the Pre-season.....

[the Blades]

UConn Men Work Hard To Toughen Up In Opening Practice

"The feel of this group," Larrier said, "I feel we're a lot more connected. Guys are a lot more willing to sacrifice more and push through a few things. I remember last year a couple of the guys we had didn't even make it to the second half of the first practice, so just seeing the young guys pushing themselves and us older guys stepping up as leaders and helping them push through was really good."

 

[the Blades]

 

[Afghusky15]

Short clip, but I like the chemistry teams got going already. Also I like how Larrier is facilitating. Could be used as a point forward. We will have a very dynamic offense this year.

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

This team is built to play an up tempo style. As long as everyone is healthy and they maintain the current depth, they could be a fun team to watch. Larrier is very explosive and assuming his knee is fully healed, he should provide a big scoring punch.

 

[CaNOLEE]

Who's 41 in red?

Jalen gonna try and fill Brimahs fouls per minute shoes?

 

[the Blades]

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

This reminds me that Jalen was also in concussion protocol after getting clocked in the head and it messed him up for like two weeks last year. Last year was a nightmare of injuries both season ending ones and other injuries suffered by other players including Jalen who was really the only experienced and competent primary ballhandler. No team should be asked to have to play as shorthanded and it looks like a deeper roster has been assembled. Hopefully UConn doesn't get hit too hard with injuries this year.

 

[the Blades]

"Ollie used all his scholarships in filling out his roster. He has 12 eligible scholarship players, and it could be 13 if the NCAA grants Sidney Wilson, who transferred from St. John’s, a waiver and allows him to play this season. “What I really love is our depth,” said Ollie, who by the end of last season, down at times to six healthy players, struggled to run a competitive practice."

" He has 12 eligible scholarship players, and it could be 13 if the NCAA grants Sidney Wilson, who transferred from St. John’s, a waiver and allows him to play this season. “What I really love is our depth,” said Ollie, who by the end of last season, down at times to six healthy players, struggled to run a competitive practice."

" Having landed guards James Akinjo and Emmitt Matthews Jr. and center Lukas Kisunas in recent weeks, Ollie said his staff was “pretty much done” recruiting from the Class of 2018. "

Full read- Kevin Ollie Sizes Up Revamped Huskies Roster

 

[the Blades]

 

[the Blades]

Game - 7pm on ESPN:

 

[the Blades]

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

One aspect of Gilbert's game in his limited appearances last year which was unimpressive was his shooting. Both he and Jalen have to be able to shoot the 3. Jalen shot 35% from 3 last year, which while an improvement from the 27% he shot his freshman year, is only slightly better than average. He has to do better than that.

We can expect that the presence of Gilbert will reduce Adams' eye popping 3.1 turnovers per game last year which, when you consider he was the only competent ball handler on the team and had to do it all, isn't as bad as it looks. But it will certainly go down and we can expect UConn TO totals to be way down from what they were last year (also due to Purvis not being on the team any more).

 

[the Blades]

We can expect that the presence of Gilbert will reduce Adams' eye popping 3.1 turnovers per game last year which, when you consider he was the only competent ball handler on the team and had to do it all, isn't as bad as it looks. But it will certainly go down and we can expect UConn TO totals to be way down from what they were last year (also due to Purvis not being on the team any more).

True...... especially when JA lead the AAC in assists (w/a good ASST to TO ratio)...... by far:

ASSISTS ............................... Avg/G
1. ADAMS, Jalen-UCONN...........6.1
2. ROBINSON, Jr., Galen-HOU......4.8
3. THORPE, Geno-USF .................4.6
4. MILTON, Shake-SMU................4.5
5. MARTIN,Jeremiah-MEMPHIS..4.4
6. CAUPAIN, Troy-CIN...................4.4

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

Theoretically assisted baskets should be WAY up this year with both Adams and Gilbert distributing, and TOs should be down, and those are two things that go a long way towards playing better basketball. But they still have to make some 3s.........

 

[the Blades]

 

[the Blades]

I hope KO can reverse the way his teams have been trending:

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

I don't see UConn being picked higher than 4th preseason in the AAC, but we will see what happens once the season starts.

 

[the Blades]

I don't see UConn being picked higher than 4th preseason in the AAC, but we will see what happens once the season starts.

Good call:

 

[the Blades]

 

[the Blades]

 

[Dominicfrank]

I have an odd confidence that UCONN wins a lot of games this year, wins the AAC regular season and wins AAC tourney.

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

I think Wichita State has a greater right to be upset about being picked #5, considering they are a top 10 team nationally, than UConn does being picked #5. However I also believe UConn could be very good and maybe the surprise team of the league.

 

[the Blades]

MBB & WBB talk from the Courant:


The modest preseason ranking for the men (6:30), the Wichita State men owning the preseason spotlight, men's schedule (14:40), the need for Jalen Adams to emerge as a true star for the men (18:30), the trademark intensity of Cincinnati men’s coach Mick Cronin (26:20) and the increased prestige of the league as a whole thanks to an impressive assemblage of coaches (30:00).

 

[the Blades]

No First Night this year so KO invited the kids out last night...guess that went over with the students like.....#APATHY

 

[the Blades]

Also from yesterday:

 

[andersonfro]

I do not like the sound of "hip injury"

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

It does sound concerning, I am wondering if this could be an Omar Calhoun situation. Hip injuries reduced Omar to a nothing player. Ollie actually benched him due to ineffectiveness but he was never the same after his freshman year.

 

[the Blades]

Coming on at 6pm... WTIC.... Monday:

and here's more on the