STF's Super Awesome Top 30 Team Preview: #28 Connecticut Huskies

#28 Connecticut Huskies



TEAM: Connecticut Huskies

CONFERENCE: Big East

2006 RECORD AND ENDING: 17-14, missed postseason for first time in 20 years.

KEY PLAYERS RETURNING: When I say everyone is back, I mean EVERYONE. All five starters (C Hasheem Thabeet, F Jeff Adrian, F Marcus Johnson, G Jerome Dyson, G AJ Price) and the top four reserves are all back from last seasons squad.

WHAT'S TO LOVE:Last season, Calhoun let the kids run out on to the court to see what they could do, knowing that they would take their lumps. And lumptaking they did (see no postseason for first time in 20 years). The benefit of last season is that this year everyone from this group of former McDonald's All-Americans has one year of Big East play under its belt. With a collective season of experience and growing pains, look for this teams potential to finally show. Not to mention that last year's squad was still pretty solid defensively (12th in rebounding, 1st in blocks)

WHATS NOT TO LOVE: Turnovers and scoring will still be an issue. The Huskies ranked 137th in scoring last season and really never found a go to scorer all season. Jerome Dyson can shoot the lights out (I witnessed this firsthand at Syracuse) but he'll need scoring help from Price and Thabeet if the Huskies want to contend in the Big East.

KEY PLAYER: Hasheem Thabeet. He wisely stayed away from the NBA Draft last season. It's really as simple as this: If Thabeet can develop anything close an offensive game (6.2 ppg), he'll greatly help the guards and UConn will win alot more games then expected.

BEST CASE: Thabeet finds some offense, Price lives up to his potential, Adrien remains a rebounding monster, the experiences from last season pays off with some big road wins in the Big East.

WORST CASE: Dyson proves to be too streaky of a shooter, Thabeet gets a concussion hitting his face off the rim, this group shows that maybe last season wasn't really a fluke and the Mason hangover continues.

STF PREDICTION: Between 4th and 6th in the Big East, return to the Dance.