Bilas Nugget regarding UConn

[tzznandrew]

Nugget: UConn peaked at No. 2 in the AP Poll this season. In four of the past five seasons in which they have peaked that high, they advanced to at least the Elite Eight (two titles).

The one time in that stretch they missed the E8 was 1999-2000, in which KEA was injured and they lost to Tennessee in the second round. That team absolutely makes the Final Four without a KEA injury. They were peaking and were in the bracket that had 8-seed UNC in the Final Four.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

Nugget: UConn peaked at No. 2 in the AP Poll this season. In four of the past five seasons in which they have peaked that high, they advanced to at least the Elite Eight (two titles).

The one time in that stretch they missed the E8 was 1999-2000, in which KEA was injured and they lost to Tennessee in the second round. That team absolutely makes the Final Four without a KEA injury. They were peaking and were in the bracket that had 8-seed UNC in the Final Four.

I still call that "the limp" game. It wasn't a shattering looking injury but it clearly ended the season, and then Khalid was gone.

 

[kobebeanbryant]

I don’t understand half of these “nuggets” that span across completely different coaches/players.

Like Calhoun’s past performance in the tournament has any bearing on Hurley’s future performance.

 

[tzznandrew]

I still call that "the limp" game. It wasn't a shattering looking injury but it clearly ended the season, and then Khalid was gone.

A sad end for KEA-Voskhul-KFree. They deserved better.

 

[UConnSwag11]

I don’t understand half of these “nuggets” that span across completely different coaches/players.

Like Calhoun’s past performance in the tournament has any bearing on Hurley’s future performance.

Exactly.

 

[Ripper32]

I don’t understand half of these “nuggets” that span across completely different coaches/players.

Like Calhoun’s past performance in the tournament has any bearing on Hurley’s future performance.

Calhoun was winning NCs with 3 and 4 star players. Inconceivable in retrospect.

 

[tzznandrew]

Calhoun was winning NCs with 3 and 4 star players. Inconceivable in retrospect.

It was mostly 4 stars with some McDonald's AA mixed in... it's a myth he was doing this with 3 star players. These were super deep and talented players, just most were passed over by the Dukes, UNCs, Kentuckys...

1999
Rip and KEA were McDonald's AAs.
Freeman was ranked in the Top 50 (some had him as high as 30)
Moore, Mouring and Saunders were Top 50 as well.

2004
Every single player who got meaningful minutes (except Hilton) was Top 100 and both Brown and Villanueva were McDonald's AAs. Gordon and Anderson were close to that.

2011
Kemba and Oriakhi were McDonald's AAs
Roscoe almost was (Top 30).
Coombs-McDaniel was Top 50.
Napier and Lamb were Top 100.

 

[Dogdeacon]

It was mostly 4 stars with some McDonald's AA mixed in... it's a myth he was doing this with 3 star players. These were super deep and talented players, just most were passed over by the Dukes, UNCs, Kentuckys...

1999
Rip and KEA were McDonald's AAs.
Freeman was ranked in the Top 50 (some had him as high as 30)
Moore, Mouring and Saunders were Top 50 as well.

2004
Every single player who got meaningful minutes (except Hilton) was Top 100 and both Brown and Villanueva were McDonald's AAs. Gordon and Anderson were close to that.

2011
Kemba and Oriakhi were McDonald's AAs
Roscoe almost was (Top 30).
Coombs-McDaniel was Top 50.
Napier and Lamb were Top 100.

Of course that's right, but the thing is Calhoun was BANGING on the door and winning more than his share of NCAA and BE tournament games even before the roster was filled out with top recruits. 1990 is best example, I'd guess Smitty was the only top-50 recruit on that squad.

 

[tzznandrew]

Of course that's right, but the thing is Calhoun was BANGING on the door and winning more than his share of NCAA and BE tournament games even before the roster was filled out with top recruits. 1990 is best example, I'd guess Smitty was the only top-50 recruit on that squad.

Parade used to do 4 All-America teams, with 10 kids on each team. Smith was on Third team. It's hard to get a sense of the rankings of the other players. Tate and Burrell played some in the league, but that doesn't mean they were highly ranked.

Also, hard to assess someone like Henefeld, who was clearly much better than most high school kids coming in but wouldn't have been in the rankings.

 

[Hunt for 7]

What Calhoun did was take those 4 to 5 star players who may have had some issues be it with authority or giving 100%, the ones the Duke, Kentucky, Kansas could afford to take a pass on and turn them into men. Caron would never of had the career he had if he played for a less demanding coach. But does anyone really think Calhoun could have survived our current cancel culture with the way he went about getting the most out of his players. Tough love is no longer an acceptable motivational or development tool. It is frowned upon.

 

[Hunt for 7]

It was mostly 4 stars with some McDonald's AA mixed in... it's a myth he was doing this with 3 star players. These were super deep and talented players, just most were passed over by the Dukes, UNCs, Kentuckys...

1999
Rip and KEA were McDonald's AAs.
Freeman was ranked in the Top 50 (some had him as high as 30)
Moore, Mouring and Saunders were Top 50 as well.

2004
Every single player who got meaningful minutes (except Hilton) was Top 100 and both Brown and Villanueva were McDonald's AAs. Gordon and Anderson were close to that.

2011
Kemba and Oriakhi were McDonald's AAs
Roscoe almost was (Top 30).
Coombs-McDaniel was Top 50.
Napier and Lamb were Top 100.

Brown played high school ball in Canada could he still have been a McDonald’s All America?

 

[Waquoit]

I think Burrell would have been ranked higher is he hadn't signed a six-figure baseball contract. And Nadav was clearly the equivalent of a 5-star. Napier was very highly regarded, wasn't his ranking skewed by his reclassification?

 

[UConNick]

I think Burrell would have been ranked higher is he hadn't signed a six-figure baseball contract. And Nadav was clearly the equivalent of a 5-star. Napier was very highly regarded, wasn't his ranking skewed by his reclassification?

Yeah, as I recall Napier was a top 50/60 guy in 2011 before reclassifying and becoming top 90/100 in 2010.

 

[tzznandrew]

I think Burrell would have been ranked higher is he hadn't signed a six-figure baseball contract. And Nadav was clearly the equivalent of a 5-star. Napier was very highly regarded, wasn't his ranking skewed by his reclassification?

RSCI #75

 

[USNavyDog]

I still call that "the limp" game. It wasn't a shattering looking injury but it clearly ended the season, and then Khalid was gone.

I thought the 2007/8 team season ended similarly when A.J. Price was injured early in the San Diego game and that was why we lost in overtime in the 1st round. Just like Khalid, if A.J. never tears his ACL we would've blown out San Diego and maybe made a deep run.

 

[Go_Huskies]

Calhoun had small and fast guards who could penetrate something Hurley's teams lack. I hope that type of guard play isn't essential for winning in March.

 

[Scrutiner]

Calhoun had small and fast guards who could penetrate something Hurley's teams lack. I hope that type of guard play isn't essential for winning in March.

You're right and DH wants big guards.
Since DH hasn't won more than one NBE tournament games nor any NCAA tournament games, I wish he'd look at some old game recordings and notice the guard play dictated the championships, not the big guys.

 

[3rdbass]

I still call that "the limp" game. It wasn't a shattering looking injury but it clearly ended the season, and then Khalid was gone.

I went to that game in Birmingham. I drove there from Atlanta. I was very disappointing to see them losing to Tennessee that early. Losing Khalid that team couldn't afford. It wasn't too deep of a team at guard.

 

[uconnfan68]

You're right and DH wants big guards.
Since DH hasn't won more than one NBE tournament games nor any NCAA tournament games, I wish he'd look at some old game recordings and notice the guard play dictated the championships, not the big guys.

He still has nightmares about Villanova guards bullying his team.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

You're right and DH wants big guards.
Since DH hasn't won more than one NBE tournament games nor any NCAA tournament games, I wish he'd look at some old game recordings and notice the guard play dictated the championships, not the big guys.

Refresh my memory please, at my advanced age I at times forget certain details. How tall was our starting PG in the two NCAA tournament games that DH has coached us in to date?

 

[UCan3]

Some here a bit hard on Bilas, chill.

I like the recognition and let’s face it, no past performance, even last year, guarantees anything.

Fact is, he has a point about peaking and finishing strong in the Big East and the Big East was and is one of top 3 BB Conferences.

If Jay is right, he will have lots of kudos coming his way for the prediction.

But again they call this March Madness for a reason

 

[UConnSwag11]

You're right and DH wants big guards.
Since DH hasn't won more than one NBE tournament games nor any NCAA tournament games, I wish he'd look at some old game recordings and notice the guard play dictated the championships, not the big guys.

He’s gotten the players he’s wanted, although his best guard was one he didn’t recruit. Hoping Castle is the stud people think he is and Hurley starts him day 1