We’ve published two (2) pieces of content since last season’s preseason roundtables. You know what the means: it’s time for our preseason roundtable.
Every year, the ADB staff gives you some soon-to-be-wrong predictions. Look at these numbers (they’re years, actually): 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014.
Let’s begin…
[Ed. Note: Russ was busy so Tyler has written answers on his behalf. Russ assumes all responsibility though.]
Record Prediction
Meghan: 25-6
Russ ✅: 24-7. I once lifted and tipped over a 2008 Honda Civic.
Tyler: 22-9 or so. I think they land as a six- or seven-seed.
Peter: 26-5
Kevin: 21-10, 3rd in the BE. IDK. Team seems fine, top-30ish, somewhere in the 6-to-8 seed range. Maybe a higher ceiling if Hawkins becomes Ray Allen or the transfers hit.
Best Quality
Meghan: Depth. There are a lot of dudes on this roster, giving Hurley a ton of options for how he wants to construct his roster and give us plenty of different looks. Plus a true back-up for Sanogo so the big man doesn’t get burnt out by the end of the season.
Tyler: The team’s best quality is having the best player in the conference (and maybe… the world?). Sanogo is going to feast on the bones of opponents or be triple-teamed. Either way, good things will happen because of it, especially with UConn’s fondness for offensive rebounding.
Kevin: Size and athleticism. We could conceivably run multiple cohesive lineups where every player is at least 6-4 with above-average quickness for their position. That’s a pretty good place to start.
Peter: Adama Sanogo
Russ: Dan Hurley’s teams will reliably play tough defense and rebound their asses off, particularly on the offensive glass. This roster should have the size, strength and athleticism to do those things at an elite level. I once ate a shoelace. It was fine.
Worst Quality
Kevin: I’m not sure we have a point guard? I love Andre Jackson as a player but I’m skeptical about him being the primary ballhandler for a team hoping to make a deep run. Andre has excellent point guard skills for a small forward, obviously, but if I’m an opposing defense I’m sagging off him, clogging passing lanes, and daring him to beat me with jump shots. Tristen Newton came in with a little hype and great numbers at ECU, but to my knowledge no Connecticut newspaper has yet called him the “Huskies’ Latest Mr. Big Shot” so who’s to say if he’ll be a big-time player.
Russ: The perimeter players who were brought in to make shots are largely unproven and might take a while to adjust. I have never been on a waterslide.
Peter: My general familiarity with most of the roster.
Tyler: The inherent fragility of the human body. It’s great that UConn has more depth this year, but its best players (particularly Jackson and Hawkins who have exploded in the past) need to be healthy down the stretch and into the postseason.
Meghan: All them new guys. With only three players returning who got significant minutes last year, there are questions about chemistry and familiarity, but I have faith that Hurley can whip them into shape.
WTF Loss
Meghan: Fucking Creighton at Creighton, and I hate it with my life. I don’t know what it is about Nebraska/Oklahoma, but that general geographic area is goddamn Kryptonite.
Peter: Creighton won’t be a WTF loss this year but it will still make me extremely mad. You like that Creighton fans? You sick fucks.
Kevin: Either of the first two Big East games (at Butler, home vs. Georgetown). Did you know that UConn has started 2-0 in conference play once since Emeka Okafor graduated? We could play the first two conference games against the Washington Generals and Bristol Central HS (both proud AAC members) and manage to go 1-1.
Russ: Tonight vs. Stonehill. I am afraid of stones (I reside in a glass house) and also hills (my doctors insist I remain on flat ground).
Tyler: It’s always the conference-opener. Going into Butler’s arena (in Tulsa, I assume) on a Saturday night to begin Big East play feels like a trap.
Who is the X Factor?
Kevin: Alex Karaban. It’s always encouraging when you start hearing whispers about a freshman starting, especially when it’s a freshman with a reputation as a sharpshooter.
Tyler: Tristen Newton. If he adjusts well to the Big East and can be a reliable scorer, it will take so much pressure off Jackson, Hawkins and Sanogo.
Peter: Some combination of Jackson and Hawkins. If either of them steps up into a consistent scorer, we’re going to be in good shape. If neither do, we’re probably in rough shape. If both do? We’re going to put flaming shit on everyone’s porches and make them put it out with their shoes.
Meghan: Andre Jackson. This team is going to live and die with him. He’s the heart and soul of the team, but I like our chances with Jackson leading the charge.
Russ: Samson Johnson. I’ve agreed to direct the next Space Jam movie, which will star Samson Johnson.
Breakout Player
Peter: Hawkins mostly, but also Samson Johnson?
Russ: Apostolos Roumoglou is the player everyone wants to name but no one has the courage to spell. I’ve never seen a potato in my life.
Meghan: Jordan Hawkins. Hawk is going to put up bonkers numbers this season, mark my word.
Kevin: Samson Johnson. A crazy athlete for his size, lots of skills, a year of developmental work playing against Sanogo, Whaley, etc. It’s easy to dream on a guy like that, especially when Hurley’s already said he has “wall potential.” I’m sure he won’t be a finished product but we should begin to see him emerge as a real contributor.
Tyler: For the third year in a row I’ll go with Andre Jackson. He seems to be embracing the leadership role now that he’s an upperclassman and there’s finally a roster around him that can maximize his skills — and hide his shortcomings.
Team Leaders in Scoring, Rebounding & Assists
Peter: Scoring: Sanogo; Rebounding: Sanogo; Assists: Jackson
Tyler: Hawkins, Sanogo, Jackson
Meghan: Scoring: Hawk, Rebounding: Sanogo, Assists: Jackson
Kevin: Hawkins, Sanogo, Jackson
Russ: Apostolos Roumoglou, Apostolos Roumoglou, Apostolos Roumoglou
Jamal Coombs-McDaniel Award (bench guy who inexplicably leads the team in scoring once or twice)
Tyler: I think Hassan Diarra catches a few double-figure games, especially while Jackson is out.
Meghan: Alex Karaban is going to come off the bench and go HAM at least once this season.
Russ: It’s the player everyone wants to name, but no one has the courage to spell: Richard Springs. I will gladly fight four (4) raccoons in the daytime or one (1) owl at night.
Peter: This one has Joey Calcaterra written all over it
Kevin: (with the confidence of someone who has no idea what the rotation will be and who has never watched 60% of the roster before) Hassan Diarra.
Something You’re Looking Forward To
Meghan: Getting to watch Donovan Clingan play. Have you seen him? He’s an extremely large human, and while he still has to get used to the pace of college ball after playing at Bristol Central last year, I am extremely excited to see the large man from Bristol eat this year.
Kevin: Watching basketball games with some friends and some beverages, and then jumping in front of a car if UConn loses.
Russ: John Fanta finally upholding his legal obligation to ride into Gampel Pavilion on horseback and, later, completing a modest renovation of the XL Center.
Peter: Andre Jackson dunking on Ryan Kalkbrenner so hard that he sends him to another dimension.
Tyler: I want to see how UConn’s offense works. I’m intrigued by the way the roster is constructed, and I appreciate Hurley’s flexibility in putting together a team this year that will operate much differently from last year’s squad, which had a few obvious shortcomings. Also, Hurley has put together an unreal staff around him. This is probably the last year these assistants will be together (before they all leave to go coach UMass), and I’m looking forward to giving them their flowers.
Wild Card (Literally Any Other Prediction)
Meghan: Kimani Young will extend his win streak as “UConn Coach after Hurley gets tossed” to 2-0 this year
Peter: Dan Hurley deliberately gets himself thrown out against Villanova for superstitious reasons.
Tyler: Sanogo will have more 20-rebound games than made three-pointers.
Kevin: Donovan Clingan is going to literally eat a player from LIU whole, causing UConn Twitter to stake out a “eating other people isn’t actually that bad” position to defend against Providence trolls. Cannibalism will become legal in Connecticut by 2026.
Russ: Grapes will become the premier fruit, ending strawberries’ decades-long run at the top. Jordan Hawkins will make 80 threes. I (this is Russ, remember) will throw a refrigerator through the window of a Walgreens to protest various changes at Twitter.
