Why is UConn struggling?

UConn was a top 15 team in the preseason, and rightfully so.

On paper, this team looked, and still does look, pretty good.

Kemba Walker was supposed to be a breakout performer at the point. Jerome Dyson, without AJ Price, Jeff Adrien, and Hasheem Thabeet to steal the lime light, was expected to develop into a star. Stanley Robinson is arguably the best athlete in the country, and there may not be a player more adept at creating points off of broken plays. Gavin Edwards has developed into a stabilizing force in the paint, rebounding the ball and scoring in the post with enough efficiency to garner some interest from the NBA.

Gavin Edwards has been a pleasant surprise this season.
(photo credit: Hartford Courant)

And the Huskies added a talented group of newcomers, with freshmen Alex Oriakhi, Jamal Trice, Jamaal Coombs-McDaniels, and Darius Smith teaming with semester addition Ater Majok, that were to be counted on to provide the Huskies with the depth and versatility we've come to expect from a Jim Calhoun coached team.

But the Huskies have been far from dominant this season, and perhaps the most disappointing team in the country.

That's what an 11-6 start will do to a team with a first round lock (Robinson) and four more potential pros (Dyson, Walker, Edwards, Oriakhi) on their roster.

Currently, UConn is on a three game losing streak, and after Sunday's loss at Michigan most pundits are placing this team firmly on the bubble.

It begs the question: what's wrong with the Huskies?

The biggest issue is their half court offense. Simply put, UConn cannot score against a set defense. Walker has not developed into the facilitator that many believed he would. Few in the country are better than Walker at leading a fast break, but there are few point guards in the country as inept as the NYC native is when it comes to running a system and controlling an offense.

Beyond that, outside of Dyson, UConn doesn't have anyone that can create for themselves in the half court. Even Dyson, who averages 18.4 ppg and 5.1 apg, is far from what you would call an efficient player. He ranks 12th in the country in possessions used and 44th in percentage of shots taken, but he isn't even in the top 400 in offensive efficiency. He turns the ball over too much, he takes (and misses) too many tough shots, and he doesn't hit threes.

In fact, as a team, UConn is on the verge of being historically inept at shooting from deep. They are dead last in the country when in comes to three pointers attempted (19.1% of their shot attempt are threes, and no major conference school has ever finished a season below 20%) and, as you could imagine, dead last in the country in the number of points they get off of threes.

What does all those numbers mean?

In basketball terms, the only way UConn can effectively score is in transition. For all of their shortcomings, there may not be a team in the country better in the open court than the Huskies. Walker is as fast as anyone with the ball in his hands, Dyson is unstoppable with a head of steam and a defender backpedaling, and if all else fails, just get the ball in the vicinity of the rim and Robinson will take care of the rest.

The problem with depending on transition to score is that it is totally reliant upon your opponent making a mistake. I don't think I need a scatterplot to prove that the number of mistakes a team makes is negatively correlated with that team's success.

Thus, the best times to run and attack in transition are off of a live-ball turnover (a steal) or off of a defensive rebound, preferably long jumpers, because they result in long rebounds and give the defense a running start heading the other way. Sure, it is possible to run off of a made basket, but it is much more difficult, and the Huskies are not Magic Johnson's Lakers.

UConn is doing neither well this season.

They rank 305th in the country at forcing turnovers and 191st defensive rebounding percentage.

So why is UConn struggling to win games?

Its simple.

The Huskies haven't been good enough at putting themselves in a position to succeed. Until this team gets better at rebounding the ball on the defensive end and forcing turnovers, they are going to struggle.

Having said that, it is more than just numbers with UConn.

Of their six losses, only one has been by double digits, and that was a 10 point defeat to Pitt in a game that was much closer than the final score indicates. None of those six losses should be classified as a terrible loss, either. Georgetown, Pitt, Duke, and Kentucky all look like Sweet 16, if not Final Four, teams this season. The other two came at Cincinnati and at Michigan, two teams that have spent time in the top 25 this year.

We've seen this look quite a bit from the Huskies this season.
(photo credit: Hartford Courant)

UConn had a chance to win all six of these games, but failed to make the big play or hit the big shot in all six:

• Against Duke, UConn was down 58-38 with 12:25 left in the game, but held the Blue Devils to just one field goal over the next 11+ minutes, cutting the lead to 62-54 with 52 seconds left. In that span, the Huskies missed six layups and made just 6-13 from the line.


• Against Kentucky, Walker went 2-4 from the line in a 40 second span with under three minutes left, and the Huskies missed four shots in the final 27 seconds that could have tied the game or taken the lead.


• Against Cincinnati, UConn finally made some clutch plays offensively, as Walker tied the game with a three at the 10 second mark, but Gavin Edwards fouled Lance Stephenson with 0.7 seconds left, and Stephenson hit both for the win.


• Against Georgetown, UConn blew a 19 point lead, but had the ball down 70-69 in the final 30 seconds, missing two shots before Walker finally turned it over.

It was more of the same against Pitt and Michigan, as the Panthers and the Wolverines were the ones that made the big shots and the big plays down the stretch.

Does UConn have that player?

Do they have a guy that can replace AJ Price, a kid that made so many clutch plays in his four years at UConn?

If they don't, than UConn may end up being nothing more than a competitive also-ran.
Continue reading...

Ladies and Gentlemen, your '09-'10 UConn Huskies

For the first time this season, the college basketball world saw what the UConn Huskies can be this season.

After struggling through three games where they played mediocre basketball, the Huskies exploded tonight, jumping on a depleted LSU team early.

"We've been waiting since the exhibition season for us to have a breakout a little bit," Huskies head coach Jim Calhoun said after the game. "And quite frankly, it was a different kind of breakout.

"The breakout for us was playing with energy [and] getting back to rebounding."

And defending.

The Huskies this season are going to rely on the defensive pressure they can put on the ball. Playing their typical 2-2-1 press, Kemba Walker and Jerome Dyson hounded the Tiger back court, and in the process made getting the ball over the timeline a struggle.

There may not be a better on-the-ball defender in the country than Kemba Walker. He is as quick as a waterbug, hounding opposing ball handlers into taking tough shots off the dribble.

Kemba Walker set the tone for the Huskies defensively tonight.
(photo credit: SI)

See Bo Spencer as a perfect example. Coming into the game, Spencer was averaging over 20 ppg, but the Tiger point guard managed just five points tonight as Walker forced into 2-15 shooting before Spencer came out of the game with an ankle injury.

"He was really good on defense," Calhoun said. "He started putting pressure on [Chris Bass], who was penetrating in the first half, did a great job of adjusting to him."

Walker, who finished the game with 20 points and 3 assists, also was instrumental in leading the UConn break. While he can still stand to improve at running the Huskies half court offense, Walker's end-to-end speed with the ball in his hands and his vision leading the break make him the perfect point guard for Jim Calhoun.

"We love him," Calhoun said, "he has to work on making plays in the half court set. He has to identify open people, but we're not going to trade him."

But it was more than just Walker.

For the first time this season, Calhoun brought Gavin Edwards off the bench, and Edwards responded with 15 points, 7 boards, and 3 blocks, his best game of the season.

Stanley Robinson had a typical Stanley Robinson game, going for 14 points, 11 boards, and two highlight reel blocks. When "Sticks", as he is known to Husky fans, is playing with the kind of energy and aggressiveness he showed tonight, he brings a dimension to this UConn squad that few teams in the country can counter.

The star of this team, however, is Jerome Dyson.

He showed it in the second half.

After a quiet first 20 minutes in which he had just three points and struggled shooting the ball, Dyson took over in the second half, scoring 17 of his 20 points. Most of those points came as he attacked the basket in transition.

Transition basketball has been Jim Calhoun's bread and butter for years. With the athletes he has on this team, especially in the back court, that is where UConn must excel if they want to compete in the Big East.

And it is where they excelled tonight.

Calhoun agrees.

"[Tonight] was the first time that I saw Connecticut play this year."

Continue reading...

Monday's Pregame Beat

Despite the two most anticipated collegiate debuts happening tonight, Monday's slate of games leaves us with much to be desired. Well, at least until midnight.

Because at midnight tonight, ESPN's College Hoops Tip-off Marathon gets underway with UCLA hosting Cal St. Fullerton. But we'll get into that preview in a bit. For now, here is a look at what may very likely be another night of blowouts.

7 pm: Miami (OH) @ Kentucky: In what may be the most anticipated debut of the year, John Wall will be playing his first real game in Kentucky blue tonight. The Wildcats could use Wall, as they looked less than impressive on the offensive end against Morehead State. UK turned the ball over 24 times and hit just 4-19 from deep. But wasn't that to be expected? There were times on Friday night that four of the five guys on the floor had never played college ball before. Wall should help the offense run more efficiently when he is in the line-up. He is a better penetrator than Bledsoe, and his ability to get into the lane and draw defenders will help to get better looks for shooters on the perimeter. Miami (OH) is known for their defensive prowess, but they lost two of their top three scorers in the off-season and are coming off of a loss to Towson in their opener.

John Wall will be making his debut tonight.
(photo credit: reflector.com)

7 pm: Penn @ Villanova: Villanova struggled in their opener, needing a hot-shooting second half from Corey Stokes to pull out a win against Farleigh Dickinson. While Scottie Reynolds struggled, Villanova did get promising performances out of freshmen guards Dominic Cheek and Maalik Wayns as well as big men Taylor King and Antonio Pena. Penn is not the same Penn you are used, and if Nova can slow down sharpshooting forward Tyler Bernardini, they should win this thing running away. Of note: Denzel Washington's son, Malcolm, is a walk-on for the Quakers.

7 pm: Coastal Carolina @ Duke: The Devils will once again be playing shorthanded as Nolan Smith (suspension) and Mason Plumlee (fractured wrist) will both miss the game. In their first game, the Dukies beat up on UNC-Greenville while playing Kyle Singler at the two for the majority of the game. The key for Duke this year may end up being Olek Czyz. The 6'7", 240 lb forward started and played 24 minutes for Coach K, notching 6 points, 6 boards, 3 assists, and 2 steals (he played all of 51 minutes as a freshman). Czyz is an athletic kid, and with Duke's lack of perimeter depth, he may get the call at the three is he can continue to produce like he did on Friday.

7:30 PM: Prairie View A&M @ Cincinnati: I have been very high on the Bearcats during the pre-season, and tonight we find out if I was right. While Prairie View, a team from the SWAC, is not exactly Kansas, it should be interesting to see how Mick Cronin decides to use Cashmere Wright, Deonta Vaughn, and the newly eligible Lance Stephenson on the court. Lance came off the bench and struggled in his first exhibition game scoring just nine points, but don't expect that to keep up.

Lance Stephenson will also be making his college debut tonight.
(photo credit: palestra.net)

8 pm: Stephen F. Austin @ Minnesota: The Lumberjacks made the NCAA tourney last season, but they lost their top two scorers and a third starter. They will have their work cut out for them against a tough Minnesota team. While Tubby's boys are without a few players due to disciplinary suspensions, the Gophers are still quite deep. With Royce White and Trevor Mbakwe out of the line-up, the Gophers are left without a true power forward. It may be a blessing in disguise, however. For starters, there is a chance that neither player suits up for Tubby this season, which means the experience for the rest of the team will be valuable. But Minnesota may end up being better with guys like senior Damian Johnson, junior Paul Carter, and freshman Rodney Williams in the line-up as they provide a ton of athleticism, especially on the defensive end (Williams and Johnson combined for 8 steals and 7 blocks in the Gopher's opener).

9 pm: Colgate @ UConn: The Huskies looked good and bad on Friday night against William & Mary. Their defensive effort was pretty solid, as Kemba Walker and Jerome Dyson were a terror at the front of their 2-2-1 press. Dyson, in particular, looked like an all-american, finishing with 27 points, 8 assists, and 4 steals as he sliced through the Tribe's defense at will. The issue with the Huskies is the offensive end. They have no one that you would describe as a shooter, and as the Tribe did all Monday night, teams are going to sit back in a zone against the Huskies, cutting down guard penetration and daring them to shoot. If Colgate, who returns their top three scorers, can force the Huskies into a half court game, don't be shocked if this group can hang with UConn for a while.

Other notables:

• 5:30 pm: Milwaukee vs. Western Kentucky in Baton Rouge
• 7:00 pm: Jacksonville @ Florida State
• 7:00 pm: Georgia Southern @ South Carolina
  
• 7:30 pm: St. Francis (PA) @ Notre Dame
• 7:30 pm: Virginia @ South Florida
• 8:00 pm: Indiana State @ LSU
• 8:00 pm: Alabama State @ Ole Miss
• 8:00 pm: Lipscomb @ Vanderbilt
• 11:00 pm: Texas State @ Arizona State
  

Continue reading...

Three UConn players miss tonight's exhibition

Three players - Jerome Dyson, Donnell Beverly, and Jamal Coombs-McDaniel - all were held out of UConn's scrimmage against American International College on Wednesday night.

Dyson and Beverly were held out due to "pending routine educational document review for eligibility certification." Coombs-McDaniel was held out as a result of "pending initial-eligibility clearances from the NCAA eligibility center. In his case, academic records have been requested and a review of those records is currently underway."

Beverly, a junior guard, is not expected to get major minutes for the Huskies, but losing Dyson or Coombs-McDaniel would be a big loss for the Huskies.

Dyson is one of the best two guards in the country, and his athleticism will be a huge factor in the Huskies game plan this season. Freshman Coombs-McDaniel is not expected to start, but he has the talent and versatility to be an impact player as a freshman.

UConn has been quiet on the issue, but it looks like all three should be ready when the start of the season rolls around Nov. 13th.
Continue reading...

2009-2010 College Basketball Season Preview: Shooting Guards

The season is fast approaching. The first games are on Nov. 9th, and the BIAH live blog during ESPN's season kickoff is just two weeks away. So with just a week until actual games are played, we figured the best way to finish up our 2008-2009 season previews is to give you our Top 10 players at each position. You know how much we love a good Top 10 list here.

A few caveats. First, we're talking about how good these guys are as college players, not how well they project as a pro. Second, while it may be too much power for me, I am making the executive decision on what "position" a player is (and it may not necessarily be what he is listed as on a roster). Third, I am not putting the freshman in the list. As much as I've read about these guys and as many Youtube clips as I have watched, I have yet to see many of them play a real game (the all-star games don't count), and I don't think that I could give an accurate assessment until I see them play. Lastly, I love me a good argument, so if you think someone is too low or too high or the wrong position, leave a comment and let me hear about it.

Here are the point guards.
These are the shooting guards.

Best Freshman:

• Avery Bradley, Texas
• Kenny Boynton, Florida
• Xavier Henry, Kansas
• Lance Stephenson, Cincinnati

Best of the Rest:

• Elliot Williams, Memphis
• Jeremy Hazell, Seton Hall
• Osiris Eldridge, Illinois State
• William Buford, Ohio State
• Steven Gray, Gonzaga
• Denis Clemente, Kansas State
  

Top 10

• 10. Tyshawn Taylor, Kansas: Taylor is not on this list for the numbers he is going to put up. That would be impossible playing on a team as talented as Kansas this year. But Taylor may be the best team player in the country. He's no stranger to talented teams - his St. Anthony's High School team sent seven kids to D1 schools. Taylor's biggest strength is his intelligence on the court. He makes good decisions with the ball, is an excellent passer (especially feeding the post), and is as good of a defender as you will find at the position. Offensively, he has yet to really show the country what he can do. He picks his spots well, so don't be surprised if Taylor has a couple games where he goes for 25 this year.
  


• 9. Deonta Vaughn, Cincinnati: At 6'1", 195 lb, Vaughn is built like a running back, but it isn't his physical tools that make him special. Vaughn can flat out score the ball. He is a streaky shooter, but when he gets hot he can go for 30 on a given night. Vaughn also has the quickness and the handle to put the ball on the floor and get to the rim. Simply put, Vaughn has all the skills you could ask for in a scoring guard. The problem the last two seasons has been his supporting cast, as Vaughn was not only asked to be the team's point guard, but to also be the team's only true perimeter threat. With Cashmere Wright back from injury and Lance Stephenson joining the team, he now has that. Don't expect Vaughn's scoring numbers to shoot through the roof, as the addition of Wright and Stephenson will reduce his shots, but do expect to see a better Cincinnati team and a much more efficient Deonta Vaughn.
  


• 8. Jerome Dyson, UConn: Dyson was the overlooked guy on the UConn Huskies last season. With Jeff Adrien and Hasheem Thabeet inside, and AJ Price running the show, people forgot about Dyson. It didn't help that he missed the end of the season with a knee injury either. But Dyson is a star in the making. With athleticism to burn, Dyson is at his best when he is slashing to the rim and making plays in the full court. He can knock down a three when he is left open, but his slow release makes it difficult for him to get his shot off at times. The faster tempo that UConn is going to play at this season will fit in perfectly with Dyson's skill set as he is a terror in the passing lanes and always a threat to posterize a defender on a break.

Jerome Dyson will make quite a few posters this season.
(photo credit: daylife)

• 7. E'Twaun Moore, Purdue: Moore isn't a flashy player. He isn't going to wow you with cross overs or dunks. He isn't going to take over games on the offensive end. What Moore does is play a very controlled game. He isn't going to blow by his defender every time down court, but when it is there he can get to the rim. He isn't a gunner, but he is a good enough shooter that you have to contest it (although his shooting numbers dipped quite a bit last season). He's a good passer, a good rebounder, and a very good defender. And to top it off, he has led Purdue in scoring in his first two seasons. He may not be the most athletically gifted at the position, but you would be hard-pressed to find a two guard in the country better suited for the system they play in.
  


• 6. Matt Bouldin, Gonzaga: I love Matt Bouldin's game. He is such a heady, fundamental player. Playing on Gonzaga's most talented team last season, Bouldin was forced into a bit of a complimentary role. But that was more of a result of his all-around ability than a lack of ability. Bouldin can shoot, he can handle the ball, he can penetrate and kick, he can defend - there really isn't a weakness to his game, except for maybe a lack of ideal explosiveness out of a two guard. We shall see this season if he can develop into a star. If he does, don't be surprised if he wins a WCC player of the year award and Gonzaga makes another NCAA Tournament.
  


• 5. Terrico White, Ole Miss: The Rebels caught a devastating case of the injury bug last season, as they had three back court guys go down early with season ending knee injuries. While it put quite a damper on their season, the blessing in disguise was it allowed Andy Kennedy to see what he had in freshman Terrico White. White is an athlete, but he relied a bit too much on that athleticism a year ago. He also had trouble with shot selection and decision making on the offensive end, but a big reason for that was the fact he was forced to play a lot of minutes in a de facto lead guard role with Chris Warren out. Now that Warren is healthy, White will be able to move off the ball, where he shined this summer with the U19 team.
  


• 4. Malcolm Delaney, Virginia Tech: Delaney has put up impressive numbers during his first two seasons with the Hokies, but playing behind guys like AD Vassallo and Deron Washington kept his profile to a minimum. Don't doubt him though, because Delaney can play. He will likely handle the ball quite a bit this year for Seth Greenburg, but Delaney's at his best when he is looking to score. He is a dead eye three point shooter when he is open, but he has a tendency to force it a bit, although some of that is a result of Tech having a limited number of playmakers. If he can mature a bit in his decision making and shot selection, Delaney has the potential to be a lethal scorer this year.

Malcolm Delaney is a name you will hear a lot of this season.
(photo credit: flickr)

• 3. Isaiah Thomas, Washington: Thomas played a lot of minutes as Washington's point guard last season, but with the addition of Abdul Gaddy to run the show, Thomas will slide over to the off guard spot. Off the ball is where Thomas should be more effective as he is a natural scorer. He is at his best when he is using the bounce to penetrate. He has a tight handle and a tremendous first step, which makes him a nightmare to try and defend. That ability will be magnified as he will be playing in a Washington system that will allow him countless opportunities in the open court. Thomas's diminutive size is his biggest weakness. Standing just 5'9", he was inconsistent as a perimeter shooter when he had a hand in his face, but in the lane it is less of an issue as he has an advanced in-between game - he has an excellent floater and knows how to uses body contact to create space between himself and his defender.
  


• 2. James Anderson, Oklahoma State: Anderson is first and foremost a shooter. His entire offensive repertoire is based on his catch and shoot ability from deep. An excellent athlete, Anderson is also able to use one or two dribbles and elevate over defenders in the mid-range. Where he struggles is with his ball-handling. He is very much a straight line dribbler without the ability to change direction or change speed. While it may be tough to top the 18.2 ppg he posted last season, if he improved this aspect of his game in the off-season, Anderson will be a much more complete player.

Willie Warren and James Anderson will compete for the Big XII scoring crown.
(photo credit: kfor.com)

• 1. Willie Warren, Oklahoma: Warren struggled at the beginning of his freshman campaign, but by the end of the year many considered him a lottery pick. Warren is a fantastic athlete, but what makes him so dangerous is his exceptional scoring instincts. With a quick first step, the ability the change gears and change directions, great body control in the lane, and the explosiveness to finish above the rim, it isn't hard to see that Warren was built to score. The fact that he can handle the ball (he played a lot of point last season for the Sooners) and shoot it from deep (he struggled to start the year, but shot 38% in Big XII play) only makes him more dangerous. With Tommy Mason-Griffin headed to Norman, Warren will be allowed to move off the ball where he can focus on, what else, scoring.
  

Continue reading...

No. 17: 2009-2010 Team Preview: UConn Huskies

2008-2009 Record: 31-5, 15-3 Big East (t-2nd)

Key Losses: AJ Price (14.7 ppg, 4.7 apg), Hasheem Thabeet (13.6 ppg, 10.8 rpg, 4.2 bpg), Jeff Adrien (13.6 ppg, 9.9 rpg)

Key Returners: Kemba Walker (8.9 ppg, 2.9 apg) Jerome Dyson (13.2 ppg, 4.1 rpg), Stanley Robinson (8.5 ppg, 5.9 rpg)

Newcomers: Alex Oriakhi, Ater Majok, Jamaal Trice, Darius Smith, Jamal Coombs-McDaniel

Stanley Robinson returns to the Huskies as arguably the best athlete in the country.
(photo credit: Inside Hoops)

UConn loses may lose more key pieces from last year's squad than any team in the country. Gone are AJ Price, Jeff Adrien, and Hasheem Thabeet, the Huskies three leading scorers from a year ago. But that doesn't meant the Huskies don't return any talent. With guys like Kemba Walker, Jerome Dyson, and Stanley Robinson deciding to come back to school, UConn is going to look like the Huskies of old this season.

Jim Calhoun's teams used to be known for their athleticism, their defensive pressure, and a helter-skelter style of play that resulted in a fast-paced game. The last couple of season's, Calhoun has veered away from that style as Price, Adrien, and Thabeet were all better suited to a slow, grind-it-out pace that allowed the Huskies to take advantage of their size on the interior. The Huskies won't have that size advantage this season, but what they will have is an athleticism advantage.

Kemba Walker will be the engine to this year's team. Walker is as quick and athletic as any point guard in the country. He is a terror defensively, utilizing those quicks to harass opposing ball-handlers. On the offensive end, Walker is going to be counted on to lead quite a few fast breaks. He has the speed and the ball-handling ability to get into the lane whenever he pleases, but last season he was a bit inconsistent once he got there - he forced some tough shots and committed a few too many turnovers. With a year of experience under his belt, Walker should be able to improve on that. This is going to be his UConn team to run, and how well he develops as a player will go a long way in determining the Huskie's success this season.

Joining Walker in the back court will be Jerome Dyson, another terrific athlete. Dyson is a bigger guard (6'4", 190 lb) that is the most dangerous in the open floor. A decent shooter when he has time, Dyson's strength is in his ability to get to the rim. He is explosive and a powerful finisher once he gets there. But like Walker, Dyson had a tendency to overpenetrate last season, resulting in a lot of tough shots. Defensively, Dyson is just as dangerous as Walker. He is a great athlete, and his length and anticipation make him a terror in the passing lanes. He and Walker will make life very tough on opposing back courts this season.

Beyond those two, UConn's back court will be very inexperienced. Two freshmen will be counted on heavily to provide back court depth - Darius Smith and Jamaal Trice. Smith and Trice are both exceptional athletes, and have been lauded by recruiting services for their defensive ability. Given the style that Calhoun will want to play this season, both Smith and Trice should be expected to be major contributors. At 6'5", Trice is a bit bigger than Smith, who is 6'1". Trice has big time athleticism, and has developed a knock-down jump shot. Smith is more of a combo-guard, and while his jump shot is not as developed as Calhoun would like, Smith has shown the ability to get into the paint at the high school level. Junior Donnell Beverly should also be expected to contribute some minutes.

But the back court isn't where the issues will be for the 2009-2010 Huskies. With Adrien graduating and Thabeet heading to the NBA Draft, a huge void is opened up in the middle. Senior Gavin Edwards will be back, but Edwards is not a guy that will be a star. An excellent role playing big man, Edwards is not a great offensive option in the post, but is a solid defender and rebounder. Freshman Alex Oriakhi will be counted on for major minutes, perhaps even stepping into a starting role off the bat. At 6'8", Oriakhi is closer to Jeff Adrien than a Josh Boone or Emeka Okafor. Strong in the paint, Oriakhi will provide the Huskies with some scoring, some defense, and a lot of rebounding and hustle inside.

Perhaps the biggest question mark for the Huskies will be 6'10" Sudanese refugee Ater Majok. Majok will become eligible after the first semester, but his impact on the court is still a question mark. Majok is long and athletic, and while his frame is a bit on the skinny side, Majok is still expected to be a big-time contributor for Calhoun. He is a defensive presence in the paint, but he also has enough skills on the perimeter that a defender is going to have to respect him. While Majok could end up being a star, UConn fans should be wary of the second coming of Ajou Ajou Deng.

The x-factors on this team are going to be Stanley Robinson and Jamal Coombs-McDaniel. Robinson might be the best athlete in the country. He is long (6'9") with crazy athleticism, and he plays with a ton of energy. It is widely known that he missed the beginning of last season while trying to prove to Calhoun he wanted to be a Husky, but when he returned, he was as good as he has been in his career. In fact, in postseason play, Robinson was absolutely dominant, averaging 17 ppg, 9.3 rpg, and over 2 bpg. Playing in the open court system that the Huskies will utilize this season, expect Robinson's athleticism and energy to take over at times.

Coombs-McDaniel is a bit different as a player. Another guy that's a tweener (at 6'7", he plays almost a point-forward kind of role), Coombs-McDaniel is knows for his versatility. He can penetrate, he is an excellent passer, and he is a smart, vocal leader, especially on the defensive end. He is not the overwhelming athlete that many Huskies are, but he is good enough defensively that there will be no drop off when he is in the game. Expect him to flourish as a Husky, and possibly slide into a starting spot by seasons end.

Two seven footers - Jonathon Mandeldove and Charles Okwandu - may also contribute some minutes up front.

Outlook: This is going to be an athletic team. The Huskies are going to have to press, to run the floor, and to crash the defensive glass. They don't have the shot-blockers that Husky fans have become accustomed too, but that shouldn't be a huge issue. Playing more of a full court style than they have the past two or three seasons, expect the Huskies to rely heavily on their athleticism to win games. If Kemba Walker and Stanley Robinson both develop into stars, UConn's fall should not be that tremendous and they could end up a top four team in the conference.
Continue reading...

JEROME DYSON CARES ABOUT SUMMER LEAGUE: Maybe a little too much.

Last night during a game between Next Level Training (Dyson's squad) and Cambyland in the Greater Hartford Pro-Am summer league, Dyson made quite the scene. With two seconds left and down by one point, he was called for a charge under the basket. According to Hartford Courant blogger Mike Anthony, Dyson reacted by ripping off his shirt and throwing the ball across the gym.

Love the passion Jerome, but pull a stunt like that in a game (or even in a practice) and Jim Calhoun will have you wearing track shoes to practice instead of basketball shoes.

Continue reading...

Are the UConn Huskies a Title Team?

Can UConn win a national title?

Your gut reaction is to say yes. I mean, this is a team that went 27-3 during the regular season, finished tied for second in the Big East, and spent a good chunk of the year ranked #1 in the country. They have wins at Louisville, at Gonzaga, and at West Virginia, not to mention W's against Wisconsin, Miami, Michigan, Villanova, Syracuse (need I go on?).

So yes, this team has the talent to win a national title.

But that's not what I asked. I asked "can this team win a national title?"

That is a different story.

The stat I didn't mention above is their record in the post season this year. Its 0-1. It looks similar to the 0-2 they went last year. And the 0-1 they went the year before that. The only guy on the UConn roster that has won a game in the post-season is Jeff Adrien. He was a role-playing freshman on a supremely talented 2006 team that barely survived their first three games before losing in the Elite 8. To George Mason.

Should I point out that if Adrien is drafted, he will be the sixth player off of that team to shake David Stern's hand?

UConn's issue is not a lack of talent. And it is far from a lack of effort. This team just doesn't have enough scorers or enough shooters. Outside of AJ Price, the entire team is "athletes".

Simply put, UConn needs more basketball players.

Which is why losing Jerome Dyson hurt them so much. Dyson was the only guy other than Price that could get his own shot. So when you have just one player that is a threat to create a shot for himself or for a teammate, you become predictable. Predictable teams are easy to stop. Especially at times when you really need to get a stop. Part of what killed the Huskies last night was their inability to get a bucket when they needed one in overtime. It has probably been beaten to death at this point, but Syracuse did not lead after regulation until Andy Rautins hit a three to kick off the sixth overtime.

That means that UConn blew leads in the first five overtimes. Think about it - how many times did UConn have a late lead in OT just to have a terrible offensive possession? How many chances did they get to win it at the end of an overtime period?

How many baskets did UConn have that made you say "wow, that was a big shot"? I can think of three - Stanley Robinson hitting a three in the first OT to give UConn a four point lead with a little more than a minute left; Scottie Haralson making a foul line jumper with 42 seconds left in the fifth OT for a 110-108 lead; and Kemba Walker's lay-up to end regulation. And that lay-up shouldn't count because it was off of a broken play.

So in seventy minutes of basketball, UConn had two baskets that were clutch. Syracuse had that in each overtime period.

As good as UConn is, I just don't see a team that has not won many big games (and none in postseason) suddenly figuring it out next week. Continue reading...

Injury News and Notes: Jerome Dyson and Steph Curry

Jerome Dyson underwent surgery on his right knee to repair the lateral meniscus, which will keep him out of uniform for the rest of the season. A lot of "experts" have said that losing Dyson is not going to hurt the Huskies too much. They have depth. Kemba Walker is one of the nest freshman guards in the county. Craig Austrie is a senior that has started 50-some-odd games in his career.

Let us not forget that Dyson missed nine games last season, and UConn went 8-1 in those games, playing their best basketball of the year.

But Dyson is a much different player than he was last season. As a sophomore, Dyson was coming in as the leading scorer, as the go-to guy. He was UConn's star.

During the season, however, as the team evolved, fewer and fewer plays were called for him. Hasheem Thabeet, Jeff Adrien, and AJ Price began to emerge as possible all-Big East players. Dyson was having trouble accepting a role on the team, which resulted in forced shots and lackadaisical defense.

Jerome Dyson hurt his knee trying to fight through
a screen by Kristoff Ongenaet of Syracuse.
(Photo Credit: Washington Post)

When Dyson sat out is when UConn really started to click as a "team".

But Jerome came out a completely different player with a whole new attitude this season. He relished being the defensive stopper for UConn. He thrived as their hustle guy. As a result, he got a ton of points off of run outs and offensive rebounds. But he also started to earn a reputation on a national level as one of the best defenders and best athletes that play the wing.

Kemba Walker is an excellent on-ball defender. He can harass any point guard in the country into a turnover. You want proof? Levance Fields leads the nation in assist:turnover ratio at 3.9. Last night, when Pitt was up six and Fields was trying to protect the ball and kill clock, Walker forced not one, but two turnovers by Fields.

But Walker is no where near as good a defender off the ball. He was the one that lost Fields on two straight possessions, allowing the senior two wide open looks at a three from the top of the key.

It is safe to say that Jerome Dyson would not have given Fields two looks that were that open.

Dyson brings much more to the table than just the numbers he puts up. Losing him for the season is a huge blow to the Huskies title chances.

In other injury news, Stephen Curry is off of crutches and might be ready to go on Saturday when Davidson takes on Butler in BracketBusters. Knowing from experience, putting a player on crutches after an ankle injury is a pretty common move, even if the injury is not all that serious. I would expect Curry to be in uniform come Saturday. Continue reading...