UConn men's BB

[GoldRusher]

Still an "elite" program or nah?

I'm not trying to bash them but they seem to have went in the wrong direction since their last good tourney run.

What say you?

 

[rmilia1]

Well theyve won 2 of the last 6 national titles so I'm gonna say yes lol

 

[Used 2 B Hu]

It's these one-and-dones, they'll all say

 

[The Q]

It's these one-and-dones, they'll all say

UConn has never gotten a lot of one and dones.

 

[ralphiewvu]

Sure, we never usually had success beating them in the BE anyway.

 

[mr.hockey4242]

Yes, but they are in trouble if they don't get their asses outta the American fast

 

[The Q]

Yes, but they are in trouble if they don't get their asses outta the American fast

It's not lik they're dominating the AAC.

They had a few down classes, even after winning the title.

But this freshman class is one of, if not the highest ranked class UConn has ever brought in.

 

[Duckboy33]

They're still a major program but it's a dangerous time for their program.

 

[The Q]

They're still a major program but it's a dangerous time for their program.

Agreed.

And their current recruiting class isn't exaclty inspiring, but it's above average. But they're also losing a decent amount. Missing out on Diallo (to Kentucky) was a HUGE loss.

I will say have 3 blue chip PG recruits on the roster at once is rather intriguing to me.

But they really need another big and another SG...or MAJOR development from Durham and Diarra (who both didn't play a lot this year, Diarra basically not at all).

 

[jontaejones]

Since I know people who live in Connecticut, I know that the fanbase there is strong and rabid. Partly because there's no competition except for the Patriots.

I think as long as the booster support keeps coming, UConn will be relevant. They will definitely be better next year? Will they reach the heights of perennial national contender/borderline blueblood they were at? Dunno.

Florida is also in a similar situation...

 

[The Q]

Since I know people who live in Connecticut, I know that the fanbase there is strong and rabid. Partly because there's no competition except for the Patriots.

I think as long as the booster support keeps coming, UConn will be relevant. They will definitely be better next year? Will they reach the heights of perennial national contender/borderline blueblood they were at? Dunno.

Florida is also in a similar situation...

Larrier was looking like a stud. The question is gonna be will they have enough shooting and rebounding? Their interior work was not that great. They have a lot of high ranking recruits there in 2017 (Carlton, Diarra, Durham, Larrier)...will they do anything?

 

[jontaejones]

Larrier was looking like a stud. The question is gonna be will they have enough shooting and rebounding? Their interior work was not that great. They have a lot of high ranking recruits there in 2017 (Carlton, Diarra, Durham, Larrier)...will they do anything?

It should work out well for you guys.

Because Diarra, Larrier, and Gilbert I believe all get another year. So, you have Jalen Adams who is another year better, and those guys who are a year more physically mature, and then addition by subtraction getting rid of Purvis.

And those guys aren't really good enough to go early (though a couple might), so you are looking at the next 2-3 years being quite strong.

 

[The Q]

It should work out well for you guys.

Because Diarra, Larrier, and Gilbert I believe all get another year. So, you have Jalen Adams who is another year better, and those guys who are a year more physically mature, and then addition by subtraction getting rid of Purvis.

And those guys aren't really good enough to go early (though a couple might), so you are looking at the next 2-3 years being quite strong.

True, but Daniel Hamilton also wasn't good enough to go early....

 

[jontaejones]

True, but Daniel Hamilton also wasn't good enough to go early....

True. Calhoun had a nose for the guys who he could develop. Hopefully, Ollie can develop it.

You snowed in?

 

[The Q]

True. Calhoun had a nose for the guys who he could develop. Hopefully, Ollie can develop it.

You snowed in?

Absolutely. The entire state shut down.

Calhoun's best development jobs:

guys like Okafor, Ben Gordon, Hilton Armstrong, Napier

Guys who weren't big time recruits who became first rounders (Shabazz) or lottery picks (the other 3).

Ironically guys who were big time recruits were the ones who you kind of feel like they underachieved (Villanueva, Gay, Denham Brown Anderson, Oriakhi, Hazelton, Coombs-McDaniel etc.)

The school still only has a handful of Micky D's all americans in it's time.

IIRC the last one they had for Oriakhi.

 

[Ickey Shuffle]

Still the most respectable team besides Cincinnati and SMU in that awful conference. I wish we can win a national title nowadays. Or make it past the Sweet 16 at least.

 

[The Q]

Still the most respectable team besides Cincinnati and SMU in that awful conference. I wish we can win a national title nowadays. Or make it past the Sweet 16 at least.

Cincy always seems to be one player away.

 

[Ickey Shuffle]

Cincy always seems to be one player away.

I think Kyle Washington is the piece we were missing all this time. We'll see though.

 

[BoiseStateFan27]

Kevin Ollie won a national championship at UConn but has had almost no success since, and by UConn standards the regular season they had that year wasn't even that great

 

[OregonDucks]

I think UCONN is still an elite basketball program.

Now, how about Georgetown?