23-24 UConn Basketball: Stephon's Castle
- Thread starter RedOctober3829
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Easily hateable in the mold of laettner, reddick, plumlee, Grayson Allen, the other Hurley (I’m sure I’m missing many more). Duke always seems to have a player that you just love to hate. Flagg could be that next guy.
By all accounts, Hurley did about all he could to get Flagg to come to Storrs. At the start of his recruitment, he was 100% Duke but UConn did a really good job to get it to be a legit decision he had to make. Hurley brought out all the stops including the picture with Clingan with the Maine jerseys of their mothers. He made a bunch of trips down to Montverde before and after the official visit, but in the end Flagg went to his dream school.
I can not begin to agree with the typical Duke player discussion that is in this thread. Cooper is a special kid from all accounts and I can only wish him the best in his year at Duke except if they play the Huskies. He comes from a very grounded family and he is a hooper in the vein of Kevin Durant. He's not about the flashy stuff off the court, he just balls. I can't wait to see how his NBA career pans out and hope he represents Maine and the New England area proudly. It's not every day that a generational player comes from a northern New England state.
I can not begin to agree with the typical Duke player discussion that is in this thread. Cooper is a special kid from all accounts and I can only wish him the best in his year at Duke except if they play the Huskies. He comes from a very grounded family and he is a hooper in the vein of Kevin Durant. He's not about the flashy stuff off the court, he just balls. I can't wait to see how his NBA career pans out and hope he represents Maine and the New England area proudly. It's not every day that a generational player comes from a northern New England state.
That all sounds great and I am rooting for him notwithstanding my life-long hatred of Duke, but if I see him slap one floor on defense I am out.
Thank you for a great post. As a Connecticut native, and UCONN fan, the perspective is appreciated.
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Was at the UConn women’s preseason game today at Gampel. Place was totally buzzing. Humongous pop for Paige when she was announced in the starting lineup.
I believe Flaggs father sent out a tweet indicating people don’t realize how close it came between Duke and UConn. Implications were that if Flagg didn’t grow up a Duke fan he’s be at Storrs, CT.
Now how a kid from freaking Maine becomes a Dookie is beyond me but whatever. He probably roots for the Yankees, Cowboys, and Notre Dame as well.
Now how a kid from freaking Maine becomes a Dookie is beyond me but whatever. He probably roots for the Yankees, Cowboys, and Notre Dame as well.
None of those 3 have won diddly squat since Flagg was 4 years old (and you have to go back into the 20th century to find a Cowboy or ND championship). Which is a good thing!
A nice Hurley piece from Seth Davis. He talks about his mental health struggles.
https://themessenger.com/sports/dan-hurley-uconn-huskies-mens-basketball-coach-mental-health-ncaa-tournament-championship
https://themessenger.com/sports/dan-hurley-uconn-huskies-mens-basketball-coach-mental-health-ncaa-tournament-championship
I did not realize Jason Williams was about to commit to UConn. He told the story on the air that they took either him or Tony Roberson whoever committed first. Never heard that they even recruited him before.
22 consecutive double digit win versus non conference opponent. UNC with all time record with 23 double digit wins in a row.
Is it a fair question to ask which of the five men's titles were the least likely, the most outta-nowhere?
I'd argue for the 2011 Kemba Walker year, where they probably don't even make the tournament if they don't have a crazy run in the Big East tournament to get an automatic bid. Maybe that's the obvious pick. But it seems like you can make a case for 3 or even 4 of the 5.
I’d go with 2014 though they both were improbable.Small nitpick but they were in tournament even with a first round loss in 2011. Eleven Big East teams made it in including Nova and Marquette who both finished tied with UConn in regular season with Nova losing in first round of BET. 2014 they’re playing in some conference called the AAC and Jim Calhoun has now been retired for a couple of years. They finish the season getting waxed by Louisville by 33 points and while they make a run to AAC finals they lose again to Louisville again by 10 points. I had zero confidence a run was coming. So much so that even though I’m out in Vegas and they’re 100-1 to win it I didn’t even throw $20 them to win. Still no confidence after squeaking by St Joes in OT in 1sr round.
Another small anecdote I remember getting a text from my brother after they beat DePaul in 2011 where he said 1 down 10 to go . I chuckled but texted back I’m in.
Another small anecdote I remember getting a text from my brother after they beat DePaul in 2011 where he said 1 down 10 to go . I chuckled but texted back I’m in.
The style of play by UConn is so much fun to watch. Samson Johnson was an absolute beast tonight. It really does look like we have another 40 minutes of greatness at the center position this year.
Ironically Samson was better than Clingan tonight and Hurley stayed with him the final 10 minutes.
Clingan is probably still getting into game condition due to his foot injury keeping him off the court.
Ironically Samson was better than Clingan tonight and Hurley stayed with him the final 10 minutes.
Clingan is probably still getting into game condition due to his foot injury keeping him off the court.
Manhattan and New Hampshire up next. I like their chances to break the record.
25 in a row will be difficult and they have hit the AFH tonight for some practice..
View: https://twitter.com/uconnmbb/status/1730409540712116440?s=61&t=mLlSRkfq4VtgCm4CvSpAPg
View: https://twitter.com/uconnmbb/status/1730409540712116440?s=61&t=mLlSRkfq4VtgCm4CvSpAPg
I can not wait for this game tonight. This may be the biggest non-conference game in the history of UConn hoops given the rankings of both teams and who the opponent and the building they are playing in is. I've been to two games that were pretty big(at UNC in '04 and home vs. Arizona in 2000) There is nothing in college basketball like walking into Allen Fieldhouse and soaking in the history there. It's even better to walk out of there with a win. The only time UConn has defeated a top 5 opponent on the road was at #4 Stanford in 1999. UConn was #1 and without Richard Hamilton but won.
I think UConn is the better team because of it's depth, but it's so tough to beat Kansas in their building. They can throw Clingan and Samson Johnson at Dickenson which will help keep each player fresh. Defending Harris and McCullar is going to be difficult, but again there is so many players Hurley can rotate through. Any time Nick Timberlake is in the game, they need to hunt him and have somebody like Newton post him up.
This game is going to go down to the last 2 minutes to decide.
I think UConn is the better team because of it's depth, but it's so tough to beat Kansas in their building. They can throw Clingan and Samson Johnson at Dickenson which will help keep each player fresh. Defending Harris and McCullar is going to be difficult, but again there is so many players Hurley can rotate through. Any time Nick Timberlake is in the game, they need to hunt him and have somebody like Newton post him up.
This game is going to go down to the last 2 minutes to decide.
It is kind of surprising how few home and home big conference series UConn have had traditionally. Generally speaking, it's hard to think of too many major non-conference games they have played. Part of it was that Calhoun rightly believed that the conference was a big enough test and so liked to start the season piling up wins against the Bethune Cookmans of the world. I also think there was a bit of a disparity in that some of the big teams did not want to play away at Connecticut, and Connecticut thought it was good enough to demand home and homes.
But, generally, yeah, the games mentioned are the ones that stick out. They did a couple of homes and homes with Arizona and that no-Hamilton game at Maples was part of a home and home I think. North Carolina once. That Texas home and home in 2010-11 had two really good games. The Loren Woods game versus Arizona was epic. But those highlights are kind of few and far between.
They've played some epic games at neutral sites. Interestingly, though, some of the very best were earlier in seasons when people didn't quite know how good the teams were. The Draymond Green/Kemba Walker game on Maui was a pretty epic UConn non-conference game, for example, but people didn't know how good Connecticut could be yet. I think Michigan State was No. 2. Some others like that.
But, generally, yeah, the games mentioned are the ones that stick out. They did a couple of homes and homes with Arizona and that no-Hamilton game at Maples was part of a home and home I think. North Carolina once. That Texas home and home in 2010-11 had two really good games. The Loren Woods game versus Arizona was epic. But those highlights are kind of few and far between.
They've played some epic games at neutral sites. Interestingly, though, some of the very best were earlier in seasons when people didn't quite know how good the teams were. The Draymond Green/Kemba Walker game on Maui was a pretty epic UConn non-conference game, for example, but people didn't know how good Connecticut could be yet. I think Michigan State was No. 2. Some others like that.
Definitely a huge game. Kansas favored by two. Seems right. It should be a good game but expecting a close loss because Hurley can’t win a close game 
Also glad it appears as though Castle will be sitting this one out. I think that could negatively impact UConn’s flow, rhythm etc. Get him ready for conference play.
Also glad it appears as though Castle will be sitting this one out. I think that could negatively impact UConn’s flow, rhythm etc. Get him ready for conference play.
Some home and home's that I can remember off the top of my head from the mid to late 90's until now. I was at the home parts for MSU, Arizona, and Oklahoma.
--Michigan State in late 90's
--Stanford
--Arizona multiple times
--Oklahoma
--Texas multiple times
--Florida multiple times
--UNC
--Vanderbilt
--LSU
--Indiana multiple times
--Gonzaga(played them at TD Garden and Seattle)
--Michigan
--Tennessee
--Washington
--Ohio State
Good list. A few of those were memorable, but many weren't. Lots of football schools. The Florida games were both good, and sandwiched the tournament game. Seems like with many of them, you didn't have peak years for both teams at the same time -- the second Arizona home and home was a dud, but the first one, 2000-2001, was probably the best of the whole bunch. Two bangers.
I guess part of the issue is that for a long stretch, the conference schedule and tournament, and the NCAA tournament games, were so epic that the nonconference games get a bit lost.
I guess part of the issue is that for a long stretch, the conference schedule and tournament, and the NCAA tournament games, were so epic that the nonconference games get a bit lost.
In the last 10 years, the trend in college basketball is to play your higher profile OOC games either in made for TV destination tournaments or one game events like the conference challenges or Jimmy V Classic type stuff. So you don't tend to get many home and home's anymore. Another trend is that the number of conference games have increased due to more teams in each league. Next year, UConn is in the Maui Invitational where they could play the likes of North Carolina and Michigan State as well as the return game from Gonzaga which is at MSG. Hopefully, they add more quality.
Castle has only played in two games this year. They've played the last five without him and have won by an average of 22.8. They beat Indiana by 20 and Texas by 10 without him.Definitely a huge game. Kansas favored by two. Seems right. It should be a good game but expecting a close loss because Hurley can’t win a close game
His absence isn't going to affect their flow or rhythm whatsoever. They've dominated without him in the lineup.
(They'll be even better when he returns, but the concern about his absence negatively impacting their flow or rhythm is a nonstarter.)
Indiana and Texas(without Shedrick) are not Kansas however. This is the first major test without him. The other 3 games were Mississippi Valley State, Manhattan, and UNH so it wouldn't have mattered either way if he played. Castle would have been a great piece to have to defend Kansas' guards as he's their best perimeter defender. His absence tonight will be felt.
Agreed. His absence will be felt because they won't have a star player in the game. I was only pointing out that their "flow and rhythm" won't be disrupted, since they've played their last 5 games without him. Seemed like JOBU didn't realize that Castle has been out for the last 5 and their flow and rhythm have been fantastic.
Sorry, I think you misunderstood or I did a very poor job of explaining. I’m worried that if he suits up it would negatively impact the team. I think we are in agreement.
Not quite the same defensive blanket we saw at the end of last year. That really was a huge part of their identity, and they are still kind of looking for it this year.
Got to get something from Spencer and Karaban if Clingan is out for the game. Newton has been fantastic but needs help.
Weird seeing UConn leaving a game at the line, given how big free throws have been in big games for Connecticut in the last decade plus. Tough environment mattered.
I come away thinking UConn is definitely better than Kansas. They add Castle and Kansas doesn’t shoot the lights out from three and UConn doesn’t throw up all those bricks at the line and it’s a fairly comfortable UConn win.
Yep. Newton is a stud. This team will be fine. Hate to say good loss, but it wasn’t looking awesome the first 10 minutes. They fought hard but just couldn’t get that Spencer 3 to fall.
Their last possession was total crap. They needed to not hold for the end and instead attack the rim.