again. Final Four would imply Stew had a good year. Anything less implies he wasn't the guy. Since Dan believes he is the guy, then I want that Final Four.

 

[Icehawk]

Do I think we can win? Absolutely, I am king Kool-Aid but… a good season doesn’t have to have a title. A great one does.

 

[Waquoit]

I hate being ranked top 10 preseason. Climbing up a ladder is a lot more fun than falling off of one.

I agree, but are we a blueblood or not? Bluebloods embrace the notice.

 

[ctchamps]

I’m going to up the stakes and say a perfect season. The rest of you are not arrogant enough. UConn women have done it six times. Why not the men’s team?

This thread is very disappointing and disturbing!

 

[Horatio]

If we can get one more serviceable big, I’ll feel fully confident with the men and women winning national championships next season.

 

[navery12]

Right now, Sweet 16. With the transfer portal and our recruiting that's the floor every year (barring in season injuries that adjust expectations).

It's hard to pinpoint exactly where the expectations should be for the season in May though. We know what Ball, Karaban, Reed are gonna bring. If 2 of Mullins, Reibe, Furphy are legitimate rotation guys or a legitimate starting caliber player in Mullins case that's a big boost. If Stewart takes the leap Solo took last year that's a big boost. If Demary and Smith can give us 50% of what Newton and Diarra did that's another big boost, and of the 3 listed I think is the most likely.

By the end of the summer we should start to hear rumblings and see clips are can readjust expectations, but my guess is we're going into October talking BE champs and a Final Four run for this team

 

[Sphinx]

Natty a reasonable goal. It's interesting how even the most optimistic yarders rarely mention our two incoming 46% 3-point marksman, Mullins and Furphy. And neither guy is merely a "pure" shooter. Both have demonstrated the full package as offensive facilitators. The 25-26 outlook offensively is breathtaking. Ultimate success will come down to defense, and that is where Stewart and Ross can figure in. The absence of lateral quickness on defense seems to be our potential Achilles heel.

 

[Brochacho]

I don't like assigning goals like FF or NC - We could go 37-0 and be #1 in every metric but lose to a team shooting 100% from 3 in the E8. Things just happen sometimes.

Last year was a disappointing year. I hope we are competitive, play well, and are fun to watch. Make it to March with a good seed and let the games play out.

 

[StllH8L8ner]

I want to see a few Big East games with the new guys and our returnees to figure out what we really have before setting expectations…although I’ll vote just for S and giggles.

 

[CardiacAndre7]

We lost to the Champions last year and put up a very good fight. I don’t think the year overall went as we wanted but halfway through we could see where it was headed with the limitations we had.

FF is always a success, not winning a championship is how most seasons end. It’s a better question to ask about halfway thru conference season because we at least have a strong idea of how the pieces will fit.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

Operating on the assumption of being fully healthy, I can state without question that if the season ends with a loss I will not be happy with it. Additionally, I will almost assuredly spend quite a bit of time believing that we should have eon that game, and from there we could have won out and ended up cutting down the nets.

In mid May, it is however a silly excercise to draw a line where a pass/fail for the season will be determined. I want to see what improvements our returning players have achieved. I want to see if transfers can live up to our expectations and I want to see how ready our incoming freshman are.

In all candor I believe our next title will be in a situation more like 2011, 2014 or 2023; where we weren't necessary expecting anything at that great a level when the season began than it will be like 1999, 2004 or 2024 where not being at least within striking distance of the title once our season ends would be underperforming.

 

[REB1094]

A team with this many proven high level players (Silas/Solo/Karaban/Reed), solid role players (Malachi/Stewart), 2 burger boys including a 5* (Mullins/Reibe), and that doesn’t even include two wings that we consider high potential (Ross/Furphy)..man it’s hard to not expect a F4

This feels different than last offseason. Last offseason we relied on Mahaney stepping up to the high major level and the sophomores replacing 4 NBA draft picks. This year we got a 6’5 proven high major PG and have a strong returning core

I’m getting overly excited, but look at this roster from 1-8. It’s REALLY strong

 

[Magic32]

I'll base success on winning either the Big East regular season or tournament and a Sweet 16 or better performance in the NCAA tourney.

 

[Umami Zen]

Winning the BE regular season and BE Tournament at MSG-- FF for the Big Dance. Our downfall in the Tournament was our 3pt shooting. One more made three and we send Florida home.3pt shooting will not be an issue for this team. Defense? Maybe. Would love to "sweep" Pitino this year.

I think Dan/staff have assembled a strong roster with positional flexibility and athleticism. Koroma- Zeigler or a similar type of CG-and a Croatian(Euro) 5 would really solidify our roster and provide bench strength as well as experienced players. Ironically-I believe the last portal pieces could elevate our potential to legit NC contenders.

We're gonna have deep depth.

 

[Jaydumo20]

I'll speak from the mouth of every non-uconn fan and staff in the country:

"UConn scares me more than any other team, especially in march. Why wouldn't they? They own the 21st century."

Natty.