In a disappointing finish, and to many an enigmatic one, the UCONN Huskies ended their regular season with a poorly played 75-68 loss to South Florida. With an overall record of 17-14 and 7-11(12th place) in the Big East the Huskies played themselves out of the Big Dance and purchased themselves a bus ride, down I-95 to Madison Square Garden and the National Invitational Tournament. They could only salvage a "Dance Card" with a virtually impossible Championship in the Big East Tournament.
If one looks beyond the false hopes engendered by this year's team, their worst season since 2006, and the two worst seasons in Jim Calhoun's Hall of Fame 24 year tenure the reasons for the record are quite clear. I feel that several factors led Husky beat writers, TV announcers and Husky fans to believe all season long that this team was under achieving and would eventually pull it together. To begin with, there is the Husky legacy of two National Championships under Calhoun and umpteen Big East regular season and tournament championships. Second, when Calhoun took his medical leave, many believed that when he came back, he would work his motivational magic and the Huskies would run the table and waltz into the Big Dance. In fact, his presence or absence were irrelevancies for this years thinly talented squad. Of most importance in raising false hopes were the string of "Good losses" against highly ranked teams such as Duke, Kentucky, Syracuse, and an upset win over then #1 ranked Texas and Big East Powers. As you know by now I don't believe in good losses and of more importance is the fact that these teams played high octane, fast paced offenses, mediocre defenses allowing the Huskies to avoid their weak half court offense and run their transtion game where they were at their best. In fact, against the Swiss Cheese Texas defense Dyson ran coast to coast all game long and had his career high 32 points to pace the win. The Longhorns have since fallen into the 20's in the polls.
So all season long we heard from poorly informed announcers like Verne Lundquist, Clarke Kellogg, Bill Raferty and Brent Musberger that this talented team would straighten out.
The so called collapse at the end of the season was not a collapse at all. Teams with good Freshmen and Sophomores get better as the season progresses, the Huskies got left behind. Here are the bald faced facts, no third guard, only three mediocre to good big men and an extremely poor shooting team. In fact, the Huskies were 143rd in the Nation in FG% and 250th in the nation in 3 point shooting%. No way to make up for that.
Yesterday's loss had it's bizarre aspects. After falling behind by thirteen, Calhoun removed Dyson, Robinson, and Edwards and left them on the bench for the remainder of the game. His Freshman and Soph subs and the much improved Kemba Walker led an impressive come back but fell short. Calhoun obviously conceded the game with 16 minutes left and took a calculated motivational gamble. He his trying to enrage his Seniors to hope for a Big East Tourney miracle. Further he announced he will start the team that finished the USF game.
I will not post for the Big East Tourney or NIT. I will have a season ending post taking a look ahead to next year.
"You Heard it Here First"
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5 comments:
Steve, I am disappointed you won't post on the Big East tourney or the NIT. I know you are disappointed with the Huskies this season but I also thought you were a true fan. A true fan sticks by their team in thick & thin. I know you're not a UCONN grad, just a long term CT resident, but still you need to root till the bitter end. I'll even watch the Patriot League championship on ESPN next week & root in the Dance for Lehigh or Lafayette to win their first round game in the NCAA's.
PS: I know a good therapist I could refer you to so you need boostering help.
Mike, I didn't say I would not watch the Big East and NIT and root for the Huskies- I will. On this blog,I am a reporter not a fan. Try writing 30 posts of the qualilty I turned out this year then you can judge me. The only good therapist I need is myself.
I've decided to get in the NIT, why not? I don't think I've ever watched an NIT game, but who knows - maybe it will be a great tourney?
I forgot you're a reporter Steve, sorry. I'm just a fan through & through. Your posts were great & informative & I could never do what you do. As for the therapist comment I was referring to YOU, tongue in cheek!!
Mike, don't worry, I knew you were kidding. It is pretty time consuming to write these posts and the salary is not that great. I will certainly watch the Big East tourney with great interest and hope for a miracle. By the way, you and I were really the only members of this site who understood just how bad a shooting team the Huskies are this year and how it would be your undoing. I have very much appreciative the spirit and content of your posts this year.
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