Game Thread: UCONN

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This Sunday's game promises to be a very tough challenge for our Danes. UCONN is very very young with 9 incoming freshman. Starting lineup will consist mostly of freshman with the only notable exception at PG. They appear strongest down low with a very highly regarded 7'3 center from Tanzania and at the point with a player who for all intents and purposes is a freshman but he's missed 2 seasons due to a very serious health problem and then suspension from the team (laptop for sale scheme). They are also incredibly athletic, fast and big on the wings with a SF who stands 6'9 and a 6'3 SG, both of these guys could go to any team in the country and start. Ofcourse the talent on this team is far superior to what the Danes will be trotting out as UCONN recruits in a totally different class of players then us. They are very big, very strong, very very fast and very young. In my opinion our only hope is to catch a young team on an off night. Considering the fight we put up against them last year I can't see Calhoun sleeping on this game. Yes, the makeup of the team is very different then the one we played in the NCAA's but there is a big difference in talent here. Instead of playing at a neutral site, largely in front of folks who wanted to see an incredible upset, we will be playing in a very very hostile arena (most if not all of those fans remember us) and the crowd will probably really give it to us. All in all I have this one pegged as a loss. I'll be cheering hard but I think we are going up against an undefeated team (so far) with more talent and in a hostile arena. My only hope is that we keep it respectable and stay withing 15-20 points. If by some chance we pull of an incredible upset, this would go down as the greatest win in our young programs history.

 

Blue Ribbon says.......(just a snippet)

 

BACKCOURT: B+

BENCH/DEPTH: A-

FRONTCOURT: B+

INTANGIBLES: A-

 

It's hard to get an accurate assessment on this team, because nine of the 13 scholarship players are new, and the holdovers didn't have sustained opportunities to prove themselves last year. Connecticut has talent, but it's tough to tell what it will become when it's all blended together.

 

The key is Price. If he plays the way Calhoun expects, the Huskies have a great starting point. He can distribute and score for himself, but two years is a long layoff, and he's bound to have some moments where people wonder if he's going to be consistent enough. He'll have the benefit of Austrie behind him, and that will help. So will Garrison, if needed. Dyson has plenty of potential, as does Wiggins, but consistency and good decision-making will be keys there.

 

Adrien is a good starting point up front, particularly if Thabeet is as good as advertised. They would give UConn a versatile power plant. Add in Mandeldove, Robinson and Kelly, and Connecticut has a lot of options up front.

 

This will be an interesting season in Storrs, because the team that begins the season may look completely different from the one that ends it. One thing is certain -- Calhoun has the experience and ability to mix things together and get good results. He also has the political capital to spend if things don't go so well for a while. In the end, he'll get it right. He almost always does.