Uconn has suffered some tough losses this season including back to back buzzer beater losses by one point both to Texas and Yale. Absolute daggers. They have also lost to West Virginia, Duke and most recently Temple. Uconn has faced some extremely good teams in non-conference play, but that is not a plausible excuse for the type of play Uconn is exhibiting
Last year was more than any Uconn fan could want; an improbable journey to becoming national champions which they handled in part due to endless effort, outstanding defense, and with a little help from a man named Shabazz Napier. The Huskies' start to this season can simply be described as a "championship hangover", as many people have been throwing that term around. That may be true, Uconn lost 4 players from last year, three of which started for the Huskies last season. So with that said, this is a completely different Uconn team with only one full time starter returning from last season.(Ryan Boatright) I watched every single game last year and I have seen every game thus far this season and there is a distinct difference in how this team is playing compared to last season. Thus far, this Uconn team is struggling to find their identity. There seems to be very minimal chemistry between players along with some selfish play. Along with the negatives of this team, there are plenty of positives to look upon.
Uconn has one of the best guards in the nation in Ryan Boatright. Many are hoping that he can fill Shabazz Napier's shoes, but that's a tough task for anyone. Boatright is a dynamic scorer and a tough kid on the court. He has a killer jump shot and a terrific ability to get into the teeth of the defense and find a way to score. An extremely crafty and chippy player, although at times he can be selfish. Boatright will need to continue to be the leader for this team. (if he can stay healthy) The X-factor for the Huskies is Rodney Purvis. Purvis sat out last season after transferring from NC State the year prior. Purvis is an outstanding athlete and has been referred to as the next Dwayne Wade after graduating high school but he has been sub-par so far this season, although he has been dealing with injuries. In recent games, Rodney has shown his true athleticism driving hard to the basket and hitting outside jumpshots when needed. If the Huskies plan to be successful further into the season, Purvis needs to contribute each night and he needs to be good wingman for Ryan Boatright.
There are two players that have been bright spots for this team early on in the season. Kentan Facey and Daniel Hamilton have proven they can be an integral part of this team and can compete with the best teams in the nation. Kentan Facey is the Huskies starting forward and he has been nothing short of tremendous. Facey, a Sophomore who had a limited role with the team last year as a freshman has shown the nation what he is capable of. He works extremely hard under the basket and has proven he can be a dominant rebounder. Facey has also shown his ability to shoot the outside jumper as well. The other bright spot of this team is the freshman from LA, Daniel Hamilton. What can this kid NOT do? Hamilton is the Huskies starting shooting guard and so far this season he has been phenomenal. Hamilton is a tall and lengthy player who has a natural ability to shoot the basketball. He can shoot the outside three ball as well as finish around the rim. Hamilton needs to continue to be consistent in order for the Huskies to turn things around.
As a Uconn student and a diehard fan of this basketball team, I can only be worried about the future of this team. If this team can't figure things out soon, I fear that Uconn could end up a victim of the NIT tournament. If the Huskies plan on playing better basketball, they must collaborate better and play like a team.
On a sidenote, I just found out that head coach Kevin Ollie just agreed to divorce with his wife of many years. Can that explain the poor start?
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