I know we have to wait and see but pre-season polls are about guessing so for anyone to look at this team and not see top 10 level talent is crazy!
Sorry.....but having UConn outside the top 25 is CRAZY
- Thread starter Dominicfrank
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I know we have to wait and see but pre-season polls are about guessing so for anyone to look at this team and not see top 10 level talent is crazy!
35 is not that low and is definitely NCAA tourney bid range. The team could be a lot better than that and will likely crack the top 25, but needs to prove it on the Court and will have opportunities to do so.
Rothstein was at Uconn's practice a few days ago and now sees things much different (#23) than Dukie V.
I know we have to wait and see but pre-season polls are about guessing so for anyone to look at this team and not see top 10 level talent is crazy!
His starting line-up is interesting, he has 5 Uconn starters from last year coming off the bench....NOT !
(Jalen Gaffney, Tyler Polley, Isaiah Whaley, Josh Carlton, Akok Akok )
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I think Rothstein's projected starting 5 is at least a possibility although perhaps not for the first few games but I could see that as being the midseason starting 5. I would not be surprised if Sanogo is quite ready physically and is getting man-boards that the others cannot get. The guys who will be hard to send to the bench is Whaley, due to his outstanding D (maybe best defender on the team and definitely on the pick and roll), and, once he is healthy, Akok could be hard to keep on the bench because of his shot blocking and assuming he scores a little better. He might be the best shooter of the bigs.
UConn is in a comfortable position because with Villanova ranked #1 and Creighton #11, they will get NET juice from any upsets of those teams.
UConn is in a comfortable position because with Villanova ranked #1 and Creighton #11, they will get NET juice from any upsets of those teams.
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From the Borges article you posted...
"Hurley when asked about the starting lineup, only two players come to mind — rising sophomore star James Bouknight and Isaiah Whaley "... So there's that from the coach himself that Rothstein has wrong.... and DH " added that transfer R.J. Cole and sophomore Jalen Gaffney are battling for the starting point guard spot. "That's a heck of a point guard competition right there to see who is going to start the opener. " So true on the possibilities after that KSTW.
But like I mentioned before it's gonna be a battle for PT, where starting doesn't matter and it'll be next man up. DH says...."where players 2-through-9 for us, we’re gonna almost feel like we have seven or eight starters.”
Basically, until Akok is ready at least....3 starters will be Bouk, Whaley and one of Gaffney or RJ. Then pick 2 of Carlton, Polley, Martin, AJ or Sanogo. Adams ( who's injured) will be one of the back-ups for Bouk.
Also this team is totally equipped to overcome any injury/health issues, which hasn't been the case in the last few years.
"Hurley when asked about the starting lineup, only two players come to mind — rising sophomore star James Bouknight and Isaiah Whaley "... So there's that from the coach himself that Rothstein has wrong.... and DH " added that transfer R.J. Cole and sophomore Jalen Gaffney are battling for the starting point guard spot. "That's a heck of a point guard competition right there to see who is going to start the opener. " So true on the possibilities after that KSTW.
But like I mentioned before it's gonna be a battle for PT, where starting doesn't matter and it'll be next man up. DH says...."where players 2-through-9 for us, we’re gonna almost feel like we have seven or eight starters.”
Basically, until Akok is ready at least....3 starters will be Bouk, Whaley and one of Gaffney or RJ. Then pick 2 of Carlton, Polley, Martin, AJ or Sanogo. Adams ( who's injured) will be one of the back-ups for Bouk.
Also this team is totally equipped to overcome any injury/health issues, which hasn't been the case in the last few years.
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True, the minutes distribution more important than who actually starts. I do see Bouknight and Whaley as locks to start the season and after that who knows. The Gaffney-Cole battle could be interesting and I wonder whether both could start with Bouknight with Whaley and Sanogo up front in a 3 guard and 2 bigs lineup. There are so many ways Hurley can go with this roster it makes your head spin. I suspect different combinations can be tried out and then see what clicks best, and it could vary depending on the opponent. Against teams like Villanova UConn will need to go with a lineup of strong perimeter defenders and perhaps more size. The roster is deep enough that they should be able to figure out matchups that are at least decent for all opponents. Against zone defenses they can matchup and play guys like Polley and Gaffney more, against size they will probably use Carlton and Sanogo and/or Akok. The best thing about an even minutes distribution is the team is fresher later in games and they don't lose the close games they have lost the last couple years because they aren't fresher late in games and their shooting goes south or they make bad TOs late in the game. I recall the last 2 years Vital getting overplayed and being gassed late in games and not as effective. With a fresher team, you will see games get finished strong and that's what I am looking for. Strong and crisp passes and shooting touches not going south because of no legs.
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NCAA.com's own power rankings has UConn at 33, not too far away from Dukie V's projection:
Redirect Notice
www.google.com
No change in bracketology- UConn a 10 seed and facing #7 Arizona State in the long awaited, and almost certain to come Hurley v. Hurley matchup in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Lunardi aka Joey Brackets knows that the NCAA tournament is all about giving the people what they want, and what they want is Hurley v. Hurley:
Bracketology's top-line statement: Purdue, Houston, Alabama and Arizona
Purdue is still the No. 1 overall seed -- even after a narrow loss to Indiana. It's nice to have a little security.
www.espn.com
Also noticed the same website listed Uconn in the Top (18) backcourts for 2020-21 season ....1 spot ahead of Creighton...( and they don't even mention Gaffney who was a starter)..so I guess it is crazy not to have Uconn in the Top 25 if both the frontcourt & the backcourt are ranked in the top 18 !
Not sure how they did not even mention Gaffney who in my prediction would become the best 3 pointer shooter in the guard group and second best on the team after Polley. It's a very good group of guards and very good group of forwards and there is depth in both groups.
UConn now #26 on ESPN's updated top 25 and "Next In Line"- UConn is first in line of the "Next In Line":
www.google.com
Kentucky climbs to No. 5, Baylor still No. 1 in Way-Too-Early Top 25 update for 2020-21
We're less than a month from the start of the 2020-21 college basketball season. Kentucky, which received some good transfer news last week, makes a move in our latest ranking.
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