Yakwe Commits

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

I see you Hurley

 

[intlzncster]

That video may have shown all of his baskets at St Johns

So DO would have had about 1 pt in his career there.

 

[intlzncster]

Or have Gilbert stay healthy. That makes a huge difference right there.

Quite frankly, the key to next season (as Jalen's back). There's a chance at a successful year with Gilbert on the court.

Otherwise, I think we're relatively middling.

 

[JMick]

Quite frankly, the key to next season (as Jalen's back). There's a chance at a successful year with Gilbert on the court.

Otherwise, I think we're relatively middling.

Gilbert playing well has to be good for at least 3-4 wins. I think by the end of the season he'll look good but it will probably take a while to shake off the rust. He missed a lot of layups last year and I think it's because he wasn't comfortable going hard to the basket.

 

[champs99and04]

Stop it! None of the transfer from St Johns amount to much in their new schools. Looks at Darien Williams from last yr. He was considering UCONN before heading to Nevada and getting kick off the team. Justin Simon is looking much better under Mullin then under Sean Miller at Arizona. How well did Danny Hurley develop Kuran Iverson when he transfer from Memphis with all that talent. Hurley might be good but he is no Larry Brown.

Iverson actually developed quite well at Rhode Island - he accomplished virtually nothing at Memphis before becoming an integral part of one of the best teams in school history for the Rams. You can trust me on that one because I watched a lot of URI hoops over the past four years. He was a beast on the boards and the rare player who could guard basically every position and still protect the rim. He might have been their best player in the NCAA Tournament overall.

If you're looking for a less successful story, you could try somebody like E.C. Matthews, but even then, you'd have to consider the fact that he tore his ACL in the first game of his junior season. The real cautionary tale is probably Jarvis Garrett - he was a promising player as a sophomore who regressed (partially due, I'm sure, to the fact that his minutes decreased).

I do agree with you, though, that the verdict is still out on Mullin. Some have been quick to dismiss him, but he inherited an absolute dumpster fire from Lavin (seriously, if you think Hurley has it that bad, he doesn't) and has been victim to constant player turnover, be it injury related or otherwise. Some of the retention issues have to fall on Lavin's shoulders (Hurley appears to have been very successful on that front, which is encouraging), but I want to see him with a complete roster before I lump him in with Ollie as one of the great failures of our time (the last part is a joke).

 

[HuskyHawk]

I just hope Leque stays in '19 now.

Well Duke is visiting and he isn’t headed there in 2018

 

[HuskyHawk]

In the Katz podcast Hurley singled out three key players who he felt could have a big impact, Jalen, Carlton and Gilbert. Not much of a tea leaf, I'll grant you, but it does suggest that Carlton may be a step ahead of the other front court players in Hurley's eyes.

Based on last year, he clearly was. Best UConn big in several years. But I really think Diallo is going to emerge and be a beast. I feel it.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Quite frankly, the key to next season (as Jalen's back). There's a chance at a successful year with Gilbert on the court.

Otherwise, I think we're relatively middling.

I am 99.9% positive Gilbert will be fine. In which case these roster moves position Uconn to win now (no deep run, but make the dance) and recruit to build a top notch roster going forward. I think Hurley knows that if he doesn’t turn us around next season, his recruiting effort will become much more difficult. He has them listening, but talk is cheap. Veteran players will help on both fronts.

 

[UConnDan97]

Quite frankly, the key to next season (as Jalen's back). There's a chance at a successful year with Gilbert on the court.

Otherwise, I think we're relatively middling.

I've been known to be a tad overzealous in my predictions, but I have to say that a healthy Gilbert for me means we are looking at a Sweet Sixteen or better team.

I honestly believe that. I don't think people give enough weight to the steep rise in play from first year to second year in college, and we have a bunch of them. With Jalen back and a healthy Gilbert, the sky is the limit...

 

[Coach J]

Hurley's doing it - He's MUGA - Making UConn Great Again!!!!

 

[Fishy]

I've been known to be a tad overzealous in my predictions, but I have to say that a healthy Gilbert for me means we are looking at a Sweet Sixteen or better team.

I honestly believe that. I don't think people give enough weight to the steep rise in play from first year to second year in college, and we have a bunch of them. With Jalen back and a healthy Gilbert, the sky is the limit...

Slow down.

This is still a team with a well-below average front court and no true outside threat.

If Jalen goes nuts, we might have a fringe bubble team.

 

[WrenchFan69]

Iverson actually developed quite well at Rhode Island - he accomplished virtually nothing at Memphis before becoming an integral part of one of the best teams in school history for the Rams. You can trust me on that one because I watched a lot of URI hoops over the past four years. He was a beast on the boards and the rare player who could guard basically every position and still protect the rim. He might have been their best player in the NCAA Tournament overall.

If you're looking for a less successful story, you could try somebody like E.C. Matthews, but even then, you'd have to consider the fact that he tore his ACL in the first game of his junior season. The real cautionary tale is probably Jarvis Garrett - he was a promising player as a sophomore who regressed (partially due, I'm sure, to the fact that his minutes decreased).

I do agree with you, though, that the verdict is still out on Mullin. Some have been quick to dismiss him, but he inherited an absolute dumpster fire from Lavin (seriously, if you think Hurley has it that bad, he doesn't) and has been victim to constant player turnover, be it injury related or otherwise. Some of the retention issues have to fall on Lavin's shoulders (Hurley appears to have been very successful on that front, which is encouraging), but I want to see him with a complete roster before I lump him in with Ollie as one of the great failures of our time (the last part is a joke).

Garrett was a 250th+ ranked 5'9" point guard who missed a lot of time for a serious stomach issue along with some other more minor injuries right after he was really hitting his stride. Then you add in Stanford Robinson transferring in and being effective and Dowtin coming on strong right as he's coming back to 100%. On top of having a couple kids to worry about. Despite everything he was still a very useful player for URI. It's hard to find players in the last four years for URI that were truly non-factors except maybe their current underclassmen bigs.

 

[JMick]

Slow down.

This is still a team with a well-below average front court and no true outside threat.

If Jalen goes nuts, we might have a fringe bubble team.

I think 20 wins is a reasonable hope. NIT would be a good season, NCAAs would be a miracle

 

[Dove]

Reminds me of an 80s tune...

Boom, boom, boom
Send it in to Kassoum
And he will jam it all night!
He will put up a fight!!

Whoa-oa-oa!!



Paul Lekakis fans gimme a like!

 

[AntG168]

I think 20 wins is a reasonable hope. NIT would be a good season, NCAAs would be a miracle

I don’t think so. I think we’re making this winning thing out to be more difficult than it really is. They’re were a few teams in the tourney last yr who weren’t that much more talented than us if at all. They just had an identity and they played to that, they were disciplined. I think we have enough. That’s not to say it’s my expectation for next yr but if it were to happen I wouldn’t call it a miracle

 

[champs99and04]

Slow down.

This is still a team with a well-below average front court and no true outside threat.

If Jalen goes nuts, we might have a fringe bubble team.

Concerns about the front court are valid. The question is how you value a team with that level of talent 1-3 with a front court that could be OK. Diarra is the player I anticipate will benefit the most from Hurley's arrival. I'm sure Wilson will see time at the four. There's no reason to believe Carlton won't be serviceable.

I still think we're ultimately in the same spot we were last year, with our season hinging on Gilbert's shoulder (we likely would have been a disaster even with Gilbert, but that's only clear in hindsight). That's a scary thought, but an exciting one as well. To say that a tournament berth would be a miracle is way off base IMO @JMick - if you're a great coach, you get to the tournament with the roster that has been assembled. I think Hurley will.

 

[champs99and04]

Garrett was a 250th+ ranked 5'9" point guard who missed a lot of time for a serious stomach issue along with some other more minor injuries right after he was really hitting his stride. Then you add in Stanford Robinson transferring in and being effective and Dowtin coming on strong right as he's coming back to 100%. On top of having a couple kids to worry about. Despite everything he was still a very useful player for URI. It's hard to find players in the last four years for URI that were truly non-factors except maybe their current underclassmen bigs.

Wasn't trying to make it sound like this was some failure on Hurley's part, just that it fit the narrative he was cooking up a lot better than Iverson. I had forgotten about the stomach ailment.

 

[UConnDan97]

Slow down.

This is still a team with a well-below average front court and no true outside threat.

If Jalen goes nuts, we might have a fringe bubble team.

The Black Velvet whiskey is flowing like a river, and I'm not letting you slow me down. Not now. Not never...

 

[JMick]

I don’t think so. I think we’re making this winning thing out to be more difficult than it really is. They’re were a few teams in the tourney last yr who weren’t that much more talented than us if at all. They just had an identity and they played to that, they were disciplined. I think we have enough. That’s not to say it’s my expectation for next yr but if it were to happen I wouldn’t call it a miracle

I think you're just setting yourself up for disappointment lol

 

[intlzncster]

Slow down.

This is still a team with a well-below average front court and no true outside threat.

If Jalen goes nuts, we might have a fringe bubble team.

This is also a team that went 14-18 last year. A sweet 16 team generally has about 25-30 wins.

If Hurley could pull that off...

 

[UconnU]

I don’t think so. I think we’re making this winning thing out to be more difficult than it really is. They’re were a few teams in the tourney last yr who weren’t that much more talented than us if at all. They just had an identity and they played to that, they were disciplined. I think we have enough. That’s not to say it’s my expectation for next yr but if it were to happen I wouldn’t call it a miracle

I like the make up of our roster next year. Especially if AG can stay healthy and Sid turns out to be a player. I think Carlton has a chance to become one of the better bigs in the American, Players typically make the biggest jump between freshman and sophomore year and he was already showing signs. Tarin Smith is also better than advertised.

 

[BLUEDOGHOUSE]

Iverson actually developed quite well at Rhode Island - he accomplished virtually nothing at Memphis before becoming an integral part of one of the best teams in school history for the Rams. You can trust me on that one because I watched a lot of URI hoops over the past four years. He was a beast on the boards and the rare player who could guard basically every position and still protect the rim. He might have been their best player in the NCAA Tournament overall.

If you're looking for a less successful story, you could try somebody like E.C. Matthews, but even then, you'd have to consider the fact that he tore his ACL in the first game of his junior season. The real cautionary tale is probably Jarvis Garrett - he was a promising player as a sophomore who regressed (partially due, I'm sure, to the fact that his minutes decreased).

I do agree with you, though, that the verdict is still out on Mullin. Some have been quick to dismiss him, but he inherited an absolute dumpster fire from Lavin (seriously, if you think Hurley has it that bad, he doesn't) and has been victim to constant player turnover, be it injury related or otherwise. Some of the retention issues have to fall on Lavin's shoulders (Hurley appears to have been very successful on that front, which is encouraging), but I want to see him with a complete roster before I lump him in with Ollie as one of the great failures of our time (the last part is a joke).

Garrett became a father of twins and had some very serious health issues that debilitated him. One in particular not related to his wearing the mask caused the most regression. EC never learned to go right his whole career.

 

[Fishy]

This is also a team that went 14-18 last year. A sweet 16 team generally has about 25-30 wins.

If Hurley could pull that off...

Our offense was supernaturally bad last year.

Of course, the coaching was lousy, but so was the talent and that has not been significantly improved.

We are bad. It will take time to stop being bad.

 

[BLUEDOGHOUSE]

Our offense was supernaturally bad last year.

Of course, the coaching was lousy, but so was the talent and that has not been significantly improved.

We are bad. It will take time to stop being bad.

I expect this roster at the moment to probably finish behind Central Florida and Memphis (although I have not vetted the whole league). Memphis has one more scholarship to give. It will be interesting if they get Wiseman ( reclass?) or Mooney. Probably not though.

Yakwe could really help. A change is going to help that kid. I think we will be right on the bubble. Would not be that surprised to get a #10 seed if Adams is POY in the AAC. I think the BearCats will take a step back and was not surprised they took the early exit in March.

 

[UConnNick]

The Black Velvet whiskey is flowing like a river, and I'm not letting you slow me down. Not now. Not never...