2024-25 'I'm not going to jinx it' thread

Friars on the road don’t appreciate being called husky (NBC)
Was at the game in Storrs this afternoon. UConn is going to lose some games while Liam McNeeley is out with his high ankle sprain… even with him they just don’t have anyone who can create their own offense, but McNeeley was the closest thing. The other interesting thing is that it’s super clear that the Huskies are better with Tarris Reed instead of Samson Johnson at the 5. Johnson has “paid his dues” backing up Clingan and is a fourth year senior but is a massive offensive liability and isn’t doing anything positive defensively or rebounding right now. UConn’s comeback came when Reed took over, and up to that point it was clear to the entire arena that Johnson was massively struggling. It weirdly seems like Hurley feels obligated to play him over Reed and that may cost UConn some games. Will be an interesting subplot for anyone following the Big East the rest of the year.
 
Was at the game in Storrs this afternoon. UConn is going to lose some games while Liam McNeeley is out with his high ankle sprain… even with him they just don’t have anyone who can create their own offense, but McNeeley was the closest thing. The other interesting thing is that it’s super clear that the Huskies are better with Tarris Reed instead of Samson Johnson at the 5. Johnson has “paid his dues” backing up Clingan and is a fourth year senior but is a massive offensive liability and isn’t doing anything positive defensively or rebounding right now. UConn’s comeback came when Reed took over, and up to that point it was clear to the entire arena that Johnson was massively struggling. It weirdly seems like Hurley feels obligated to play him over Reed and that may cost UConn some games. Will be an interesting subplot for anyone following the Big East the rest of the year.
their offense has been somewhat inconsistent even *with* mcneeley. It's hard to know whether this is normal variance in such a highly ranked offense, and is excacerbated by just how bad their defense is.

I don't think this uconn team has the length or athleticism at the guard spot on either side of the ball. They make up for it with great wing play on O, but they don't have clingan in the back to save them on D. This team is a first round loss waiting to happen.
 
their offense has been somewhat inconsistent even *with* mcneeley. It's hard to know whether this is normal variance in such a highly ranked offense, and is excacerbated by just how bad their defense is.

I don't think this uconn team has the length or athleticism at the guard spot on either side of the ball. They make up for it with great wing play on O, but they don't have clingan in the back to save them on D. This team is a first round loss waiting to happen.

Castle was also a great player for them last year, especially on the defensive end.
Agreed on both of the above. The lofty preseason projections for UConn rested on two big assumptions: 1) Samson Johnson would shine as the starting 5 after being strong in an understudy role, and 2) Transfer Aidan Mahaney would slide in at point. Neither has materialized… Mahaney is playing better of late but is now the 6th man, playing behind Hassan Diarra who is stellar defensively but not an offensive creator.

It’s going to be hard to pick against Hurley come tourney time given the last two years, but the team I watched yesterday didn’t look like a second weekend team on the eye test.
 
Agreed on both of the above. The lofty preseason projections for UConn rested on two big assumptions: 1) Samson Johnson would shine as the starting 5 after being strong in an understudy role, and 2) Transfer Aidan Mahaney would slide in at point. Neither has materialized… Mahaney is playing better of late but is now the 6th man, playing behind Hassan Diarra who is stellar defensively but not an offensive creator.

It’s going to be hard to pick against Hurley come tourney time given the last two years, but the team I watched yesterday didn’t look like a second weekend team on the eye test.
mahaney also played off ball (pun unintended) yesterday....to similar scoring ability as he had at St Marys. This was an opportunity opened up with Liam out. WIth him, there are only two guard spots for 3 of ball, diara, and mahaney.

The problem is ball and mahaney are both too one dimensional...neither is a primary ball handler, and both are zeros on defense.
 
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