Coaches Say Third

[Always Learning]

I have noticed a number of national pre-season polls have the crosstown Pussycats ranked in the Top Twenty.
But my morning paper says the AAC Coaches have selected them to finish THIRD in the conference behind SMU and UCopnn.
Thast must be some tough conference when the coaches think their third best team is one the the nation's top twenty.

[X-band '01]

The top of the conference is respectable - the middle is okay (Temple and Memphis) - the bottom is catastrophically bad.

[ArizonaXUGrad]

Will UConn be any good this year? I think SMU is getting some cred because of their coach and the idea that every game for those kids this year is their tournament.

UC is going to be a solid team this year. They have experience at the guard spots in Caupain, Cobb, and Johnson. Ellis can be good when he isn't a knucklehead. DeBerry, he might just be a space eater. Clark is absolutely legit and killed us last year. Thomas is decent most of the time. Moore is a question mark, UC guys thought he was going to be good but he had off court issues I think. Jennifer, the freshman guard is one they are looking at for a decent year, but he has size issues. Really besides Sanders, they were playing this year's squad the second half of the year. Guyn was hurt or a no-show.

I don't see any change in their offense or their defense really. If XU shoots alright and brings the defense at home we should win. Defending Clark will be a problem, but I don't think our guys will have much fear of Cobb and Johnson. Thomas is more athletic than Blueitt but UC will have issues with the 1-3-1.

[MADXSTER]

Jennifer is damn good IMO. Very well could be a difference maker.

[Milhouse]

I predict another good season and then a let down in the tournament. Mick's brand of basketball just doesn't do well in March.

[XU 87]

I predict another good season and then a let down in the tournament. Mick's brand of basketball just doesn't do well in March.

Paul D. at the Enquirer had a good article years back talking about why Huggins' UC teams struggled in the post season after about 1997 or so. His theory was that Huggins' teams were very good defensively but not very good offensively. Everybody in the post season is playing hard and playing good defense. So UC didn't really have a post season defensive advantage over other teams.

Cronin has the same style of play and philosophy as Huggins had after his first few years- good defense and not so good offense.

[Juice]

Paul D. at the Enquirer had a good article years back talking about why Huggins' UC teams struggled in the post season after about 1997 or so. His theory was that Huggins' teams were very good defensively but not very good offensively. Everybody in the post season is playing hard and playing good defense. So UC didn't really have a post season defensive advantage over other teams.

Cronin has the same style of play and philosophy as Huggins had after his first few years- good defense and not so good offense.

I would say Cronin's offenses are even worse.

[Smails]

I would say Cronin's offenses are even worse.

Yep...same style with less playmakers.

[Lamont Sanford]

Wgas.